Innovation and research
The water sector is changing fast. Climate pressures, emerging pollution sources and evolving regulations call for solutions that don’t yet exist. That’s why Aquafin is investing heavily in research and innovation, developing and testing cutting-edge techniques for the water cycle of tomorrow.
Our approach to research and innovation
At Aquafin, research and innovation start with societal challenges. We anticipate future needs and actively foster collaboration to quickly turn ideas into meaningful impact.
- Societal impact as our guide: Every innovation must contribute to healthier waterways, increased biodiversity and environments that are more resilient to climate change. This ensures we work purposefully toward sustainable water use, and living spaces in harmony with water.
- Future-focused: We explore new technologies and trends to respond quickly to changes in water management, energy, circularity, and sustainability.
- Collaboration is key: Water affects every sector. That’s why we deliberately build a broad ecosystem of companies, universities, research institutes, governments, and start-ups that, like us, want to help create a healthy water cycle through research and innovation.
How we support our partners
Aquafin’s infrastructure and expertise create a unique research environment. Partners gain access to test sites, pilot installations, data, and guidance from our experts. Collaborating with Aquafin in research and innovation provides an exceptional opportunity to test technologies and concepts in real-world conditions.
Why choose Aquafin as a research partner?
With over 300 water treatment plants, thousands of kilometres of sewer network, and extensive monitoring, we provide a unique environment for testing and validating research and innovations.
Helping to drive European innovation
Aquafin is part of ALLWATERS, the consortium set to lead EIT Water over the next 15 years. This new water-focused community, established by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), brings together universities, research institutions, NGOs, and companies. It will focus on developing solutions for a broad spectrum of water challenges, from climate adaptation to water quality and resource recovery.
The objective is clear: not only to develop knowledge but also to translate it into practical application. Innovations must reach the market faster, enhancing both Europe’s standing and our climate resilience. Aquafin will take on a facilitative role, providing unique opportunities to test and demonstrate new technologies while further expanding our research network.
Partner of the BlueChem community
We actively seek collaboration to pursue of innovative solutions. That’s why Aquafin partners with BlueChem, the incubator for sustainable chemistry in Flanders. BlueChem’s ecosystem connects us with start-ups whose work intersects with our processes, while these start-ups can benefit from our scale and real-world testing facilities to validate new technologies. Together, we aim to open up new opportunities and maximise the potential of waste water treatment.
We collaborate closely with academic research partners and knowledge institutions. Our focus is on translating innovations and solutions into real-world practice
