WaterProof Magazine #2 2023

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A NEW YORK STATE OF MIND FROM KNOWLEDGE TO SKILL TO REVENUE EXPORTING IS NOT A COMPLICATED PROCESS

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WaterProof is the magazine of the Water Alliance, a partnership between government, research institutions and industry in the field of innovative and sustainable water technology. From its base, the WaterCampus in Leeuwarden, the Water Alliance builds on the ‘water technology innovation chain’; a process whereby new ideas from universities, laboratories and test sites are converted into worldwide marketable products. WaterProof provides regional, national and global information on developments, results and background in the field of water technology.

€342 MILLION FOR NATIONAL WATER

WaterProof magazine #02, 2023

Cover Photo

The cover of this WaterProof was produced using FOTOR free AI art generator. The other content of this WaterProof consists -as always- of facts, opinions and photos of alive and kicking people.

Editor in Chief

Menno Bakker

Journal Management

Menno Bakker, Narvic Media | narvic.nl

Translation

Presence Translate & Interact

Graphic Design

Jan Robert Mink | minkgraphics.nl

Photography

Lucas Kemper, Janette van de Scheur, Jelmer Hobma, Menno Bakker

Text

Henk Dilling and many others

Printer

Drukkerij

A helping hand

Smart water technology innovations must be brought to market faster to deal with the world’s growing water shortages. This edition of WaterProof magazine is brimming with such developments. There are so many smart solutions being invented around the world. Inventors are not always entrepreneurs, however, and clever innovations still often get stuck along the road from idea to market. What can be done about that?

First, let’s talk about the global water market. The urgency for solving water problems through innovation is felt differently worldwide; it depends on the situation. In many countries, affordable tap water is still taken for granted, but even in those countries, there is a growing awareness of the problem of water scarcity. It is time for action. We need to accelerate innovation processes.

The only question is: who is the ‘problem owner’? Is it the water entrepreneur or mostly cluster organizations like Water Alliance? The answer: we are all responsible. However, the great social interest at stake will require a proactive stance from governments worldwide. The Netherlands is a good example of what that can accomplish. The government can make a huge difference through subsidies, favourable tax schemes, and other incentives. As such, I am also extremely pleased that the Dutch government announced in late February that it is working with other parties to allocate €342 million for the ‘Nationaal Groeiplan Watertechnologie’. This is a Dutch plan in which Water Alliance, WaterCampus Leeuwarden and a national consortium of around 600 partners invest in developing innovations to enable smarter and more efficient water use in various areas. Numerous solutions are already available, and there are many more to come from the Netherlands. We are here to help the world make use of them. You know where to find us.

Hein Molenkamp Managing Director, Water Alliance

Previously published as Aquatech Column, Masters of Water, April 2023 edition

A more extensive article by Hein Molenkamp on bringing smart innovations to market faster was recently published in the Masters of Water series, published bij Aquatech.

photo © Marcel J. de Jong

SHORT CUTS

NEWS FROM THE AROUND THE WORLD OF WATER TECHNOLOGY

WAFILIN SYSTEMS: AMBITIONS AND RAPID GROWTH LEAD TO

RELOCATION

BÜFA GROUP ACQUIRES STAKE IN FERR-TECH

March of this year marked the start of the renovation of a new production site for Wafilin Systems in Leeuwarden. The company, a longtime member of the Water Alliance, no longer had enough space with its office at the WaterCampus in Leeuwarden to realize the company’s ambitions. Some demolition was required before the company can move into the new building. A small celebration was held there with Abel Reitsma, alderman of the municipality of Leeuwarden, and numerous relations.

The new building provides space for up to 50 employees. It features a shipping and storage area from which Wafilin can maintain, prepare and deliver its mobile pilot plants to customers and supply membranes and related products. The company will also establish a development facility to develop new membrane applications for customers. The new building will bring all services under one roof. Wafilin has over 25 employees and operates in the dairy and food industry.

German company BÜFA Group (Oldenburg) has acquired a minority stake in Meppel-based Ferr-Tech, expanding its portfolio of sustainable solutions. Richard Bruins, CEO of Ferr-Tech and Felix Thalmann, CEO of the BÜFA Group, signed the contract in November 2022. With BÜFA’s investment (€2 million), Ferr-Tech will scale up the total production capacity of FerSol® (Ferrate (VI) in liquid form), expand the team, open a local production facility in the United States and invest in further innovation.

“BÜFA is a strong strategic partner for Ferr-Tech”, explains Judith le Fèvre, CMO and co-owner of Ferr-Tech. “They add value to our company through their specialized knowledge and extensive network, and they share our core values.”

“BÜFA and Ferr-Tech share the same business philosophy”, says BÜFA Managing Director Natascha Fontanella. “We and Ferr-Tech use our expertise to provide innovative solutions for various industries. Our investment in Ferr-Tech is also an investment in sustainable

innovations that contribute to a better world for future generations.”

Ferr-Tech—a Water Alliance member and winner of the 2022 WIS Innovation Award—and BÜFA began their collaboration in April when BÜFA Chemicals became the official international distributor of the new oxidant FerSol®. This innovative and environmentally friendly product is based on the world’s most effective oxidant for water purification, Ferrate (VI). FerSol enables the purification of residual water such that manufacturing companies can largely reuse it in their processes. The innovation makes it possible to close the water loop in industrial processes.

“As an investor, BÜFA brings years of expertise and experience”, says Felix Thalmann, CEO of the BÜFA Group. “As a scale-up, Ferr-Tech is making impressive strides with FerSol®. With our investment in Ferr-Tech, the BÜFA Group positions itself more broadly and future-oriented.”

Ferr-Tech’s CMO Judith le Fèvre photo: Hilde Schreur

Natascha Fontanella

SHORT CUTS

WORKING TOGETHER ON WATER-EFFICIENT RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS

CIRCINWATER: UP TO €60,000 IN FUNDING

FOR INNOVATION

Water Alliance member and former WIS award winner Hydraloop’s ambitions seem set to continue until the world has been conquered and water is used more efficiently on all continents. The company now has branches and agencies in many parts of the world. Nevertheless, it still conducts great showcase projects in its home country of the Netherlands—sometimes even near its home base at WaterCampus. For example, Hydraloop is working with Dutch property developer Wind Groep to build around 200 homes in a state-of-the-art housing development in Lemmer (in the south of the province of Friesland, along the IJsselmeer). The goal is to enable residents to save up to 45% of drinking water and wastewater using Hydraloop technology. Harmen Wind (Managing Director of Wind Groep) and Frank Verschoor (COO of Hydraloop) signed a letter of intent to that end.

“We do not want to wait until watersaving measures are mandatory; we want to facilitate homes with an additional water supply system now”, says Harmen Wind. “This fits with our sustainability ambitions and, more

importantly, means a future-proof and value-proof home for the residents. Recent Dutch research shows that homes not built energy efficiently are worth less and are harder to sell during the current energy crisis. Predictably, the same will happen with water in the future.”

Without the user of water-saving techniques, the Dutch use an average of 129 litres of drinking water per day— the vast majority of which disappears directly into the sewer after use. A Hydraloop device can reduce drinking water consumption to about 75 litres per person per day. By showering with treated rainwater, that number can be further reduced to 30 litres per person per day. Wastewater production decreases by up to 45% and implicitly reduces energy consumption and CO2 emissions for residents, water utilities and water boards.

The Frisian company’s system has won prestigious awards, including innovation awards at CES 2020 and CES 2023 in Las Vegas, USA; the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) Global WIPO Award in 2022; and, last but not least, Water Alliance’s WIS award.

There are numerous projects in Europe involving government financial support to SMEs developing innovative solutions in any field. With the CircInWater project, water sector SMEs can now also benefit. “CircInWater can offer European SMEs financial support for the development of water solutions within the agrifood sector and energy-intensive sectors such as pulp & paper, mining, steel and chemicals”, explains project manager Stefan Bergsma. “There is a budget of more than one million euros available for activities in innovation, knowledge and external expertise and internationalization. SMEs can receive between 20,000 and 60,000 euros.”

There are certain conditions attached to the financial support. Proposals can be submitted until 31 May. For those who can participate in time despite the short notice, we recommend reading the Guide for Applicants before submitting a project proposal. Check the QRcode below.

Editor’s note: It will be possible to apply for financial support for external knowledge (help with export plan, marketing strategy, etc.) and internationalization later this year.

Harro (r) and Hein in downtown NYC.

A NEW YORK STATE OF MIND...

HARRO BRONS (WATER ALLIANCE) AFTER A WEEK OF NETWORKING IN NEW YORK: ‘WATER IS ON THE MAP; PEOPLE WANT TO GET STARTED’

From 18 to 24 March, New York hosted the New York Water Week. At the same time, the Big Apple was also the setting for the UN Water Conference. Combined, the two events ensured a good turnout of administrators, dignitaries and even royalty. Many water technology companies and organizations were also in attendance. Reason enough, then, for Water Alliance Director Hein Molenkamp and Business Development Manager Harro Brons to travel to the US. We interviewed Harro Brons about his impressions of the week.

harro, why were you in new york, exactly?

It is important for the Water Alliance to represent the Dutch water technology sector at the UN Water Conference and the New York Water Week. Promoting Water Alliance as an organization to the stakeholders these events attract is also essential. For me, as Business Development Manager, it was also about being able to link up with international programmes put in place by multinationals such as Procter&Gamble or the 100+ Accelerator [collaborative programme by Us-based multinationals aimed at accelerating sustainability using training, pilots and funding, ed.]. Our ultimate goal is to link water tech companies to the challenges these multinationals face.

what do you do in a week like that?

I presented the Netherlands as a water-tech hotspot, together with The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) during a session at the Water House [a popup event venue, co-hosted by the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New York, ed.].

I also participated in several events—in addition to substantive and networking sessions, I attended the reception where His Royal Highness King Willem Alexander and Dutch ministers Harbers (Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management) and Schreinemacher (Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) were present. During the New York Water Week, I also had several matchmaking appointments

through EEN, The Enterprise Europe Network [EU organization that helps small and medium-sized companies with their international ambitions, ed.].

how did you experience the week?

It was packed with events, which made it challenging to keep track of everything and know where you wanted to connect. Regarding water technology, I see it as a great challenge to maintain the overview and facilitate synergy with everything going on. I’m looking for ways to combine all the initiatives wherever it makes sense. The goal is to have more impact collectively than each initiative would have individually. During such a week, you become very aware of the many initiatives, some of which involve reinventing the wheel. The question is: how do we connect and how do we turn one plus one into three?

the world is begging for solutions and the time for action is upon us. what gains do you think were made in new york?

The positive that stuck with me is that there is certainly a sense of urgency that does justice to the issues surrounding water, although there is also a level of ‘preaching to the choir’ at the UN Water Conference and the New York Water Week. Water is on the agenda, and people want to continue working on it; the challenge for us as a water community is to reach everyone and implement plans. As the Water Alliance, we want to play our part in solving global water problems and have Dutch water technology companies facilitate that. In the urgency now being felt lies an opportunity.

Editor’s note: The UN Water Conference was held at the same time as the New York Water Week. In this setting, Water Alliance presented the ‘Blueprint for a circular water smart society’ to His Majesty King Willem Alexander and Dutch Minister Harbers of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. Read more on the following pages.

BLUEPRINT FOR A CIRCULAR, WATERSMART SOCIETY

WATER ALLIANCE PRESENTS ROADMAP IN NEW YORK TO COMBAT GLOBAL DESICCATION

On World Water Day (22 March), Water Alliance presented the ‘Blueprint for a circular water smart society’ at the UN Water Conference in New York. Presented to His Royal Highness King Willem Alexander and Infrastructure and Water Management Minister Harbers in New York, the document outlines a route in combating desiccation through drinking water conservation and water reuse. It is an interesting route, as demonstrated by the wide support the blueprint received from countries such as Belgium, Australia, the United States and China. It is now up to governments to encourage water reuse and adjust regulations.

on technology and households is of particular note here. According to the two initiators, the safe use of circular water, such as greywater and rainwater, can play an important role. In the Netherlands, about 73% of the country’s drinking water is supplied to households. The safe application of new technologies can reduce drinking water consumption. It is important that—in addition to the goals—regulations are changed to encourage reuse.

International Support

The initiative by Water Alliance received global support in New York. The organization seized the opportunity to establish a new global expert group on circular water in the built environment. The new Global Expert Group Circular Water aims to share the technical knowledge of circular water organizations worldwide. “Together, we can create social impact and forever change how we use, manage and allocate water on this planet”, says Arthur Valkieser. “Many technologies can be implemented quickly if governments around the world encourage water reuse and adjust regulations accordingly.”

Desiccation

The UN adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. One such specific goal concerns the availability of clean drinking water and adequate sanitation for all. According to the latest figures, 25% of the world’s population lacks adequate access to clean drinking water. These are mainly countries in the global south.

However, clean drinking water is under pressure all over the world. It is telling that this issue has been raised from the Netherlands. The Netherlands became known for Hansje Brinker, the Delta Works and the battle against water. But even in the Netherlands, the government has recently set goals for drinking water conservation. The water system is reaching its

limits due to desiccation, excessive runoff, salinization and increasing water demand from a growing population and economy. In large parts of the Netherlands, drinking water companies are already struggling with supply obligations, preventing companies from establishing themselves. The Dutch government had to take action and recently set targets for conserving drinking water.

Initiative

The initiative for the blueprint was taken by Hein Molenkamp (Director of Water Alliance) and Arthur Valkieser (co-founder of Hydraloop and co-chair of the Water Alliance’s circular water expert group). The specific focus

for the full text of the blueprint and the list of partners, visit globalcircularwater.org

From left to right: Hein Molenkamp, His Royal Highness King Willem Alexander and Arthur Valkieser

justnimbus developed smart rainwater system

‘RAINWATER COLLECTION AND USE IS THE FUTURE’

The project in Terheijden, province of Brabant, in the south of the Netherlands.

With his company, JustNimbus, Iwan Fransen (43) devised a system that collects rainwater for flushing toilets, washing clothes and gardening. It is as clever as it is simple: a filter, a pump and a water bag as a reservoir. That’s it. Over four hundred households are now equipped with the system. “Together, they save millions of litres of drinking water a year”, said Fransen, an engineer specialized in project management, property management and sustainable techniques.

reduced their drinking water use, and how much water is being pumped out of the system.” The system can also be linked to the local weather forecast and respond accordingly. “For example, if rain is expected, the water bag may not have enough buffer to collect that rain. The system can prepare for this by increasing the buffer space in a controlled manner. The system will discharge its water into a designated facility, such as a pond. This removes the excess water in a controlled manner before it starts raining.”

ULTIMATE GOAL

Although the realization that drinking water is becoming scarcer is taking root, Fransen says it remains difficult to convince consumers, home builders and installers that rainwater is useful. “It’s not made any easier by the fact that people with influence sometimes make incorrect statements that are accepted as truth by large groups. Things are sometimes made more complicated than necessary; that is a shame because, in essence, the message is very simple. Using rainwater is good for the environment, saves energy, and reduces pressure on sewers and your carbon footprint.”

THE LONG GAME

The innovative Dutchman opens with a statement. He calls it absurd to use clean drinking water in the garden, toilet and washing machine while the environment is under pressure and there are major drinking water shortages elsewhere in the world. “I cannot wrap my mind around that”, he says. In response to water waste, he devised a smart rainwater system. “The system consists of a water bag placed in the crawl space or basement of a house”, Fransen explains. “Filtered rainwater flows through the downspout into the water bag. A self-regulating pump distributes the stored water to the garden, toilet or—after a self-cleaning filter—the washing machine.”

WEATHER FORECAST

Users can monitor their stormwater data digitally. “For example, they can check how much rainwater is in their system, how much they have already

One of Fransen’s sources of inspiration is Elon Musk. The tech billionaire is a top executive at several companies, including electric car maker Tesla, space company SpaceX and chat platform Twitter. “He goes against the flow”, says Fransen. “No one was interested in electric cars, but Musk saw the opportunities. Today, every self-respecting car brand has an electric car. The moral: you sometimes have to play the long game to convince and conquer a market.” Asked about his ultimate goal, Fransen needs almost no time for reflection. “Making sure we no longer use clean drinking water for watering gardens and flushing toilets. By collecting and using as much rainwater as possible, we can drastically reduce the environmental impact of our drinking water system. “Rainwater collection and use is the future. There is no other way.”

Iwan Fransen photo: Marit Hazebroek

DUTCH COMPANIES WIN AWARDS IN SEVILLE

Good news from WEX Global, held from 27 to 29 March in Seville, Spain: at the WEX Global Awards, Water Alliance member Ferr-Tech won the Aqualia Innovation Award; Royal HaskoningDHV & WBL won the award for Innovation in Digital Water Management. Three other awards were presented in Seville (see infobox), but the importance of WEX Global lies mainly in the international exchange of knowledge (nearly 50 speakers took the stage) at a time when the urgency for solutions to deal with water smarter is growing every year. Juliette Douglas, Business Development Liaison for Southern Europe at Water Alliance, was in Seville. We asked her five questions.

Juliette Douglas

YOU VISIT WEX GLOBAL EVERY YEAR. WHAT DO YOU FEEL MAKES THE EVENT SO IMPORTANT?

WEX Global is a renowned water technology event held annually in Spain. Last year it was in Valencia; this year in Seville. WEX is a twoday international conference where companies network with international drinking water companies, end users and potential partners. This is facilitated by matchmaking, roundtable discussions, business meetings, parallel sessions, plenary sessions, and various award sessions.

WHAT DID THE DUTCH CONTRIBUTION LOOK LIKE THIS YEAR?

It was driven by Steven van Rossum, WTEX 10 programme manager and affiliated with the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate. He worked with me in the process, and we left for Seville with a wonderful group of Dutch companies [see infobox, ed.]

REFLECTING ON THE PROGRAMME: WHICH PARTS STOOD OUT TO YOU?

There really is too much to mention. The programme began with a networking dinner on Sunday, organized by us. The Dutch embassy from Madrid was also present. On Monday, almost all Dutch companies participated in the side programme, the networking lunch and the subsequent WEX programme. As a country partner, Steven van Rossum was one of the keynote speakers at the opening. We were honoured that Jose Lerga, Honorary Consul of the Netherlands in Seville, took the entire day off to participate in the programme and get acquainted with the Dutch participants on Tuesday. The gala dinner on Tuesday night was incredible in terms of networking; we made a lot of new contacts worth following up on.

The awards were also presented that evening; Water Alliance members Ferr-Tech and Royal HaskoningDHV & WBL were among the winners of the evening [see infobox, ed.]. The roundtable discussions were also noteworthy. These were organized by theme to ensure that participants were seated with like-minded people with similar interests and challenges. That led to fast connections. One of

FERR-TECH WINS AQUALIA INNOVATION AWARD

WEX’s strengths to me is that it is at a manageable scale. All participants spend two days in the same building; you get to know people quickly. When you attend every year, it also becomes a meet and greet. All this provides mutual trust—the foundation for doing business together.

IS THERE ANY TREND IN THE INNOVATIONS ANNOUNCED IN 2023?

One fairly obvious trend will likely surprise no one: water scarcity. Water reuse and efficiency are recurring themes that reinforce the demand for breakthrough innovations.

WHY WOULD YOU ADVISE DUTCH SMES TO JOIN SUCH A MISSION NEXT TIME?

In two days, from eight in the morning to eight in the evening, you can make relevant contacts that matter to you. The round table sessions, parallel sessions and B2B matchmaking help with that. As the event is usually held in Spain, many participating parties come from Southern Europe. If that is your company’s focus, you can do good business during WEX Global. You also have a chance to win a great prize because Dutch solutions are in demand [see infobox, ed.]

FERR-TECH WON THE AQUALIA INNOVATION AWARD WITH ITS INNOVATIVE FERSOL® (FERRATE(VI) IN LIQUID FORM) AT WEX GLOBAL 2023 IN SEVILLE AT THE END OF MARCH. WATER ALLIANCE MEMBER FERR-TECH IS THE WORLD LEADER IN APPLYING FERRATE(VI) TO INDUSTRIAL WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT. ITS PRODUCT, FERSOL, MAKES WATER TREATMENT MORE SUSTAINABLE AND ENERGY EFFICIENT, ENABLING WATER REUSE IN INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES. IN DOING SO, FERSOL CONTRIBUTES TO ONE OF THE DEFINING THEMES OF THE 21ST CENTURY—PREVENTING WATER SCARCITY.

THE AQUALIA INNOVATION AWARD IS AN ANNUAL COMPETITION WHERE THE MOST INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS OR APPLICATIONS IN THE WATER SECTOR ARE PRESENTED TO A PROFESSIONAL JURY CONSISTING OF: JUAN MANUEL REVUELTA PÉREZ, HELGE DAEBEL, JULIETTE DOUGLAS-OVERZEE AND BEVERLEY FERRARA.

THE AQUALIA INNOVATION AWARD IS NOT THE FIRST AWARD FERR-TECH HAS TAKEN HOME; THE COMPANY ALSO WON THE WATER ALLIANCE’S PRESTIGIOUS WIS 2022 INNOVATION STIMULATION AWARD LAST YEAR. FOUR OTHER AWARDS WERE PRESENTED AT WEX GLOBAL: WATER ALLIANCE MEMBER ROYAL HASKONINGDHV & WBL WON THE INNOVATION IN DIGITAL WATER MANAGEMENT AWARD.

THE OTHER WINNERS WERE:

AB INBEV FOR INNOVATION IN WATER CIRCULARITY AQUACYCL FOR INNOVATION IN DECARBONISING DESALYTICS FOR INNOVATION IN FINANCIAL PARTNERSHIPS

‘ALL THIS PROVIDES MUTUAL TRUST—THE FOUNDATION FOR DOING BUSINESS TOGETHER.’

Ferr-Tech’s Judith le Fèvre

FROM KNOWLEDGE TO SKILL TO REVENUE

At the end of February, the flag was hung out at WaterCampus Leeuwarden and likely at several hundred other locations in the Netherlands. At that time, it was announced that the Dutch government and other parties were jointly allocating €342 million for the ‘Nationaal Groeiplan Watertechnologie’ (National Water Technology Growth Plan). Through the growth plan, Water Alliance and WaterCampus Leeuwarden, along with a consortium 600 partners, will invest in developing innovations. These innovations will solve global water issues. The growth plan will support Dutch SMEs with the ultimate goal of exporting Dutch companies’ unique knowledge to other parts of the world. Ronald Wielinga, Entrepreneurship Manager at WaterCampus Leeuwarden, was closely involved in the creation of the programme, along with several colleagues.

‘THE PLAN WILL SIGNIFICANTLY BOOST THE SECTOR’S INNOVATIVE STRENGTH’

A sum of €342 million: what will happen with that, specifically?

The plan covers a 10-year period. The Dutch government is providing €135 million through the National Growth Fund (NGF). The remaining funds will be contributed by companies (€106 million) and decentralized governments and knowledge institutions (€101 million). The contributions will enable Dutch companies to accelerate the development of products, processes and services. This involves knowledge and expertise that solves Dutch water issues and can be sold worldwide in markets where similar water quantity and quality issues are involved. Those markets are virtually everywhere. For example, the World Economic Forum has named water scarcity one of the five greatest threats to global prosperity for eight consecutive years. The National Water Technology Growth Plan will substantially increase the water technology sector’s economic impact over the next ten years.

Where does the challenge lie?

There are three major barriers to properly exploiting the great economic opportunities. First, launching customers are hard to find in the domestic market, but reference projects are key to convincing international clients. Second, being relatively small, Dutch water technology companies have limited clout, despite having a strong knowledge position. Finally, our knowledge advantage in the Netherlands is only used to a limited extent because scaling up technology takes too long. The National Water Technology Growth Plan will help reduce these barriers to innovation and bring these breakthrough technologies to market. In doing so, the plan will significantly boost the sector’s innovative strength, growth and export volume.

What kind of activities are we talking about?

We divided the activities in the plan into four programmes and one work package. In the first programme, ‘Enabling Watertech’, consortia of water technology companies, public and private end-users and knowledge institutions work together to focus on knowledge development and technology development to develop the innovations of the future. The second programme, ‘Pilot & Testing’, focuses on scaling up and validating innovative water technology for further demonstration. The third programme, ‘Full-Scale Demonstration’, is a logical successor in which innovative water technology is demonstrated in practice for the first time. With these programmes, the consortia complete the reference projects necessary to conquer the international market. That is the focus of the last programme, ‘To Market’, which focuses on entrepreneurship and business development. These four programmes are supported by the ‘Accelerate and Maximize’ work package, which includes work on the societal aspects of innovative water technology.

The water sector is extremely broad; do you plan on doing everything?

While preparing the plan, we comprehensively analysed the water technology sector. We looked at the Netherlands’ knowledge and current market positions, the international market, and its expected growth. We selected five focus areas based on our analysis, namely:

1. Water Treatment 4.0, focused on effluent treatment for reuse and the removal of organic micropollutants and drug residues.

2. Alternative sources aimed at

purifying brackish groundwater and surface water for drinking water and process water, and solving the concentrate problem.

3. Decentralization, focused on comprehensive off-the-grid solutions for drinking water and wastewater.

4. Digitalization, with an emphasis on digital twin for process control and asset management.

5. Circularity, focused on nutrient recovery and biobased feedstock production.

What is going to happen at WaterCampus Leeuwarden?

Within the growth plan, Wetsus leads on programme 1, ‘Enabling Watertech’, and Water Alliance leads on programme 4, ‘To Market’. I want to emphasize that the Water Technology Growth Plan brings the entire Dutch water technology sector together. We had an excellent preparation phase with KWR, Stowa, the water boards in the Eastern Netherlands, TKI Water Technology, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. I am energized by the thought that we can now work with the companies to implement the plans. From Knowledge to Skill to Revenue!

The Water InnovationTechnology Chain

The WaterCampus brings together a complete chain of innovation for water technology, from first idea, research, specialized laboratories, various demo sites, launching customers to commercial international applications by commercial companies. Indeed from knowledge to business. It is driven by the idea that technological development and innovation is needed to develop new markets and create new business opportunities.

REDstack’s Dream is Growing Closer

Excellent news for Dutch company REDstack. They are receiving €5 million from the Wadden Fund to build a new power plant on the Afsluitdijk, which separates the Wadden Sea and the IJsselmeer. The new power plant is follows from an earlier trial to generate ‘blue energy’ by mixing and then separating fresh and salt water. The existing plant on the Afsluitdijk is being expanded.

The Wadden Fund is a joint scheme by the provinces in the Northern Netherlands. The fund invests in initiatives and projects that strengthen the ecology and sustainable economic development of the Wadden Sea region [a world heritage site, ed.]. REDstack aims to demonstrate that large-scale energy generation is possible near a vulnerable natural area. The premise should attract investors, hopes REDstack director Rik Siebers. “We want to prove that it works; that it is easy to scale up.”

REDstack, a Water Alliance member, has been working on clean energy generation for years. Over the years, they have had many setbacks in the pilot plant at Breezanddijk. They have mastered the process through trial and error. With the grant and concrete expansion plans, Siebers and founder Pieter Hack’s dream of making this a good, sustainable and reliable energy source is growing ever closer.

Watch the video on WaterProof TV (You Tube).

EXPORTING IS NOT A COMPLICATED PROCESS.

Hans Marcuse

Hans Marcuse of Dutch Export Solutions (DEXSS) recently joined Water Alliance. He describes himself as the ‘odd man out’ as a consultant in the mostly technical environment of the Water Alliance. With a background in international manufacturing and equipment construction, he knows how to get technology to the customer. “All training teaches you to work step by step. However, if you’re working with breakthrough technology and want to sell it, the traditional method is much slower. It is important to avoid pinning yourself down to the route, as it changes throughout the process. Test your new technology against the market early, research shows.”

ENGLISH AS THE WORKING LANGUAGE

Marcuse breaks a problem down into its constituents. For example, the language barrier is much smaller today than fifteen years ago. According to him, this is because of globalization. “Online information is now available in English. If people notice that you are from a different country, they immediately switch to English, even in Germany or France.

Everyone understands each other, even in broken business English. That will get you very far in this industry.”

SHOE SOLE

According to Marcuse, many cultural differences can be bridged with good research. You have access to the whole world from your laptop. “You can find out that showing your shoe sole in Saudi Arabia is a serious insult, for example. You can look up the cultural differences on Google and learn a lot in advance. Orienting yourself beforehand is essential.”

COMMUNISM

General knowledge also helps. Several years ago, Marcuse was involved with a party whose sales in Vietnam were declining. He helped reestablish contact with Vietnam through a German business relation. “The North Vietnamese are still leading here. Their communist history has strong ties to the former East Germany, where our representative was originally educated. You can’t know this sort of thing beforehand, but you have to see the opportunities. Despite cultural differences, you must sit

down at the table with understanding and respect.”

END CUSTOMER OR PARTNER?

Marcuse always asks: do you have an end customer in mind, or do you want to work with a foreign partner who will sell your product for you?

“If you are willing to share some of the revenue with a business partner, it can help bridge differences in laws and regulations. If you know what you want, exporting is not a complicated process. Breaking the process down into bite-sized chunks will get you far.”

Hans Marcuse firmly believes in technical SMEs looking to spread their wings to contribute in other places. He is particularly fond of the water sector. “This sector is more relevant than ever and at the centre of society. What solutions can you provide as a water technology company to address the major societal challenges? It’s amazing to be a part of increasing the impact of water technology globally.”

Imagine you have an incredible water technology solution. How do you market your solution? And who do you turn to? These are questions that technologists often fail to address until a later stage. According to Hans Marcuse, that traditional approach can be done differently. Exporting is not a complicated process, he says. WaterProof interviewed him and drew up some practical guidelines that almost always work.

Hans Marcuse (right) traveling in Thailand. Here together with Henk Bakema of the Dutch company Synspec (left) and a business customer from Bangkok.

‘YOU MUST SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE WITH UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT’

In many places around the world, including the Netherlands, innovative entrepreneurs are working on products and services to combat climate change and make economies circular. That increasingly involves smart solutions to water scarcity. However, the delineation of the playing field and the rules of the game are largely determined by government and politicians. All the more reason to keep the lines of communication with governments and politicians short and, above all, warm. In this issue of WaterProof, we interview three professionals who deal with this from their own backgrounds.

WEARING MANY HATS

PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND LOBBYING FOR WATER ALLIANCE

Pieter de Jong

Jantienne van der Meij-Kranendonk

René Rouwette

rené rouwette public affairs manager for water alliance

‘YOU CAN ONLY LOBBY EFFECTIVELY WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT DRIVES A POLITICIAN’

René Rouwette has worked as a lobbyist in The Hague for around 13 years. He began his lobbying career for a few civil society organizations, and his work was noticed by a lobbying firm. When he was asked to work for the firm, he accepted on the condition that he would only work for clients he believed in and would have the opportunity to set up a pro bono lobby. René previously worked for ENVAQUA. Since the industry association’s merger with Water Alliance in January of this year, he has worked as Public Affairs Manager for the latter organization in The Hague. He aims to put the many aspects relevant to the Water Alliance’s constituency (e.g., national regulations) on the agenda with national politicians and establish coalitions aimed at national government.

RENÉ, YOU ARE A PUBLIC AFFAIRS MANAGER, COLLOQUIALLY KNOWN AS A ‘LOBBYIST’. WHAT DO YOU DO, EXACTLY?

An essential part of my job is getting inside the politician’s head. You can only lobby effectively if you fully understand what drives a politician and can tailor your message accordingly. This should generally be short and to the point, focused on the timing and the flow of documents in the House of Representatives. You cannot imagine how many documents are sent from the Cabinet to the House of Representatives every day. A politician has to process all of it. Also, it is not only important what you say as a lobbyist but also how you say it. If you have a strong message, you can not only message a politician (mailboxes are often overflowing), but you will also get a reply.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH YOUR WORK?

I always feel there is something to improve, but I also realize that Water Alliance has only recently begun to structure the lobby towards national politics. As Water Alliance,

we travel around the world with our companies to sell our technology; domestically, however, we run into laws and regulations and still need more presence at the administrative tables. Our brand recognition could be better, but we have created a clear and fitting agenda in the past year. The recent award of the National Growth Fund [see elsewhere in this issue, ed.] could also help put us more on the map. Jantienne van der MeijKranendonk and colleagues did a beautiful job there.

WHAT ARE CURRENT TOPICS YOU ARE WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?

I will name three. Firstly, desiccation and drinking water conservation. The water system is reaching its limits due to desiccation, excessive runoff, salinization and increasing water demand from a growing population and economy. The Dutch government has set a goal for companies and residents to use 20% less drinking water. The safe application of circular water (especially grey water and rainwater) in homes and buildings can play an important role in this regard, and the government is

considering grant opportunities to that end. Around 73% of drinking water in the Netherlands is supplied to households. Agriculture and industry are also major drinking water consumers, sometimes against their own will.

Secondly, energy conservation and water: companies, associations, municipalities and households are struggling to make ends meet due to rising energy prices. Lowering the required temperature for domestic hot water is an interesting option in this context. If you heat water less, you need less energy. Lowering the temperature of domestic hot water also makes it possible to apply modern heat pumps at maximum efficiency in households. At the request of the House of Representatives, the Cabinet is investigating the extent to which it is possible to safely lower hot tap water temperature in homes and buildings to below 60 degrees. However, plans for national practical research are stalled, which blocks the implementation. I am trying to get that ball rolling through politics.

Lastly, water quality and biocides. Even in the Netherlands, water too often contains drug residues, antibiotics and pesticides. Water technology companies can help solve that problem. Unfortunately, sustainable startups and innovations often encounter long waiting times (7 years), high process costs (approx. 1.8 million) and great uncertainty because they often do not know or are not told whether their product counts as a biocide. I will continue to focus attention on that.

jantienne van der meij-kranendonk director of tki water technology & manager of government affairs at watercampus

‘BRINGING INNOVATIONS TO MARKET EFFECTIVELY’

THOSE THEMES ARE INTERTWINED WITH THE WORLD OF GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE. WHERE ARE THE PAIN POINTS?

Jantienne van der Meij-Kranendonk was the Attaché for Innovation, Technology and Science (IA) for the Dutch Embassy in Washington from 2011 to 2016. Before and after that, she held numerous positions in engineering, sustainability and innovation. She has been working for WaterCampus Leeuwarden since 2018, and became Director of TKI Water Technology in 2020. In her work, she is in frequent contact with governments.

WHAT DOES A GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MANAGER DO, EXACTLY?

I recognize the themes René mentioned on the previous page, of course. I also work on that daily. However, from my various roles, my focus is more on government and less on politics, as in René’s case. I also do that specifically for WaterCampus Leeuwarden, which the Water Alliance also participates in. I have frequent and intensive contact with regional authorities in the projects I am involved in. I advance the water transition with administrators and, in particular, government officials through various projects.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH YOUR WORK?

WaterCampus Leeuwarden’s goals align with those of TKI, of which I am the director. TKI stands for Top consortia for Knowledge and Innovation. The Dutch government set up these consortia to stimulate innovation in nine sectors. TKI Water Technology is one of three TKIs in the Water & Maritime Top Sector. Its goal is to stimulate knowledge development and innovation in water

technology to help develop efficient solutions. We aim to ensure that business innovations get to market effectively and without detours to help us move toward the muchneeded circular economy faster.

WHAT ARE CURRENT TOPICS YOU ARE WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?

We are working on four themes. One: ensuring clean and safe water; two: recycling water and raw materials; three: generating and storing energy; and four: circularity. Those themes cover many topics. For example, consider the problem of drug residues and PFAS in water. It also involves making the infrastructure more robust, ensuring you can deliver even during drought and preventing large amounts from leaking. Consider energy generation through the differences between fresh and salt water, as REDstack is doing, or the application of aquathermal techniques, research into hydrogen, and the extraction and reuse of substances such as phosphate from water.

Wherever ambitions meet regulations. Suppose you are an industrial company and want to reuse residues in your processes, perhaps as raw materials for new products. You may run into the fact that regulations complicate matters because the government still labels that substance as waste, which means you are obliged to dispose of it. We see this in many places, such as phosphate or struvite recovery. We often see it in the food industry as well. For example, a company that wants to be circular may already purify all residual water for showers, toilets, or cleaning. A company may also see an opportunity to reuse residual water for the primary process. This saves water and, in turn, costs. Even though this is good and safe from a technical perspective, in terms of regulations, it cannot be done because the rules currently only allow the use of tap water. Aligning those processes with regulations or having regulations adjusted when it is safe and has numerous benefits are topics that require extensive coordination between government and industry. I help with that.

‘MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT WE STAND FOR’

Pieter de Jong graduated from WUR [Wageningen University & Research, ed.] as an environmental engineer with a specialization in holistic water management in 2003. He has lived and worked in the Netherlands, Italy, France, Belgium and Mexico and speaks six languages. De Jong has been the European representative for Wetsus and WaterCampus Leeuwarden since 2011. He wears many hats for WaterCampus Leeuwarden and is in Brussels a lot.

WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR ROLE AS LIAISON OFFICER?

I am active on local, regional, national and European levels simultaneously. The trick is aligning everything as closely as possible. The region and Europe are natural starting points for my work. Incidentally, the Dutch Advisory Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (AWTI) recently emphasized the importance of this interplay. WaterCampus is very progressive in this. We are often seen as a European role model for regional innovation ecosystems. We are currently talking with Brussels and national and regional governments to further develop WaterCampus Leeuwarden as a European Deep Tech Valley for water technology.

WATERCAMPUS HAS ACHIEVED A LOT IN THE PAST TWELVE YEARS. CAN YOU NAME A FEW HIGHLIGHTS?

I am particularly proud of the growth we experienced as WaterCampus overall, but I can also cite a few specific examples. One is the large international water conference EIP, which we brought to Leeuwarden in 2016. It was not easy at the time, but we got it done by convincing the European Commission that the event befitted a city and province that had been investing in water technology for twenty years. In doing so, we brought 800 opinion leaders from the international water sector to Leeuwarden for several days.

I am also proud that we have Wetsus as a top institute for scientific

research and the CEW for applied research and that we have managed to involve vocational education with the Centrum voor Innovatief Vakmanschap [CIV, ed.]. That example, where we aim to train excellent students in vocational education, has spread throughout Europe, where a budget of 400 million euros is now being invested with the help of the European ERASMUS programme.

CAN YOU CITE AN EXAMPLE OF A PROJECT YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON?

The main track we are working on is the European partnership, Water4All. This co-funding initiative within the Horizon Europe project accounts for 126 million euros for 2021–2027. The initiative has 79 partners from more than 30 countries working together on innovation. We have engaged the entire WaterCampus and the region in the partnership. This will allow us to scale up regional best practices to the European level.

Another project currently getting off the ground is the creation of the KIC Water, Marine and Maritime by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). This will involve investments of around 400 million euros over seven years. The emphasis is likely on entrepreneurship and start-ups, which means the initiative will significantly boost Water Alliance and its members.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN YOUR WORK?

Breaking organizational silos and constantly looking for new connections. WaterCampus does a lot in the field of circular economy that we would like to share with other sectors. This could involve cooperation with the food processing industry in Murcia, linking decentralized treatment to Eastern Europe or introducing Caleyda to European horticultural organizations. I can give an example regarding European regulations that ties in with the previous pages. If there are no objections, under the proposal for the new urban wastewater treatment directive—a proposal by the EU commission—the polluter will contribute to the costs of treatment. The additional cost to remove drug residues and personal care products from our sewage would, in that case, fall partly on the pharmaceutical and personal care industries. That would be a real breakthrough.

Another challenge that lies with us is keeping a clear profile so that it remains clear what we stand for. This is also a great task for the Water Alliance. Since January, a national industry association with expert groups has been collaborating with the more business development and marketing-oriented branch that was already working from WaterCampus Leeuwarden.

Finally, to better align the regional, national and European agendas and initiatives, we must coordinate even more with our colleagues in The Hague, the region and possibly even the Special Envoy for Water at the UN. This is how we collectively move closer to our common goals.

pieter de jong liaison officer (brussels) watercampus leeuwarden

Wilco Keijzer (left) and Ewout Riteco

‘MOVING BOXES WON’T GET YOU FAR, YOU HAVE TO ADD VALUE’

Ewout Riteco (52) and Wilco Keijzer (37) were united by their passion for technology. More precisely, technology for measuring and controlling water and gas quality. Their company is named Qsenz (“the Q stands for quality, Senz for sensors”). They are based on the island of Texel, the largest of the five Dutch Wadden Islands, where both entrepreneurs were born and raised. “Once an islander, always an islander.”

Riteco and Keijzer worked for the water division of a Dutch company that was forced to pull the plug around ten years ago. The bankruptcy was mainly due to the company’s lossmaking petrochemical branch. “The water division, on the other hand, was very profitable”, says Riteco. “We were able to relaunch that, which is how Qsenz was born.” He speaks partly on behalf of his associate, Keijzer, who had to forgo the interview in favour of business pursuits.

The company the two islanders run specializes in supplying, installing and maintaining water and gas analysis equipment. Their sensors measure wastewater, surface water and drinking water streams, among others. “They pretty much replace the laboratory samples of old. The big difference is that you sometimes have to wait several days for lab results, while our sensors can give you a status update within a minute.” In addition to water sensors and analyzers, Qsenz supplies gas analysis and gas detection equipment.

Impressive work

The duo’s business adventure began with the purchase and sale of sensors. ‘Moving boxes’, as Riteco calls it, lasted all of one week. “We quickly learned that you have to add value, and as a newcomer, you have to prove yourself twice over in this market. It takes more than just delivering a sensor. You have to offer a comprehensive solution followed by good service. Bear in mind that the sensors provide data around the clock, and processes are managed according to that data. These sensors cannot be out of commission for days for any reason. You have to respond quickly and effectively.” Qsenz has also profiled itself as a developer since 2022, with the introduction of a clever piece of in-house innovation at Aqua Nederland: ‘the missing link in sludge line optimization’—the SOLiSENZ. The innovative product is the result of a successful collaboration with GMB and Royal HaskoningDHV at the Utrecht wastewater treatment plant. After a year and a half of collaboration

and experimentation, the business partners made a breakthrough in the sludge line: a reliable dry matter sensor in the centrate. “We want to market the innovation abroad”, says Riteco. “That’s one of the reasons we joined the Water Alliance.”

Contribution

Riteco says that the appeal of his profession goes beyond working with technology. “What makes it equally fun and interesting is that the work takes you to all sorts of places, both in the Netherlands and abroad. One minute, you are installing monitoring stations around Schiphol Airport or at a dairy factory or beer brewery, and the next, you’re on a UN mission in Mali.

Mali? What were you doing there?

“We delivered systems to measure water flows to utilize the limited water from the local well more efficiently. The availability and quality of drinking water is an important topic. It’s nice to be able to contribute towards solving the problem.

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