REMADE Partnership Advances Sustainable Desalination and Water Reuse Across Europe

European regions have joined forces under the REMADE partnership to develop sustainable solutions for marine desalination, wastewater reuse and water scarcity.

Established in 2026, REMADE—Marine Desalination and Treated Wastewater Reuse—brings together regional governments, research organizations, water utilities and private-sector specialists. The partnership is led by Puglia in Italy, Murcia in Spain and the South Aegean region of Greece, with participation from other European and Mediterranean regions, including Sicily, Liguria, Asturias, Valencia, Libya and Morocco.

Agriculture and industry account for more than 70% of water use in the European Union. REMADE aims to address growing water shortages by combining desalination and wastewater reuse with circular economy practices, precision agriculture, renewable energy and blue biotechnology. These approaches are expected to improve water security, strengthen coastal economies and support investment and employment in water-related industries.

The partnership will promote cooperation between regions and share technologies, expertise and policy solutions. Its main objectives include restoring the water cycle, improving resilience to drought and water scarcity, increasing the reuse of treated wastewater and supporting the development of a competitive, water-smart economy.

REMADE will also work to remove regulatory and governance barriers that limit water reuse. Research and knowledge-sharing activities will focus on improving water treatment technologies and addressing water-quality concerns such as microplastics, emerging pollutants and antimicrobial resistance.

Another priority is reducing the environmental and energy costs of desalination. The partnership will explore ways to lower energy consumption and convert concentrated brine into useful resources through mineral recovery and blue-energy technologies. Rainwater collection and treatment will also be studied as an additional source of water under changing climate conditions.

Digital technologies will play an important role in the initiative. Artificial intelligence, smart monitoring and data-based management systems will be used to improve the performance of desalination and wastewater-reclamation facilities.

Through workshops, conferences, research cooperation and professional training, REMADE seeks to increase public confidence in reclaimed water, address workforce skills gaps and encourage wider adoption of sustainable water-management practices.

The partnership plans to expand cooperation across European sea basins and neighboring Mediterranean countries, creating a broader network for water innovation, regional resilience and sustainable blue-economy development.

(Sourced from: https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/communities-and-networks/s3-community-of-practice/partnership_sustainable_blue_bioeconomy_REMADE_en)