Eliminating Micro-Pollutants from Effluents for Reuse Strategies

PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) discharge management is one of the most pressing environmental challenges in BSR. Thus, it is of high urgency to strengthen the management cycle, including monitoring and assessment, regional regulations at source and end of pipe solutions to prevent the release of these substances in the aquatic environment.

EMPEREST enables water utilities to make informed decisions about cost-effective treatment strategies and investment roadmaps for removing PFAS from wastewater streams. Implemented pilots will demonstrate novel treatment technologies on a sufficiently large scale to fully evaluate its effectiveness and economic viability to remove micropollutants (PFAS and other persistent organic pollutants). The aim is to demonstrate the efficient technologies to other water utilities in the region and to scale up its application. Training programme implemented in parallel with investments will improve professional skills of wastewater management experts to be better prepared to the upcoming regulatory changes regarding micropollutants in effluents, thus strengthening the overall water sector resilience to emerging risks.

Partnership

1. Union of the Baltic Cities Sustainable Cities Commission c/o City of Turku (FI)
2. Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission – Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) (FI)
3. University of Tartu (EE)
4. Berlin University of Technology (DE)
5. Turku University of Applied Sciences (TUAS) (FI)
6. Gdańsk Water Utilities (PL)
7. Water and Sewage Company Ltd of Szczecin (PL)
8. Tartu Waterworks Ltd (EE)
9. Tallinn Water Ltd (EE)
10. “Kaunas water” Ltd (LT)
11. Turku Region Wastewater Treatment Plant (FI)
12. DWA German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste DWA Regional group North-East (DE)
13. Environmental Centre for Administration and Technology (LT)
14. City of Riga (LV)