PathoCERT · Project

Emergency Detection and Response Tools for Waterborne Pathogen Contamination Events

environmentPilotedTRL 6

Imagine a water main breaks during a flood and suddenly dangerous bacteria are spreading through the supply — but nobody knows exactly where or how bad it is. PathoCERT built a toolkit of sensors, drones, and mapping software that lets emergency teams quickly find contaminated water, figure out how far it has spread, and decide what to do about it. Think of it like giving first responders a "pathogen GPS" — IoT sensors detect the threat, drones collect water samples from dangerous areas, and satellite tools map the contamination zone, all feeding into one dashboard so responders can act fast instead of guessing.

By the numbers

consortium partners involved in development

countries represented in testing and validation

industry partners contributing to technology development

demonstrated technology tools and systems

total project deliverables produced

SMEs involved in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Waterborne pathogen contamination events — whether from floods, infrastructure failures, or deliberate acts — pose life-threatening risks to both the public and emergency responders. Current detection methods are slow, often requiring lab analysis that takes days while contamination spreads unchecked. First responders lack real-time tools to identify contaminated zones, assess risk on the ground, and coordinate an effective containment response.

The solution

What was built

PathoCERT delivered 6 demonstrated technologies: the PathoSENSE IoT gateway (hardware and software for real-time pathogen detection), PathoSAT satellite-based contamination mapping tools, PathoDRONE water sampling mechanisms with autonomous coverage algorithms, guidance tools for first responders, and the PathoSENSE integrated toolkit combining these capabilities. In total, the project produced 34 deliverables across detection, mapping, and emergency response coordination.

Audience

Who needs this

Municipal water utilities managing drinking water and wastewater networksCivil protection and emergency response agenciesEnvironmental monitoring and consulting firmsWater treatment technology companiesPublic health authorities responsible for waterborne disease prevention

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Water utilities and municipal water management

enterprise

Target: Municipal water utility or drinking water supplier

If you are a water utility dealing with the risk of pathogen contamination in your distribution network — this project developed the PathoSENSE IoT gateway and integrated toolkit that can detect waterborne pathogens rapidly. The system was field-validated with first responders across 11 countries involving 27 consortium partners. Instead of waiting days for lab results, your operations team gets real-time contamination alerts and mapping.

Environmental monitoring and emergency services

any

Target: Emergency response technology provider or civil protection agency

If you are an emergency services provider struggling with situational awareness during water contamination events — this project built PathoDRONE water sampling mechanisms and coverage algorithms that let drones collect samples from hazardous areas without putting responders at risk. The PathoSAT contamination mapping tools provide real-time geographic spread analysis. These were developed with input from 9 industry partners and validated in field conditions.

Public health and environmental consulting

mid-size

Target: Environmental health consultancy or risk assessment firm

If you are an environmental consultancy that advises clients on contamination risk and emergency preparedness — this project produced guidance tools for first responders and a complete contamination event diagnosis system. The toolkit covers the full chain from detection to response across surface water, wastewater, and drinking water sources. With 34 deliverables produced by a 27-partner consortium, there is a substantial knowledge base you can integrate into your advisory services.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt PathoCERT technologies?

The project did not publish pricing for its tools. Since PathoCERT was an EU-funded research project with 27 partners, commercialization terms would need to be negotiated with the technology owners — primarily the University of Cyprus as coordinator and the 9 industry partners in the consortium. Contact the consortium to discuss licensing or procurement options.

Can these tools work at the scale of a city-wide water network?

The PathoSENSE IoT gateway and PathoSAT contamination mapping tools were designed for real-world emergency scenarios covering surface water, wastewater, and drinking water systems. The project objective explicitly targets contamination events that can spread across large areas far from their origin. Field validation was conducted with first responders, suggesting operational-scale testing.

What is the IP situation — can we license these technologies?

PathoCERT was funded as an RIA (Research and Innovation Action) under Horizon 2020, meaning IP typically stays with the partners who developed each component. The 6 demonstrated tools (PathoSENSE, PathoSAT, PathoDRONE, guidance tools) each likely have separate IP holders among the 27 consortium partners. Licensing discussions should start with the University of Cyprus coordinator.

Have these technologies been tested in real emergency conditions?

The project objective states that all technologies were designed to be field-validated by first responders. The consortium includes 9 industry partners and organizations from 11 countries, providing diverse testing environments. Demo deliverables include working hardware (IoT gateway), drone sampling mechanisms, and software mapping tools.

How does this integrate with existing emergency response systems?

The PathoSENSE IoT gateway was built as an integration layer connecting sensors with decision-support tools. The project covers the full response chain — detection, mapping, diagnosis, and mitigation guidance. Based on available project data, the toolkit was designed to enhance existing first responder capabilities rather than replace current systems.

Is this only for intentional contamination or also natural events?

The project explicitly addresses both natural contamination events and human-caused incidents, whether accidental or malicious. The technologies handle pathogens spreading via surface water, wastewater, and drinking water from any source. This dual-use capability makes the tools relevant for routine water safety monitoring as well as emergency response.

Consortium

Who built it

PathoCERT assembled a large consortium of 27 partners from 11 countries, with a healthy 33% industry ratio (9 industry partners) ensuring the research stayed grounded in operational reality. The coordinator is the University of Cyprus, supported by 4 universities and 8 research organizations providing scientific depth, while 4 SMEs bring agility and commercialization potential. The geographic spread across Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, South Korea, Netherlands, Romania, and Sweden means the tools were exposed to diverse water infrastructure and regulatory environments. For a business buyer, the presence of 9 industry partners signals that these technologies were developed with real-world deployment in mind, not just academic exercises. The inclusion of South Korea also suggests international applicability beyond Europe.

UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUSCoordinator · CY
AQUA-Q ABparticipant · SE
ETAIRIA HYDREFSIS KAI APOCHETEFSIS THESSALONIKIS AEparticipant · EL
ELLINIKI OMADA DIASOSIS SOMATEIOparticipant · EL
KWR WATER BVparticipant · NL
COLLABORATING CENTRE ON SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION GGMBHparticipant · DE
ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXISparticipant · EL
SATWAYS-OLOKLIROMENES LYSEIS ASFALEIAS KAI AMYNAS-IDIOTIKI EPICHEIRISI PAROCHIS YPIRESION ASFALEIAS (IEPYA)-ETAIREIA PERIORISMENIS EFTHYNISparticipant · EL
ETHNICON METSOVION POLYTECHNIONparticipant · EL
UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE IULIU HATIEGANU CLUJ-NAPOCAparticipant · RO
AYUNTAMIENTO DE GRANADAparticipant · ES
YPOURGEIO ESOTERIKONparticipant · CY
STICHTING WATERNETparticipant · NL
FUNDACION CENTRO ANDALUZ DE INVESTIGACIONES DEL AGUAthirdparty · ES
CETAQUA, CENTRO TECNOLOGICO DEL AGUA, FUNDACION PRIVADAparticipant · ES
Korea Institute of Science and Technologyparticipant · KR
WATER EUROPEparticipant · BE
UNIVERSITY OF STUTTGARTthirdparty · DE
MicroLANparticipant · NL
FUNDACIO EURECATparticipant · ES
ENGINEERING - INGEGNERIA INFORMATICA SPAparticipant · IT
PHOEBE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION LTDparticipant · CY
LABAQUA SAthirdparty · ES

How to reach the team

The project is coordinated by the University of Cyprus. Reach out to SciTransfer for a warm introduction to the research team and access to specific technology details.

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how PathoCERT's water contamination detection tools could strengthen your emergency response capabilities? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the right consortium partner for your specific needs — whether that is the IoT sensing, drone sampling, or contamination mapping technology.

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