From June 23rd to 26th, 2025, Valeria Acevedo (AIMEN) attended the 7th IWA International Conference on Ecotechnologies for Wastewater Treatment (ECOSTP2025) in Stockholm, Sweden. The event brought together leading researchers, practitioners, and professionals to explore innovative and sustainable approaches to wastewater treatment through case studies around the world, in a more Water-Wise World. WATERUN were present, with valuable insights from the past years of work.
A Wide Range of Topics
The conference covered a broad spectrum of themes, including:
- Resource recovery for circular cities: this encompassed energy, nutrient, carbon, and value-added product recovery.
- Centralized and decentralized ecotechnological treatment processes: discussions included biological treatments, bioelectrochemical/electrochemical treatments, Nature-based Solutions, and decentralized approaches.
- Water Reuse: topics covered membrane technologies, removal of emerging contaminants, and advanced treatment technologies.
- Digitalization: this involved artificial intelligence, modelling, sensor technologies, and process monitoring.
- Sustainability, techno-economic, and social impacts: this included techno-economical and environmental assessments of eco-technologies, as well as the social dimensions of wastewater treatment and waste-derived products
- Wastewater-based epidemiology
- New EU Urban Wastewater Directive
Deepening the Discussion: Thematic Workshops
In addition to plenary sessions and technical presentations, the conference also featured a series of targeted workshops designed to foster deeper dialogue and exchange among participants. These interactive sessions allowed attendees to engage more thoroughly with specific challenges and opportunities in the field of eco-technologies, and to explore practical solutions through case studies, collaborative exercises, and expert-led discussions. Some thematic addressed were:
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Engaging Young Water Professionals for the future water sector.
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Advancing Nature-Based Solutions for Wastewater Treatment and Urban Water Management: Insights, Challenges, and Hands-On Experience.
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New Perspectives of EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, particularly focusing on public health issues like viral and pathogenic diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and contaminants of emerging concern (e.g., PFAS, microplastics).
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Challenges, Modelling, Innovations, and Future Directions for Tackling N₂O Emissions in Water Resource Recovery Facilities.
WATERUN’s Contribution
As part of the WATERUN project, Valeria Acevedo presented a poster entitled: "Construction of a Biofiltration System for Urban Water Runoff (UWR) Management: Environmental Impact Determination Using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)".
The poster outlined the results of an environmental impact assessment conducted on the construction phase of a biofiltration system located on Ptolomeo Street in Santiago de Compostela (Spain). The study used Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to evaluate sustainability performance, contributing to WATERUN's broader objective of promoting environmentally responsible urban runoff management.
Valeria participated in the Poster Session held on Tuesday, June 24, which offered an excellent opportunity to share findings, receive constructive feedback, and engage with fellow researchers and professionals. An event well resumed by Valeria:
“It was a great experience to showcase our work and connect with international experts committed to sustainable water management.”
