The EU project SafeCREW will hold its final conference on 26 March 2026 at the Hanse Office in Brussels. Following 3.5 years of research, the consortium will present its findings related to maintaining drinking water quality in the context of climate change. The event is intended for policymakers, water suppliers, technology providers, and professionals in the drinking water sector.
Background: Why this topic is important now
The provision of safe drinking water depends on both its availability and quality. These factors are increasingly challenged by climate change and the rising frequency of extreme events such as droughts and flooding. Such conditions can lead to higher levels of contamination by organic compounds, microorganisms, and both known and emerging pollutants. In response, water suppliers are required to adapt their management systems to enhance climate resilience. This may result in growing need for disinfection in the water supply system, which could in turn increase the presence of disinfection by-products, for example, through interactions with materials during the renewal of ageing water distribution networks. It is also important that the Drinking Water Directive addresses these developments, considering that the health implications of some emerging contaminants remain inadequately understood.
SafeCREW: Results from 42 months of research
The Horizon Europe project SafeCREW will conclude its 42-month duration on 30 April 2026. The results will be presented in a way that can be directly used by policymakers, suppliers, technology providers, and professionals. Key results include:
A highlight of the dissemination activities is the final conference on 26 March 2026 at the Hanse Office – the joint representation of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and the state of Schleswig-Holstein to the European Union. SafeCREW benefits from the strong networking of the Hanse Office in Brussels politics; at the same time, excellent research from Hamburg will be showcased.
Date:
26 March 2026, 9:00 – 15:30 (CET)
Venue:
Hanse Office – the joint representation of the city of Hamburg and the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein in Brussels
Av. Palmerston 20, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
About the Project
SafeCREW brings together twelve partners from six European countries. Coordination is carried out by the DVGW Research Centre at Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH). The project is funded by Horizon Europe. Tutech Innovation GmbH leads the work package on dissemination, exploitation, and public relations, and coordinates knowledge transfer to policymakers and the water industry.
Project partners in the SafeCREW consortium
DVGW Research Centre TUHH (Coordinator, Germany), German Environmental Agency (Germany), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH – UFZ (Germany), KWB Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Berlin gGmbH (Germany), Tutech Innovation GmbH (Germany), Metropolitana Milanese SPA (Italy), Politecnio di Milano (Italy), Consorci Concessionari d’Aigues per als Ajuntaments i Industrie de Tarragona (Spain), Fundacio EURECAT (Spain), BioDetection Systems B. V. (Netherlands), National University of Water and Environmental Engineering (Ukraine), Multisensor Systems Limited (United Kingdom)
Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion. It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU’s competitiveness and growth. The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges. It supports creating and better dispersing of excellent knowledge and technologies.
The DVGW Research Centre TUHH
The DVGW (German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water) Research Centre at the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) is one of four water research institutions run by the DVGW. It is affiliated with the University’s Institute of Water Resources and Water Supply. The research conducted at the DVGW Research Centre is linked to current practice. The centre provides advice to water companies and industrial corporations. Its research areas range from water collection to water treatment and distribution. They include, among others, the optimisation of water treatment processes, hygiene issues concerning water distribution, and energy efficiency. A key area of its work is the North German water supply with its special characteristics.
Background: Why this topic is important now
The provision of safe drinking water depends on both its availability and quality. These factors are increasingly challenged by climate change and the rising frequency of extreme events such as droughts and flooding. Such conditions can lead to higher levels of contamination by organic compounds, microorganisms, and both known and emerging pollutants. In response, water suppliers are required to adapt their management systems to enhance climate resilience. This may result in growing need for disinfection in the water supply system, which could in turn increase the presence of disinfection by-products, for example, through interactions with materials during the renewal of ageing water distribution networks. It is also important that the Drinking Water Directive addresses these developments, considering that the health implications of some emerging contaminants remain inadequately understood.
SafeCREW: Results from 42 months of research
The Horizon Europe project SafeCREW will conclude its 42-month duration on 30 April 2026. The results will be presented in a way that can be directly used by policymakers, suppliers, technology providers, and professionals. Key results include:
- New insights on disinfection by-products: Identification of previously unknown by-products of drinking water disinfection.
- Animal-free assessment of mixtures: Advancement of non-animal based bioassays for the health-related evaluation of complex mixtures of pollutants in drinking water – contributing to future regulation of pollutant monitoring.
- Online monitoring and modelling: Development of online tools such as electronic noses and soft sensors based on artificial intelligence, as well as the modelling of drinking water distribution networks to support risk-based management systems.
- Optimisation of disinfection: Methods developed within SafeCREW for the removal of organic substances from raw water, as well as the modelling of by-products in the distribution network, are incorporated into guidelines for the optimal use of disinfectants.
- Transfer to practice and regions: The SafeCREW partner in western Ukraine is applying the results to the Ukrainian water supply.
A highlight of the dissemination activities is the final conference on 26 March 2026 at the Hanse Office – the joint representation of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and the state of Schleswig-Holstein to the European Union. SafeCREW benefits from the strong networking of the Hanse Office in Brussels politics; at the same time, excellent research from Hamburg will be showcased.
- Context and insights: Guest presentations by the WHO Regional Office for Europe alongside contributions from sister projects H2OforAll and intoDBP.
- Engaging political dialogue: Invited talks from members of European Parliament and a panel discussion featuring representatives from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
- Policy impact: SafeCREW’s work supports the Water Resilience Strategy and aligns with the EU Zero Pollution Action Plan.
Date:
26 March 2026, 9:00 – 15:30 (CET)
Venue:
Hanse Office – the joint representation of the city of Hamburg and the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein in Brussels
Av. Palmerston 20, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
About the Project
SafeCREW brings together twelve partners from six European countries. Coordination is carried out by the DVGW Research Centre at Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH). The project is funded by Horizon Europe. Tutech Innovation GmbH leads the work package on dissemination, exploitation, and public relations, and coordinates knowledge transfer to policymakers and the water industry.
Project partners in the SafeCREW consortium
DVGW Research Centre TUHH (Coordinator, Germany), German Environmental Agency (Germany), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH – UFZ (Germany), KWB Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Berlin gGmbH (Germany), Tutech Innovation GmbH (Germany), Metropolitana Milanese SPA (Italy), Politecnio di Milano (Italy), Consorci Concessionari d’Aigues per als Ajuntaments i Industrie de Tarragona (Spain), Fundacio EURECAT (Spain), BioDetection Systems B. V. (Netherlands), National University of Water and Environmental Engineering (Ukraine), Multisensor Systems Limited (United Kingdom)
Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion. It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU’s competitiveness and growth. The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges. It supports creating and better dispersing of excellent knowledge and technologies.
The DVGW Research Centre TUHH
The DVGW (German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water) Research Centre at the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) is one of four water research institutions run by the DVGW. It is affiliated with the University’s Institute of Water Resources and Water Supply. The research conducted at the DVGW Research Centre is linked to current practice. The centre provides advice to water companies and industrial corporations. Its research areas range from water collection to water treatment and distribution. They include, among others, the optimisation of water treatment processes, hygiene issues concerning water distribution, and energy efficiency. A key area of its work is the North German water supply with its special characteristics.
