AQUARISE - Advancing Water Efficiency, Safe Reuse and Soil-Water Retention for Resilient Agricultural Regions

AQUARISE aims to reduce freshwater demand in agriculture while maintaining crop performance and protecting soil and water resources. The project idea combines improved irrigation scheduling, safe reuse of treated wastewater and measures that increase the soil’s ability to retain water.

The proposed approach links crop water needs, reclaimed-water quality, soil conditions and costs to support shared operating decisions. Farmers and water operators will use these factors to decide when to irrigate, how much water to apply and which available water source to select. Clear responsibilities will cover water treatment, distribution, monitoring, corrective actions and payment for the service.

Planned demonstration activities

Two demonstration regions will test the approach under local agricultural and operating conditions. Each demonstration will compare:
• Existing irrigation and water-management practice.
• Improved irrigation efficiency measures alone.
• The combined AQUARISE approach, including water reuse and soil-water retention.

Monitoring over two irrigation seasons will assess freshwater withdrawals, total irrigation use, crop yield and quality, soil moisture, salinity, energy consumption and operating costs. The assessment will also consider return flows and downstream water availability to establish whether improvements at farm level deliver benefits for the wider water system.

Farmers, operators and authorities will jointly define operating limits and procedures for drought, water-quality problems and supply interruptions. Environmental, economic and social assessments will examine the benefits, costs and affordability of the proposed solutions.

Expected results

AQUARISE will deliver tested operating procedures, monitoring methods, business cases and arrangements for sharing costs and responsibilities. Continuation plans will identify the ownership, resources and financing needed to maintain the solutions after the project. Guidance for other regions will explain where the approach can be adopted and which elements require local adaptation.

Partners sought

The consortium is open to partners contributing expertise, technologies, demonstration sites or implementation capacity in agricultural water management.

Relevant profiles include research organisations, technology providers, water and wastewater operators, farmers and agricultural cooperatives, public authorities and organisations supporting stakeholder engagement.

Potential roles and responsibilities will be discussed with interested partners.

Target topic: HORIZON-CL6-2027-02-CLIMATE-01-two-stage
Proposed duration: 48 months
Planned demonstrations: Two regions
Indicative EU contribution: €5.5 million