AQUAFIN NV

Their core work

Aquafin is Belgium's largest wastewater treatment operator, responsible for collecting and treating municipal wastewater across the Flanders region. In H2020 projects, they contribute real-world operational expertise in wastewater treatment infrastructure, resource recovery from waste streams, and water reuse technologies. Their participation bridges the gap between laboratory research and full-scale implementation, offering pilot sites and operational data that academic partners typically cannot provide. They bring particular strength in nutrient recovery (phosphorus, nitrogen) and circular economy approaches to water management.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Aquafin's early H2020 involvement (2015–2018) focused on fundamental wastewater treatment research and biowaste conversion, with projects like TreatRec and VOLATILE exploring resource recovery concepts at a research level. From 2019 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward applied water smartness, digital tools for water governance, nutrient circular economy, and water reuse — reflecting a move from "how do we treat wastewater better" to "how do we close the loop and make water systems intelligent." The recent projects also show stronger international scope, including work in India (PAVITRA GANGA) and coastal Europe (B-WaterSmart).

Aquafin is moving toward digitalized, circular water management — future partners should expect interest in smart monitoring, nutrient-to-fertiliser pathways, and living lab demonstration sites.

How they like to work

Aquafin participates exclusively as a partner, never as coordinator — consistent with their role as an infrastructure operator contributing real-world sites and operational know-how rather than driving research agendas. With 95 unique partners across 17 countries, they connect broadly rather than repeatedly with the same groups, suggesting openness to new consortia. Their value to a consortium is practical: they offer pilot-scale testing facilities, operational data, and end-user validation that strengthens impact narratives in proposals.

Aquafin has collaborated with 95 distinct partners across 17 countries, indicating a wide European network built through diverse consortia. Their partnerships span research institutions, technology developers, and other water utilities, with no visible geographic concentration beyond Belgium.

What sets them apart

Aquafin operates one of Europe's largest municipal wastewater networks, giving them something most research partners cannot offer: access to full-scale treatment plants for testing and validation. This makes them an ideal end-user partner for any consortium developing water treatment, nutrient recovery, or smart water technologies that need real-world demonstration. Their combination of operational scale, willingness to pilot new technologies, and consistent EU project participation makes them a reliable and experienced consortium partner.

Highlights from their portfolio

• B-WaterSmart
  Largest single EU contribution (EUR 502K), marking Aquafin's strategic shift into smart water technologies, digital governance, and living labs across coastal Europe.
• WalNUT
  Most recent project (2021–2026) focusing on closing nutrient loops from wastewater to biofertiliser — signals their current strategic direction.
• PAVITRA GANGA
  Extends Aquafin's expertise beyond Europe to India, applying wastewater reuse and resource recovery in peri-urban contexts.