The 2nd meeting of the INTERREG GREECE-ITALY 2014-2020 “Re-Water Eco-technologies for the waste water management“ project took place on 25th and 26th February 2019 at the Library Alkiviades C. Payatakes of the Chemical Engineering Department, University of Patras.
The project consortium includes:
- Acquedotto Pugliese S.P.A. (Leader)
- Polytechnic University of Bari
- Municipality ofGallipoli
- University of Patras
- Municipality of Patras
- Municipal Enterprise of Water Supply and Sewage of Patras (Associated partner)
- Apulia Region -Water Resources Section (Associated partner)
The project’s objective is to use innovative sustainable technology for the waste-water management in order to preventsea pollution, improve the quality of waste-water treatment plants and allow the safe re-use of water for irrigation purposes in line with the relevant European regulations. In order to achieve these goals, two pilot actions will be conducted at the Municipality of Gallipoli and at the Municipality of Patras. More specifically, in Patras, a membrane system will be elaborated, designed and installedfor the tertiary treatment of water effluents at the Municipal Enterprise of Water Supply and Sewage of Patras. The treated water will be re-used for irrigation of the public park located near the plant in Patras. While in Gallipoli, the Polytechnic University of Bari will test the effectiveness of UV/H2O2 advanced oxidation to treat water, which will be finally used for irrigation purposes through a tank provided by the Municipality of Gallipoli. Moreover, Acquedotto Pugliese S.p.A. will realize an ornamental fountain fed by the sametreated water and located in a green area near the plant.
During the first day of the meeting, partners discussed about management, financial and communication issues. These activities are progressing on track from the financial and procedural standpoint.
The second day the President of the Municipal Enterprise of Water Supply and Sewage of Patras, Mr. A. Papanikitas, the Deputy Mayorofthe Municipality of Patras, Mr. V. Thomopoulos, and the Vice Rector for Students Care and Infrastructures, Energy and Sustainability of the University of Patras, professor G. Angelopoulos, welcomed the participants and expressed their interest and commitment to the project.
The Dean of the School of Science and Technology, Chairman of the Laboratory of Sustainable Waste Technology Management and Director of the MSc Programme “Waste Management” within the Hellenic Open University, Professor I. Kalavrouziotis, gave a lecture concerning the safe exploitation of treated water from waste water treatment plants.
Afterwards, the partners discussed in detail the project actions, results and deliverables.
Lastly, all partners concluded that the project is proceeding according to the plan, expressed their satisfaction for the results achieved, andplanned the third meeting, which will be held in July 2019in Bari.