ICT4Water Action Plan, Digital Single Market of water services
Brussels, December 1, 2017
European Commission – DG CONNECT – Avenue de Beaulieu, 25 – 1160 Auderghem (Brussels)
On December 1st 2017, the ICT4Water cluster presented an Action Plan to support the setting out of a Digital Single Market of Water Services. Promoted by DG-CONNECT, the action plan is a step forward from roadmaps presented in 2015 and 2016. This year (2017) open workshops were held as core sessions of big water sector events, such as Water Wise Conference, Water Innovation Europe, EIP Water conference 2017, DG RTD /EASME “Boosting Research & Innovation in the Water Sector: The Impact of EU-funded actions” and several bilateral events, with ICT4Water cluster members discussing and proposing how to afford digital water challenges, so as to collect and define the views presented in this strategic document. Additionally, collaborative contributions provided by co-members of several associations and working groups such as the WssTP, BDVA, AIOTI and EIP Water were collected too.
The Action Plan for a Digital Single Market for Water Services is focusing on a wider approach including Water Management, Treatment, Reuse, Circular Economy and every water-related area, and all other relevant areas where ICT can contribute. It proposes the creation of a borderless Digital single market for water services, and contributes to the Connected Digital Single Market and the Resilient Energy Union objectives by promoting sustainable smart technologies in the water sector.
Event introduction was conducted by Despina Spanou – DG CONNECT Director H – Digital Society, Trust and Cybersecurity and Patrik Kolar – EASME Head of Department B – LIFE and H2020 Energy, Environment, Resources. Despina Spanou announced that EASME will now take over the leadership of the cluster and Patrik Kolar welcomed the cluster as of 1 January 2018. DG CONNECT will continue to follow the cluster closely for policy feedback. The event counted with representatives from DG CONNECT, DG ENV, DG CLIMA, DG RTD and EASME.
Action Plan for a Digital Single Market of Water Services
The action plan for digital water services launches activities relating to digital water technologies, awareness, market, business and possible regulation in the area of ICT supporting the water domain and its interactions. It will enhance emerging Digital Water issues (current and future trends) in terms of services, data management, interoperability, intelligence, cybersecurity and standardisation, including synergies between the proposed solutions and with other related sectors (e.g. circular economy, water reuse, transport, energy, agriculture, smart cities, health, among others) and also considering social aspects (operators, consumers, legal issues, water value awareness, etc.).
During the event a list of concreate actions, including challenges and proposed implementation tools, relevant for boosting the uptake of ICT in the water sector across different domains within a 2030 timeframe were discussed and improved.
Presentation of the ICT4Water Cluster– Aude Glénisson – DG CONNECT H2 Smart Mobility and Living
Presentation of the Action Plan – Gabriel Anzaldi – EURECAT – EC expert ICT4Water cluster
Presentation of Action Plan Implementation – Andrea Rubini – WssTP – The European Technology Platform for Water
The latest version of the Action Plan is available for comments until 8 December 2017 on the discussion platform on Futurium.
ICT4Water Life after the end of the research project
The presentation focused on the main achievements of the closed projects, success stories, prizes awards, market penetration, reusing parts/components, standardisation and interorperability and finally recommendation to the EC.
Presentation of finished cluster projects – Lydia Vamvakeridou-Lyroudia – University of Exeter
ICT4Water Projects DEMOs
Here are the links to the projects presentations:
ICT4Water Representation:
CENTAUR – EFFINET – FREEWAT – IWIDGET – INCOVER – INNOQUA – KINDRA – PROTEUS – RUN4LIFE – SIM4NEXUS – SMART-MET – STOP-IT – URBANWATER – WATERNOMICS – WATERP – WEAM4i – WIDEST – POWER – SWAMP
