To build a sustainable and resilient water future, circular economy principles must be supported by strong standards and reliable quality assurance. This ensures that innovative solutions such as water reuse and resource recovery are safe, effective, and scalable.
Circular water systems, including wastewater reuse and nutrient recovery, offer significant environmental and economic benefits. However, widespread adoption depends on clear standards, consistent quality control, and public trust.
This approach aligns with the European Union’s Circular Economy Action Plan, a core element of the European Green Deal, which promotes sustainable resource use across the European Union.
A valuable instrument to accommodate those needs is the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA), which DECHEMA is currently initiating. A CWA is an inclusive and flexible standardization tool developed under the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). It enables a diverse group of stakeholders to collaboratively define technical specifications, best practices, and quality criteria, helping to fast-track certification and support market uptake.
Working alongside circular economy product developers, technology providers, utilities, regulators, researchers, and communities, we aim to establish practical guidelines, define product categories, and identify Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These efforts reduce uncertainty, foster innovation, and enable circular water solutions to scale across Europe.
As CWA can serve as a foundation for future formal standards, this process is a crucial step toward ensuring that circular water solutions are certified, trusted, and ready for broad deployment.
The kick-off meeting for the CWA process will take place in October 2025 – stay tuned for updates and opportunities to get involved.
