EIDGENOESSISCHE ANSTALT FUER WASSERVERSORGUNG ABWASSERREINIGUNG UND GEWAESSERSCHUTZ

Their core work

Eawag is the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, one of Europe's leading water research institutions. They specialize in water quality assessment, micropollutant detection and treatment, urban drainage systems, and freshwater ecosystem health. Their applied research spans the full water cycle — from drinking water sources and groundwater contamination to wastewater treatment optimization and lake ecosystem protection. They bridge fundamental environmental science with practical solutions for water utilities, agriculture, and urban planning.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2015–2018), Eawag focused broadly on aquatic ecosystem science, nanomaterial environmental risk, and fundamental biodiversity modelling — projects like AQUACROSS, NanoFASE, and caLIBRAte reflect this wider environmental scope. From 2019 onward, their work sharpened toward applied water quality problems: micropollutant treatment (ozonation, permanganate oxidation), phosphorus removal and nutrient recycling, urban drainage infrastructure, and nature-based solutions. The shift signals a move from characterizing environmental problems to engineering and validating practical interventions.

Eawag is moving decisively toward applied, demonstration-ready water treatment technologies and nature-based urban water management — making them an increasingly attractive partner for implementation-oriented projects.

How they like to work

Eawag operates comfortably in both leadership and supporting roles — they coordinated 8 of 26 projects, mostly Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowships where they host individual researchers on focused water science topics. As participants, they join larger consortia (263 unique partners across 33 countries), contributing specialized analytical or modelling capabilities rather than leading the overall effort. This dual pattern suggests a partner that can anchor niche work packages independently while integrating smoothly into large multi-partner projects.

Eawag has collaborated with 263 unique partners across 33 countries, making them one of the most broadly connected water research institutions in Europe. Their network spans from Nordic hydrology groups to Mediterranean environmental agencies, with no narrow geographic concentration.

What sets them apart

Eawag combines world-class analytical chemistry (micropollutant identification, transformation product tracking) with systems-level urban water expertise — a rare combination that lets them work from molecule to city scale. As a Swiss federal institute, they bring independence, long-term research continuity, and access to some of Europe's best-equipped aquatic laboratories. For consortium builders, they fill the critical gap between detecting a water quality problem and designing a treatment solution.

Highlights from their portfolio

• Co-UDlabs
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 440K) and their most applied infrastructure project — building collaborative urban drainage research labs across Europe.
• RECONECT
  Long-running demonstration project (2018–2024) on nature-based solutions for flood risk, representing Eawag's push into real-world NBS validation and upscaling.
• OzoToxID
  Coordinator role combining ozonation treatment with bioanalytical toxicity identification — a signature example of their micropollutant treatment expertise.