The University of Patras has completed successfully a two-day workshop on 24th and 25th February 2020. On 24th February the workshop took place at the Chemical Engineering Department, University of Patras, at the Library A.C. Payatakes. The day started with the greetings from the President of Municipal Enterprise of Water Supply & Sewage of Patras, Mr. A. Papanikitas; the Vise Mayor of Municipality of Patras Prof. N. Aspragathos and the Vice Rector for Students Care and Infrastructures, Energy and Sustainability, University of Patras, Prof. G. Angelopoulos. All above pointed out the importance of the project for the prevention of marine pollution of Ionian and Adriatic coasts in this period, where climatic change makes urgent the appropriate wastewater treatment and water re-use. Representatives coming from the Municipality of Patras, the Municipal Enterprise of Water Supply and Sewerage of Patras, the University of Patras as well as many pre-graduate and post-graduate students participated the workshop.

Dr V. Sygouni from Chemical Engineering Department, University of Patras presented the project, the partnership, the budget allocation, the work packages and the deliverables of the project as well as all the dissemination actions that have been undertaken. Prof. C.A. Paraskeva from Chemical Engineering Department, University of Patras, presented the technical aspects concerning the installation of the pilot membrane system and the results from the testing phase of the installed pilot plant. Prof. M. Leotsinides from Medical School of University of Patras gave a lecture concerning the wastewater recycling and presented cases of application studies in Greece. Mr S. Kyritsis (Informatics) who is Member of the Research Team of Sustainable Waste Management Technologies Laboratory at Hellenic Open University presented a Decision-Making System on the Safe Reuse of urban wastewaters and biosolids in agriculture. Mrs. K. Tsigkou, Chemist and Ph.D. candidate at the Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering and Environmental Technology (LBEET) at Department of Chemical Engineering University of Patras gave a lecture concerning the Wastewater treatment with high organic load using anaerobic digestion. Dr. E. Koutra from the laboratory of Biochemical Engineering and Environmental Technology (LBEET) at Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras gave a lecture on the biological treatment and utilization of waste using microalgae. Finally, Dr. M. Sklivaniotis, Chemical Engineer, former Head of the Quality and Water and Wastewater Treatment departments at DEYAP gave a lecture concerning the current proposal for the regulation of the European Parliament and of the council on minimum requirements for water use. The day ended with a discussion concerning the characteristics of the water produced by the membrane pilot plant installed at the sewage treatment plant of Patras and proposals for the re-use of treated water. Moreover, discussion included the next steps of the project that could guarantee the sustainability of the project.

The 2nd day of the workshop took place at the sewage treatment plant of Patras with the participation of representatives from the Municipality of Patras and from the Municipal Enterprise of Water Supply and Sewerage of Patras as well as many students from University of Patras. All participants watched a film concerning water, water treatment, water re-use and the wastewater treatment plant of Patras. Mrs. Konstantina Tyropani, responsible for the wastewater treatment plant of Patras, guided the participants at the wastewater treatment plant facilities. Dr Zagklis from the team of University of Patras presented to the participants the pilot plant (Ultrafiltration Pilot Plant Unit) that was installed for the tertiary treatment of the effluents derived after the secondary treatment of sewages. The day ended with discussions concerning the wastewater treatment and reuse.