Although combining wastewater systems and aquaponics have been talked about for some time within the industries, the AWARE project is one of the first to put these ideas into practice. The project's flagship plant is located in southern Italy at the wastewater treatment plant of Castellana Grotte (Bari). The pilot plant is due to be activated by the end of April 2024, with the fisheries systems being fully set up and live by the end of May.
It stands out as a pioneering initiative that combines these two spheres in an innovative manner. The overarching objective of the project is to "create a new farm-to-fork value chain for European economic growth". This is achieved through the three main project streams:
- To use reclaimed water, in Europe's first recirculation aquaponics system, to produce fish and vegetables,
- To allow waterfront and urban communities to benefit economically from the farm-to-fork value chain through new business models.
- To inform policymakers by providing scientific evidence to overcome upscaling and commercialisation barriers.
As Dr Fabio Ugolini, the project's coordinator, explains: "The big dream is to be able to drink the reclaimed water" but current sights are set on creating a circular system of using municipality wastewater for aquaculture.
Read more at thefishsite.com