Imagine turning city wastewater into a clean resource for growing fish and plants. Instead of letting waste go to a plant and then the ocean, this system scrubs it clean using light and filters to create a fish farm right in the city. It's like a closed-loop garden that produces fresh food without needing a single drop of new freshwater.
European freshwater aquaculture is declining due to strict regulations, water scarcity, and climate change. There is a lack of safe, legally approved methods to use reclaimed water for food production in urban areas.
An integrated aquaponic recirculation system (RAS) featuring advanced tertiary treatment (ozonation, VUV, and biofiltration) and IoT monitoring.
If you are a city-based vertical farm operator dealing with high water costs and limited space — this project developed a reclaimed water aquaponic system that allows fish farming at KM 0. This enables production closer to consumers without depending on natural freshwater availability.
If you are a municipal wastewater treatment plant dealing with waste disposal and low resource recovery — this project developed advanced tertiary treatment including ozonation and VUV steps. This transforms wastewater into a valuable asset for local food production.
If you are a freshwater fish producer dealing with water stress and climate change — this project developed an integrated RAS with IoT monitoring. This increases resilience by removing the need for natural habitats and freshwater sources.
Based on available project data, specific pricing is not provided, but the project is developing a sustainable business model for future upscaling.
The project is currently using a pilot project in Castellana Grotte and a laboratory-scale RAS at URJC to create a strategy for future upscaling to other European communities.
Based on available project data, there is no specific mention of patents or licensing terms, though it involves 6 industry partners including 5 SMEs.
The project is conducting human intervention feeding tests on volunteers to provide scientific evidence of safety and quality to help create a new regulatory roadmap.
The solution uses advanced tertiary treatment (ozonation and VUV) integrated with an aquaponic recirculation system (RAS) and IoT automation.
The consortium is well-balanced for commercialization, featuring 21 partners with a 29% industry ratio. With 6 industry players (including 5 SMEs) and 9 universities, the project bridges the gap between academic research and market application. The presence of partners from 8 different countries suggests a strong intent to scale the solution across diverse European regulatory environments.
Contact INNOVA SRL in Italy for technical specifications on the Castellana Grotte pilot.
Contact us to connect with the AWARE consortium for licensing the reclaimed water RAS technology.
