Summary of TECHWARE's Position Paper
Water Environment Information Bulletin

  1. TECHWARE (TECHnology for WAter REsources) is pleased to have been invited by the EC Task Force 'Environment-Water' to act as one of it's external consultees by forming a European 'professional Mirror Task Force' (pMTF) in order to produce a 'position paper' on priorities for European water research.

  2. To this end, a TECHWARE Specialist Group (SG)- Professional Mirror Task Force 'Environment-Water'- was established to consider the main issues relatingto the strategic management of Europe's water resources into the 21st Century. A wide range of priority research needs were identified within the Framework RTD programmes.

  3. The pMTF comprised members from 10 different EU States, each member being actively involved at the practising professional level in the 'environment water' sector. The position paper was produced after inter-active consultation and consensus building among the members.

  4. From it's initial review of pan-European water management issues, and with regard to the EC Task Force's four 'Axes of Action', the pMTF concluded that some 20 research topic areas were of importance; these are itemised in the paper. Following further assessment of the topics against the criteria for research funding under the EC Framework Programmes, 17 priority topic areas were identified. In each case, the justification for their inclusion, the type(s) of research activity required to address them and the scale of the issue involved are summarised.

  5. In brief, the priority topic areas were considered to be:-

    * Acquisition of high quality and comprehensive databases on European water systems.
    * Development of an holistic and integrated approach to the management of water.
    * The impacton water systems of different types of pollutants and their capacity to recover.
    * Identification of the nature and origin of diffuse sources of water pollution.
    * Impact of new chemicals on wasterwater systems and treatability.
    * The impact of 'endocrine-disrupters' in sewage effluents on wildlife.
    * Improved water-conservation methods in agriculture and industry.
    * Development of alternatives to the use of water in industry processes.
    * Increase public awareness of importance water saving and pollution aviodance.
    * Integrated models for predicting the effects of climate change.
    * Novel techniques for restoration of dehydrated systems.
    * Improve techniques for collection and conservation or rain water.
    * New technologies for clean-up of contaminated ground water.
    * New methods for control of storm discharges.
    * Improvement of short term forecasting of storm events.
    * Decision support systems to assist implementation of holistic water management.
    * Improved public awareness of environment-water issues and its role in water management.

  6. The TECHWARE Group also noted that the scientific & technological base in many of these priority areas is already mature and that the need, at a European level, is to develop the application of proof concept rather than to initiate new research.

  7. TECHWARE endorses the continuation of the Task Force concept so that the resources of the European Commission can be targeted effectively on key activities through a consensus of European Professionals, who are themselves stakeholders - as end users - in the success of future RTD programmes.

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Latest Update: Tuesday 20th May 1997 Editor A. Van der Beken
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