IWA’s Resource Recovery from Water Cluster is now calling for nominations for the Resource Recovery Cluster Best Practice Award 2025.
Driven by environmental, economic, societal and ecological benefits, resource recovery from water treatment has drawn attention worldwide. Recovering resources from water and wastewater can provide an alternative and economically viable source of resources supporting the resilience of human and natural systems under water stress. Resources from the water cycle can be water itself, energy (organic or thermal) and components such as nutrients and metals.
In partnership with KWR Water Research Institute and AquaMinerals, the IWA Resource Recovery Cluster seeks to recognise best practices in resource recovery applied at full or demonstration scale in the water cycle, which can serve as exemplary solutions that can be applied more widely.
The IWA Resource Recovery Cluster Best Practice Award will be presented during the 6th IWA International Resource Recovery Conference in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands from 19-23 May 2025. The winner will receive a trophy and certificate honouring their best practice and will be invited to present this during the conference.
An international evaluation committee will review and evaluate the submissions:
- Ana Soares, Cranfield University, UK
- Celine Vaneeckhaute, Laval University, Canda
- Chris Hertle, Unitywater, Australia
- Divya Inna, BlueTech Research, Ireland
- Heather Kerr, Isle Utilities, New Zealand
- Kees Roest, Allied Water, The Netherlands
- Korneel Rabaey, Ghent University, Belgium
- Willy Verstraete, Founder of the IWA Resource Recovery Cluster, Belgium
The following criteria will be used to select the best practice in resource recovery from water:
- Innovative character of the best practice in resource recovery
- Replication potential
- Positive environmental impact
- Active cooperation with all stakeholders within the value chain of the recovered resource
- Positive business case
Previous winners
2023: KWR Water Research Institute, Circularity in the water cycle: reuse of iron sludge as flocculant
2019: HighCon, RR from concentrates (TU Berlin and partners, Germany)
2017: Anyang wastewater plant, RR of water and energy (POSCO Engineering and partners, South Korea)
2015: Upcycling lime pellets from drinking water plants (Reststoffenunie/AquaMinerals and partners, the Netherlands)
Submission information
To submit your nomination, please complete the nomination application form before 5 May through the online form: (see form below)
Complete all fields in the online application and upload all required documents, including a video recording of max. 2-3 minutes. Incomplete entries will not be considered. Self-nominations are encouraged and welcomed.
For all enquiries, please contact rachna.sarkari@iwahq.org
