Dr. Voigt, the “FarmWater” project is part of the Thuringian Water Innovation Cluster (ThWIC), which was launched as part of the German government’s national water strategy. Can you briefly explain the background to this initiative? Dr. Voigt: The National Water Strategy was adopted by the German government in 2023 and aims to use water resources more sustainably. Within this framework, the Federal Environment Agency has developed various measures that are now being implemented nationwide. In Thuringia, the ThWIC research cluster has been established, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research with around 50 million euros. Our “FarmWater” project is one of 45 individual projects currently working on innovative solutions for water management within the cluster.
What is the aim of “FarmWater” and what role does WTA Unisol play in this? Dr. Voigt: The aim of “FarmWater” is to treat wastewater from municipal sewage treatment plants so that it can be used as irrigation water for agricultural and horticultural purposes. Neither the soil, groundwater nor the plants themselves should be contaminated by pollutants. WTA Unisol contributes its expertise in membrane filtration here. Our UF membranes (ultrafiltration membranes) ensure that the wastewater is thoroughly cleaned. The company Purion then sterilizes it using UV radiation so that the water can be used without hesitation.
What future prospects do you see for the “FarmWater” project and the technology behind it? Dr. Voigt: In the long term, we would like to simplify the process to such an extent that it can be used on a larger scale.
One of our ideas is to use gravity-driven filtration to reduce energy consumption and increase efficiency.
We would also like to integrate further disposal steps into the process to ensure even more comprehensive cleaning.
Overall, we see great potential to implement this concept in many regions, not only to secure crop yields, but also to improve the groundwater situation in the long term.
If you would like to find out more about the project, please contact us:
Dr. Reinhard Voigt
Head of R&D
Phone: +49 3621 73 77 922
Email: r.voigt@wta-unisol.com
