Improving the efficiency of detecting and monitoring water pollutants to ensure safer drinking water

In line with the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change, the European Green Deal and supporting objectives of the Water Framework Directive, the EIP Water and the Water Blueprint Initiative, the research and innovation activities of the NIAGARA project are expected to make measurable contributions in medium-term to achieve the targets displayed below.

Click on the icon on the right of each section to read the details of the NIAGARA contribution to each Key Impact Pathway (KIP).

NIAGARA will develop a comprehensive evidence-based understanding on how to identify, assess and prevent emerging drinking water pollutants and their combined effects for safe human and ecological use. NIAGARA will implement a combination of multi-analyte biosensors for water pollutants (BWP) for their monitoring, innovative removal strategies and forecasting models for real-time alert and risk assessment of their presence and spread.

NIAGARA protects drinking water quality from a holistic perspective: the enzymatic-based and advance oxidation for the removal of emerging and non-emerging pollutants are guaranteeing its preparation against extreme weather events and the consequent pollution of natural water bodies reaching drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs).

NIAGARA will develop an advanced and highly effective risk assessment, monitoring and risk management strategy, constituted by real-time alerts by BWP coupled with a hydraulic model, which will collect and integrate real-time data.

NIAGARA will integrate an efficient and cost-effective pre-treatment technology with an innovative, multi-analyte, ultrasensitive and cost-effective detection platform.

NIAGARA will develop a thorough evidence-based knowledge on the formation, presence, duration, and spread of DBPs deriving from the incomplete UV/TiO2 photo-oxidation.

NIAGARA will validate cost-effective and advanced-oxidation disinfection solutions for the removal of emerging and non-emerging pollutants. Based on this, NIAGARA will implement an effective communication, dissemination and exploitation plan coupled with policy recommendations for new risk assessment procedures that will contribute to a wider uptake of our circular technologies and procedures to improve drinking water quality.

NIAGARA will develop a stakeholder engagement strategy to ensure the engagement, inclusion and active participation of all relevant stakeholders and their diverse perspectives.

NIAGARA is directly focused on helping governments, policymakers and water utilities to improve drinking water management, reducing diffuse pollution including emerging and non-emerging contaminants. NIAGARA is expected to be a highly replicable project: it will contribute to improving the overall management of water networks facilitating not only the completion of regulatory obligations concerning water quality control but also reducing management costs and ensuring environmental protection. Open science practices will give a more accurate database and guidelines for future EU policies.

Improving the efficiency of detecting and monitoring water pollutants to ensure safer drinking water

A wider use of a better understanding and an enhanced knowledge base required to assess pollution sources, pathways and combined effects on drinking water systems, including forward-looking approaches aimed to anticipate and prepare for future or emerging challenges.

Implement advanced preventive and mitigating strategies and measures to protect drinking water sources, treatment and supply against harmful effects of global and climate change

Apply effective risk assessment and risk management strategies enabling early warning systems and delivering ready-made outputs for decision-making and governance; and; Deploy innovative and robust monitoring systems and real-time information on drinking water quality, from sources to supply.

Exploit advanced, integrated, and cost-effective water quality sensors and analytical methods through efficient pre-treatment technology coupled with an innovative, multi-analyte, ultrasensitive detection platform

Disseminate and use a robust knowledge on the occurrence, persistence and degradability of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water with due consideration to operational parameters, chemicals, materials and biofilms interactions, including the pathways related to human exposure

Spread the use of advanced and cost-effective drinking water treatment and disinfection processes and technologies, including transformative approaches.

Broad uptake of advanced knowledge, breakthrough solutions and innovative technologies to enhance the competitiveness of the EU water sector and fostering the EU’s position and role in the global water scene.

Increasing the EU scientific and technological base and guidance on measures to manage drinking water quality and evidence for policy-making, safety planning and implementation.