Seven recommendations for water resilience: NAMOR launches its first policy brief
NAMOR has published its first policy brief, “Water Resilience at the Right Scale: Integrating Decentralised Treatment into Europe’s Water Systems”, presenting seven recommendations to support the responsible integration of decentralised and hybrid treatment into Europe’s water infrastructure.
Addressed to policymakers, regulators, utilities, municipalities, funding bodies and technology providers, the brief explores how infrastructure choices can better reflect local needs while maintaining strong protection for human health and the environment.
As water stress, climate pressures and resource-efficiency demands increase, decentralised and hybrid systems can offer additional flexibility. Their value depends on local conditions, including wastewater characteristics, flow variability, connection costs and opportunities for reuse. The brief therefore advocates assessing these systems as complementary options within integrated water planning, alongside centralised infrastructure.
Connecting innovation with implementation
NAMOR is developing a modular microalga–membrane photobioreactor that combines microalgae–bacteria treatment with membrane filtration. Demonstration cases in Slovenia, Finland and Greece examine its application across different climatic and operational conditions.
Alongside this technical work, the project is developing a Digital Twin and a Decision Support System, assessing sustainability and business-model options, and involving stakeholders through Living Lab activities. Together, these activities aim to clarify where decentralised solutions can deliver value and what conditions are needed for their operation and replication.
The policy brief’s central message is that technology readiness must be matched by regulatory, operational, financial and societal readiness.
Seven recommendations for action
The brief identifies seven priorities:
- Integrate decentralised and hybrid systems into water infrastructure planning, aligning local treatment needs with wider catchment objectives.
- Establish clearer, proportionate and evidence-based permitting pathways, supported by cooperation between regulators, utilities and technology providers.
- Strengthen interoperable monitoring, digital twins and decision-support tools, enabling reliable performance assessment and transparent comparisons.
- Establish safe and predictable pathways for resource recovery and reuse, based on quality, contaminant control, traceability and intended use.
- Make stakeholder participation and inclusive governance an implementation requirement, embedding Living Labs, co-design and social-impact assessment into projects.
- Make whole-life performance and affordability visible in investment and procurement decisions, considering long-term costs, benefits and operational requirements.
- Support the transition from demonstration to replication and market uptake, through appropriate financing, partnerships and locally adapted deployment models.
These recommendations contribute to the implementation of the EU Water Resilience Strategy and related water, circular-economy and innovation agendas.
As NAMOR progresses, evidence from its demonstrations and technical, environmental, economic and social assessments will help refine the recommendations. The objective is to equip decision-makers to select the most appropriate treatment solution for each context and support its sustainable operation over time.
Download NAMOR Policy Brief #1: Water Resilience at the Right Scale
