RecycledWater for LIFE - Limit freshwater withdrawals by developping multi-purpose recycled water

The LiFE ReWa project aims to set up mobile production units (UMP) of recycled water (RW) originating from different wastewater plants and to use this RW as a new resource with multiple uses, adapted to local and seasonal needs. It will construct a demonstration UMP that will be temporarily installed in five pilot waste water treatment plants. The units will produce water with four levels of quality that will be stored for a range of uses: cleaning of rainwater and waste water networks; street cleaning; irrigation including urban green spaces; firefighting; and industrial use such as the good maintenance of waste water treatment plants.

The project will contribute to EU legislation such as the 8th action programme for the environment, along with the Water Framework Directive, the European Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the new circular economy action plan.

Coordination :

As the Metropole of Montpellier has chosen to transfer its public sanitation service to a public authority, the decision was naturally taken to transfer the coordination of the project to the Régie des Eaux, which will become the coordinating beneficiary of the project as of 1 November 2022. The Metropolis of Montpellier, the DV2E consultancy firm and the University of Montpellier (European Membrane Institute) remain the associated beneficiaries

Progress of the actions :

Two categories of actions have made particular progress in recent months:

- On the one hand, the process of purchasing the prototype mobile recycled water production unit has been initiated! After an initial selection phase, three companies are currently working on submitting a technical and financial offer by 30 September.

- On the other hand, the regulatory authorisation procedure for the use of Recycled Water is being prepared, in coordination with the State services, for the submission of the official application by the end of September.

Additional funding:

The LIFE Rewa project has been submitted to the EC'EAU (Circular Water Economy) call for projects organised by the Entente pour l'eau, made up of the Nouvelle Aquitaine and Occitanie Regions and the Adour-Garonne Water Agency. We were delighted to learn that LIFE Rewa is now officially the winner of this call for projects, and that the Occitanie Region will therefore provide us with additional support to the European funding, thus testifying once again that the subject of promoting and demonstrating the technical and financial feasibility of multi-purpose WASTE is at the heart of the issues facing major public institutions.