Framework developed to help decision-makers to make the best choice by evaluating the effects that innovative solutions have on freshwater ecosystems and their services.

The European research project DESSIN has developed a structured approach to measure changes in ecosystems services (the benefits humans obtain from ecosystems). With it, the project is bringing the concept of ecosystem services from theory to practice and using it to boost innovation in the water sector. The recently created “DESSIN ESS Evaluation Framework” supports decision-making and promotes the uptake of innovative solutions to water quality and water scarcity challenges in urban areas. It will also facilitate the integration of the ecosystem services concept into EU Water Framework Directive implementation. Click to read more

My name is Laura Ventura Termes and I was born in 1985. I have a degree in Journalism and a Master’s Degree in Public Relations (PR) and Communication from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. I started my professional career in the media, working in press (print and online newspapers and magazines), TV and radio for five years. After that, I developed my career in communications in a PR Agency and then joined Cetaqua’s Communication Department in 2012. Since then, I have been involved in several European projects and I support the corporate communication tasks, such as the website, the annual report and the production of other communication materials. In my spare time I collaborate with a local newspaper and practice sports: I ride horse (I practice dressage) and I recently started doing crossfit. I also have two beautiful and quite naughty dogs. Click to read more

The two demonstration technologies in the Emscher case focus on water quality issues. Aim is to decrease the amount and improve the quality of combined sewer overflow (CSO) into recipient rivers.

Five CSO facilities in the upper Emscher river section are now ready for implementation of the RTC system ADESBA. The function of the ADESBA communication software is the optimal utilization of the entire available underground storage volume. The final aim is to reduce pollutant input into streams by reducing the overflow frequency and volume from CSOs into streams. Click to read more

The available document reports the results of the numerical model developed to identify links between MAR and water related systems and to evaluate the impact of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) in general, and Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) in particular, on identified ecosystem services.

The numerical model has two main objectives: to evaluate the interactions between groundwater and surface water media and to become a tool to show the benefits of this technology to implementers. The first objective is approached simulating a typical deltaic aquifer and evaluating the results of different MAR configurations. The latter is done through a web page with the results of the transient simulation in video format. Click to read more

Coastal areas are generally densely populated and marked by high freshwater demands. Due to the proximity of the sea these areas have to deal with saline water intrusions and salinization of groundwater. Therefore the availability of freshwater cannot always be guaranteed in these regions. Use of local ecosystems by aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) of temporary freshwater surpluses and reverse osmosis (RO) of brackish-saline groundwater are potential solutions for freshwater supply in coastal areas. Both techniques have their drawbacks. ASR in coastal aquifers is marked by freshwater losses by buoyancy effects in the saline groundwater, while RO is accompanied by a saline waste water stream. Click to read more

My name is Gerard van den Berg. I have a PhD degree in Geochemistry from Utrecht University in The Netherlands. Since 2004, I work at KWR Watercycle Research Institute. Currently, at KWR, I am manager of the team Innovation & Valorisation and project manager for all our international activities. Our team consists of a group of nine professionals who are responsible for the day to day management of the national and international research programmes of KWR, as well as the international networks of KWR, including Watershare®. I am also Coordinator of the EU funded SUBSOL project, that aims to bring water solutions to market. Click to read more

Transforming DESSIN’s demo-sites into showcases has the purpose to establish reference sites for lighthouse-solutions that can be presented to various audiences such as interested water managers from other regions with similar challenges. That, in return, will promote the market uptake of the innovative solutions from DESSIN.

Click to read more

On May 10, Koen Zuurbier obtained his doctoral degree at the TU Delft on his findings during his research on ‘Increasing Freshwater Recovery upon Aquifer Storage’. The DESSIN Westland demosite was one of the pilot sites where a dedicated configuration of groundwater wells was installed to improve the recovery of rainwater surpluses stored in a brackish water aquifer more than 20 m below surface level. In coastal areas like the Westland, recovery of freshwater is often hampered by buoyancy effects: the injected freshwater is simply ‘lighter’ than the surrounding brackish water and is displaced to the top of the targeted aquifer.

Click to read more

From 10 to 13 May, the Adaptation Futures Conference was held in Rotterdam in the Netherland. Adaptation Futures is the biennial conference of the Global Programme of Research on Climate Change Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaptation (PROVIA). In 2016 the European Commission and the Government of the Netherlands co-host the fourth edition. Adaptation Futures 2016 is where scholars, practitioners, policymakers and business people from all around the world go to connect, learn and inspire. It highlights adaptation practices and solutions for people, governments and businesses. The programme addresses all sectors and all parts of the world. Click to read more

DESSIN partner DHI provided and hosted a MIKE Workbench training to DESSIN partners from 25.-27. of April and a software requirements meeting on the 28. -29. of April at DHI’s offices in Hørsholm, Denmark.

Participants of the training in the use of the software MIKE Workbench included demo site partners (SINTEF, KWR, EG, Cetaqua and NTUA), mature site partners (Cetaqua and EG) and software requirements partners (ECOLOGIC and SINTEF). Participants received training across a spectrum of MIKE Workbench functionalities with a focus on how the software can be used to carry out ecosystem services and sustainability assessments. The training focused on a real-world case study from one of the DESSIN mature sites. Software requirements partners (DHI, ECOLOGIC and SINTEF) also used the training as an opportunity to obtain feedback from the demo site partners on how the existing MIKE Workbench software may be enhanced to meet their needs. Click to read more