PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Over the past decade, drought events have become more frequent within the EU, with one third of the EU’s territory experiencing water stress. The impact is especially severe in regions with high seasonal water demand that compromise the availability of natural water resources. Decreasing water availability and increasing demand are usually correlated to the deterioration of the ecological, chemical and quantitative status of surface and groundwater bodies leading to aquifer overexploitation and salinisation in coastal areas (EEA, 2018).
Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) with reclaimed water has clear benefits compared to desalination, such as lower greenhouse gas emissions due to lower energy consumption, and the improvement of the quantity and quality groundwater.OBJECTIVES
LIFE MATRIX addresses the water scarcity problem and aquifer overexploitation by combining two different techniques, Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) and Safety Plans (MAR-SP). The project will demonstrate not only the technical and economic viability of MAR with reclaimed water, but also its environmental and sanitary safety, through an on-site demonstration of an integrated solution comprising physical, digital and governance aspects. This solution will result in an increase in the availability of groundwater resources in areas of water scarcity and boost the social acceptance of reclaimed water use, involving key stakeholders in the drawing up of practical guidelines.
The project contributes to the Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe, the European Green Deal, the 7th Environment Action Programme, the Water Framework Directive, the Groundwater Directive, the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and the EU Circular Economy Action Plan.
RESULTS
Expected results:
- 10% increase of reclaimed water at the demonstration site of around 500 000 to 550 000 m3/year;
- 15% increase of groundwater recharge at the demonstration aquifer of around 335 000 to 385 000 m3/year;
- 13% reduction of water exploitation index (WEI+) at the demonstration aquifer from 1.13 to 1.
- Improved water bodies quantitative status from bad to moderate by making available an alternative water resource;
- 99% reduction of energy consumption compared to the energy needed to produce the same amount of water at the Marbella Desalination Plant (MDP) via the substitution of 50 000 m3/year of desalinated water with recharged water. The energy needed by MATRIX solution is 0.039 kWh/m3, which is significantly lower than the MDP (4.5 kWh/m3);
- 99% reduction of GHG compared to the energy required by the MDP to produce the same amount of water – from 1.8 to 0.02 kg CO2/m3.
- Reduction of emerging contaminants discharge compared to the current situation: 10-50% for neutral compounds and for zwitter -dipolar- compounds; 10-50% or more than 50% for anionic compounds; more than 50% for cationic compounds; and
- Replication of the MATRIX solution at three European sites.
