The One Trillion Opportunity: a Resilient Water Future
How the new EU strategy is mandating systemic change to safeguard the future economy and combat climate extremes.
Today is time for a look into the political, regulatory, and technical complexities of the European water sector, going far beyond a simple overview of infrastructure.
I learned that the water industry in Europe is currently undergoing significant institutional and strategic shifts, driven by concepts like resilience and integration.
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I feel proud of having someone like Cristian Carboni representing Water Europe in The Water MBA.
Stealing a few minutes from his busy schedule is pure gold for all of us, thanks Cristian!
Who is Cristian Carboni?
In the water sector with a background in natural science and a career spanning 25 years in the field. He began his journey in research, focusing on the efficacy of technologies like ozone and chlorine, and has worked to develop new, greener methods for water treatment aimed at protecting both health and the environment.
Key aspects of his professional profile include:
Current Role: He is the Business Development Manager of De Nora Water Technology.
Involvement with Water Europe: He is deeply involved with the water association Water Europe, which he noted is likely the largest of its kind in Europe. He currently serves as the leader of the expert group of Zero Pollution and Health. Additionally, he represents Water Europe in high-level discussions, such as the table for the Urban Water Directive and the Water Directive. His involvement gives him the opportunity to participate in writing and deciding on new regulations.
Teaching and Consulting: He has experience working with research centers, universities in Italy and Europe, and previously taught to help young professionals learn. He has also served as a consultant on value-added and Horizon projects with the European Commission.
He is recognized by his peers as a valuable guest who can provide insight into the political and top-level movements within the European water industry.
He has given speeches in various major forums, including the Italian Parliament, the European Commission, and at the United Nations in 2023.
What is Water Europe?
I wanted to learn what is Water Europe exactly, which is likely the largest water association in Europe.
It originated from an initiative by the European Commission.
Crucially, Water Europe functions as a platform that unites diverse stakeholders, including utilities, industry, research centers, and policy makers, all in one space.
The primary mission of this organization is to foster a “water smart society”.
A major part of their role involves advocating for greater financial investment and attention toward water issues from the European Commission, as they noted that water historically received less focus compared to energy.
Water Europe works to ensure that regulation is practical by combining the political vision of the future with necessary technical solutions and economic viability.
My question to Cristian was: what tools or channels are used to achieve this? I mean, are there any events, webinars, papers, meetings, etc., that are open to the public?
He replied that they achieve this through several structured activities, including major events like Water Innovation Europe and Water Knowledge Europe, the latter being a crucial forum for exchanging expertise.
To be honest, I had no idea about these events. Since The Water MBA is a place to share knowledge about water, I’m looking forward to attending some of the Water Knowledge Europe events in the coming years. Let’s see…
Furthermore, they employ specialized ESPR groups, like the Zero Pollution and Health group that Cristian leads, to produce technical papers on critical subjects such as PFAS and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
These technical findings are then transformed into position papers aimed at politicians, suggesting new policies and strategies.
Cristian explained that the organization is necessary because institutions often tend to silo themselves, and Water Europe works to break those silos and ensure coherent decision-making.
They also advocate for policies like a “green certificate” system for water savings, similar to what exists for energy, to properly recognize the value of water.
Are they really listened?
I’ve always wondered what it must feel like to speak at the European Parliament. On TV, most of the attendees seem to be staring at their phones.
Remember that really funny video of the member who fell asleep while a Spanish politician was talking about some “interesting” water affairs…?
So I ask directly to Cristian, if their voices are heard in large forums like the European Parliament, he shared that while sometimes people may not listen, changes do occur “after time probably and after the push of a public opinion”.
He pointed out concrete successes, noting that Water Europe’s advocacy has led to the establishment of a Commissioner for water and circular economy, and the introduction of new regulations like the urban water directive and the drinking water directive.
This implies that specialized input, especially when backed by organized technical groups, does influence European regulation.
Future in Europe
The conversation emphasized that the future of water in Europe is encapsulated by the new EU water resilience strategy.
Cristian summarized the direction in three essential concepts:
resilience, digitalization, and integration.
Resilience is paramount due to climate causing extreme weather (too little or too much rain), which impacts not only water supply but also critical areas like food, energy production, and industrial output.
Integration focuses on linking different systems—such as the water-energy nexus—and utilizing digitalization for better monitoring and predictive modeling of water resources.
What Cristian shared highlighted profound regulatory shifts and key challenges:
Regulatory Philosophy Change: The traditional focus on setting limits is being replaced by a precautionary approach that mandates risk-based management and risk analysis for water safety, shifting the focus to prevention before problems occur.
Extended Producer Responsibility: A monumental change is the introduction of the standard responsibility of a producer principle. This means that manufacturers who create pollutants (such as PFAS or ingredients in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics) must pay for the advanced quaternary treatment required to clean up that pollution, rather than placing the burden on the public water system.
Cristian argued that the public should not have to pay double or triple the cost for drinking water or urban wastewater services to clean up pollution caused by manufacturers.
Critical Challenges: Two major future issues that must be addressed are persistent substances like PFAS (”forever chemicals”) and the threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Systematic Thinking: Cristian advocates for moving beyond vertical, single-technology fixes and adopting an integrated, systematic approach. For example, treating water with ozone first, even though it doesn’t mineralize PFAS, can significantly increase the lifespan of downstream technology like granular activated carbon (GAC), making the overall solution more economically viable. He also promotes shifting the mindset from merely two types of water (drinking/wastewater) to having different water for different uses (e.g., reusing treated water for non-potable needs like gardening or industrial cooling).
Economic Opportunity: Cristian shared that the economic opportunity is vast, with estimates suggesting that investing in the European water sector could generate one trillion by 2030. However, he cautioned that new startups need guidance to transform ideas into market realities, especially concerning the time and money required for necessary certifications, such as ECA registration for chemicals, which can take years.
Two key notes
I took two notes on a few things that really caught my attention.
PFAS in Italy and Producer Responsibility
Cristian noted that Italy has experienced a “big hotspot on PFAS” where people were aware the chemical was dangerous, and some individuals involved were imprisoned and fined, despite the lack of specific legal limits on PFAS at the time.
Circular Economy and Manufacturing Competitiveness
Cristian used the example of global brands to illustrate why adopting a circular economy is vital for European manufacturing.
He mentioned that large textile companies in India utilize “zero liquid discharge” (ZLD) and benefit from lower costs for people and raw materials.
Because end-users are increasingly demanding products that are green, free of PFAS, and consume less water, big brands like Gucci or Dolce & Gabbana are looking for zero-pollution manufacturing.
Cristian warned that if Europe fails to implement a circular economy, resulting in a bigger CO2 and water footprint, these brands will be incentivized to manufacture in countries like India, where ZLD and lower costs are already in place.
Therefore, achieving resilience and circularity in the water sector is necessary not only for environmental protection but also to maintain European economic competitiveness.
Closing remarks
In summary, European water strategy is moving aggressively toward resilience, demanding accountability from polluters, and necessitating integrated, systematic thinking to address interconnected challenges in health, environment, and the economy.
The path forward requires combining the experience of senior professionals with the innovation and energy of young start-ups, while ensuring that investment and market strategies align with rigorous regulatory realities.