BIODAPH2O

Descripció del Projecte

The LIFE BIODAPH2O project (LIFE21-ENV-ES-BIODAPH2O) is financed within the LIFE programme, which is the only financial instrument of the European Commission dedicated entirely to environmental protection and climate action. The project has a duration of 42 months, ending in January 2026 with a total budget of €2.1 million. The project is coordinated by the University of Girona (UdG) and the partners are ACSA (Grup Sorigué), Institut d’Avaluació Ambiental i Aigua. Research (IDAEA-CSIC), MINAVRA Techniki, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), BETA Technology Center (UVic-UCC) and Catalan Water Partnership (CWP).

LIFE BIODAPH2O is a demonstration project whose main objective is to expand and implement an eco-efficient tertiary wastewater treatment based on nature (BIODAPH) in two demonstration sites located in two regions with water stress in the Mediterranean area. This system will produce regenerated water that will contribute to reducing pollutant spills in freshwater ecosystems and promote agricultural reuse. The BIODAPH system, previously developed during the INNOQUA project, is based on the purification capacity of biological organisms: water fleas (Daphnia), microalgae and biofilms for the elimination of pollutants (nutrients, organic carbon, suspended solids, pathogens, metals heavy, emerging and priority pollutants, and microplastics). This compact and low energy consumption system does not produce sludge or use chemical products for its operation.

The implementation of this system at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (EDAR) in Quart, Spain, will reduce the impact of secondary wastewater discharges into the Onyar River, while improving the chemical and ecological quality of the aquatic ecosystems of this river and will allow to reach the standards established in Water. EC framework directive (Directive 2000/60/EC). In the case of Greece, the BIODAPH system will be implemented next to the Antissa WWTP on Lesbos, which includes modular upflow sludge blanket anaerobic digestion units, constructed wetlands and a UV unit, commissioned as apart from the HYDROUSA project. These modular treatments will allow the BIODAPH system to be tested in different configurations to obtain regenerated water in accordance with EU Regulation 2020/741 to irrigate 7,000 m2 of nearby agricultural land.

The main expected results / public deliverables of the project are detailed below:

• Policy evaluation report with the evaluation of policies and legislation and contact with administrations (D2.1).
• Guidelines for the start-up and operation of the BIODAPH reactor (design, construction, operation, testing and optimization), as well as monitoring requirements to evaluate its efficiency (D3.2).
• Graphic memory with images, diagrams and maps of the two demonstration plants (Spanish site and Greek site) and their main characteristics (D3.3).
• Results of the evaluation of the demonstration plants in three different periods: after the first six months (D4.1), after the BIODAPH demonstration plants optimized at each site (D4.2), and after a long time operating in optimal conditions (D4.3).
• Sustainability evaluation reports (D4.4 – Environmental Impact Assessment (ACV) and Techno-Economic Assessment (LCC) Intermediate Report and D4.5 – Final Assessment Report of ACV and LCC).
• Impact of BIODAPH on the ecological and chemical state of the river ecosystem after the action (D4.6).
• Impact of BIODAPH reclaimed water on agricultural productivity and quality after action (D4.7)
• Reports on key indicators collected in a matrix on project performance (D4.8 and D4.9).
• Dissemination plan, a document that describes a comprehensive plan of all dissemination activities of the project and that provides dissemination guidelines to be followed by all partners (D5.1) and websites (D5.2).
• BIODAPH2O manual and guidelines with design technical sheet to implement the technology on a large scale (D6.2).