Objectives
MAR2PROTECT will provide a holistic approach to prevent groundwater contamination from the impacts of global change and climate change based on a new-generation Managed Aquifer Recharge. The core of this innovative Managed Aquifer Recharge is M-AI-R Decision Support System that will incorporate technological and societal engagement information using an Artificial Intelligence-based approach to improve groundwater quality and quantity.
To ensure a high replication potential, M-AI-R Decision Support System will collect information from 5 demos sites in 4 European countries (Portugal, Italy, Spain, Netherlands) and 2 in non-European countries (Tunisia, South Africa) which were carefully chosen by their degree of maturity from previous successful projects and a wide range of settings in terms of climatic conditions, water sources, type of pollution, Managed Aquifer Recharge scheme and political / societal context. All technologies will be tested and validated until Technology Readiness Level 5 and societal activities will be implemented until Societal Readiness Level 6.
Besides, MAR2PROTECT will ensure a strong engagement of national and European policy makers that, in collaboration with a Community of Practice, will strengthen the European policy framework in the field of prevention of groundwater contamination.
Objectives
Take a look at the objectives planned at MAR2PROTECT project. Click on each objective and discover what is inside!
Objective 1
To prevent Managed Aquifer Recharge-related groundwater contamination through the development of 9 cost-efficient technologies for the removal and subsequent (bio)degradation of salinity and emerging micropollutants from wastewater and surface water before their use for Managed Aquifer Recharge, leading to a >95% removal and >70 % (bio)degradation of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, perfluorinated alkyl substances, nutrients and salinity, validated at Technology Readiness Level in lab scale pilot plants and at Technology Readiness Level in the demo sites.
Objective 2
To prevent groundwater diffuse pollution from agriculture through the development of the innovative FERT-ROOT technology based on maximizing the retention of fertilizers in the root zone.
Objective 3
To develop and validate innovative real-time integrated sensing systems and innovative analytical methods inter-connected through the groundwater prevention freely accessible Internet Of Things platform for the monitoring of pollutants, generating a better understanding of pollution sources and pathways in groundwater.
Objective 4
To predict the impacts of global and climate change on groundwater quality in a specific context with the innovative REACH – gRoundwatErquAlityCHange – tool.
Objective 5
To develop groundwater management strategies through the development of a Decision Support System, based on Artificial Intelligence techniques, enabling decision makers to i) identify suitable areas for Managed Aquifer Recharge projects, ii) perform a cost-effective design of Managed Aquifer Recharge projects, iii) develop Managed Aquifer Recharge-based risk assessment and mitigation measures, considering global change/climate change scenarios, iv) visualize in a user-friendly interface the outputs of all the Managed Aquifer Recharge-related activities.
Objective 6
To increase the active role of societal actors in the prevention of water contamination and in groundwater management from a climate change/global Change perspective, through the development of suitable engagement approaches for different socio-political, climatic and economic settings to support changes in daily practices.
Objective 7
To integrate and validate the MAR2PROTECT technologies and societal engagement actions in 5 demo sites across Europe and 2 outside Europe representing different climate conditions, social contexts and Managed Aquifer Recharge types.
Objective 8
To facilitate the use of the MAR2PROTECT results (solutions, scientific and policy insights) by scientists, authorities, technology developers and policymakers in the prevention of water contamination and in groundwater management from a climate change/global change perspective through targeted dissemination activities.
Objective 9
To promote the market uptake of the technologies and societal engagement actions by end users through the definition of business models and specific exploitation plans, after performing the Intellectual Property analysis.