Water Reuse EuropeThird Knowledge Exchange Day
Brussels, Belgium | 21 October 2025
Water Reuse Europe Knowledge Exchange Day 2025 – Brussels, Belgium (21 October 2025)
Water Reuse Europe hosted its third Knowledge Exchange Day in Brussels on 21 October 2025. The event provided a vivid showcase of recent and ongoing water-reuse research across Europe, offering participants a valuable opportunity to catch up on leading-edge developments—from agricultural and industrial applications through to indirect and even direct potable reuse.
Following the opening remarks by WRE’s Director and Board Chair, Marie Raffin, the programme featured a carefully curated line-up of presenters:
Catarina Baptista (R&D Engineer, VITO, Belgium) speaking on “Removal capacity for nutrients and organic micropollutants of a nature-based solution treating concentrate from a wastewater reuse plant”.
Dries Borloo (Innovation Project Manager – Water Treatment, De Watergroep) and Marylidia Villagrán Marroquín (PhD Researcher, Vrije Universiteit, Brussel) discussing aquifer recharge for water reuse (the “NATALIE” project) in Sint-Truiden.
Roel Boussemaere (Senior Expert & Domain Manager, Air Liquide Technology Center, Belgium) on control of inorganic scales in reverse-osmosis systems using carbon dioxide.
Magali Gerino (Professor, Centre for Biodiversity & Environment Research, Université Toulouse III) presenting SOLLAGUA, nature-based solutions & living labs for water reuse in rural areas.
Lluis Jordan Bayod (Director General, Aigües Sabadell i Grup Cassa, Spain) on Sabadell, capital of reclaimed water in the Vallès region.
Herman Evenblij (Consultant Wastewater Technology at Haskoning, Royal Haskoning, Netherlands) discussing “Changing perspective on effluent reuse in The Netherlands”.
Tomas Lock (Predoctoral Researcher, Catalan Institute for Water Research – ICRA, Spain) on the “AIGUANEIX” project: water purification in the northern Costa Brava.
Birte Raes (R&D Researcher, Aquafin NV, Belgium) on “Water Reuse in Agriculture: Fate of Pharmaceuticals in effluent-irrigated cultivation”.
Pia Schumann (Researcher, Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Berlin – KWB, Germany) presenting “Advancing Water Reuse in the Baltic Sea Region and Berlin: insights from the WaterMan project”.
This diverse programme underlined the event’s focus on giving researchers a platform to share findings, innovative tools and methods, while fostering interaction with practitioners, utilities, industry and public-sector participants.
The day concluded with the final presentations of the three shortlisted entries for the WRE Innovation Prize 2025:
H2OVortex (Luxembourg) – “IVG-CT: A Non-Chemical Water Optimization Breakthrough for Cooling Tower Water Reuse” .
Waterunie (Belgium) – “DEEPER BLUE: Direct Potable Reuse at WPC Hofstade in Aalst”.
Familia Torres (Spain) – “Water Cycle Innovation for Sustainable Reuse in Winegrowing”.
Following the finalists’ presentations, Marie Raffin announced Waterunie as the winner of the 2025 Innovation Prize for their DEEPER BLUE initiative. Dicover more about our 2025 winner here.
Overall, this Knowledge Exchange Day proved once again to be a valuable opportunity: research leaders presented their findings and engaged in discussion with professionals working in water-reuse application, while attendees benefitted from heightened awareness of cutting-edge research across Europe and the chance to share knowledge and perspectives on the future of the European water‐reuse sector.
Thank you to everyone who joined us in person in Brussels. We hope you found the event both valuable and enjoyable—and that through this day of networking you had the opportunity to explore new collaborations.
We look forward to seeing you involved in new projects in the near future and hope you join us at future events we are preparing for you.
Please note that speaker presentations are made available to members of Water Reuse Europe only, within the members area of our website.
