In this session 3 innovative examples of decentralized wastewater treatment solutions are presented. These innovative treatment solutions are alternatives for traditional centralized wastewater treatment and lead to a local source of water, energy and even resources. 
·          Physical decentralized and monitored wastewater treatment technology (Bluecon – John van Schoonhoven)
·          Source separated decentralized wastewater treatment. (Desah – Stefan Bergsma)
·          Advanced sensors and AI to "close the circle" in water management, monitoring sustainable purification, and the reuse of water in a circular system (microLAN - Joep Appels)

Decentralized monitored wastewater treatment plants: the sustainable future is now!

Program:
<img title="Scherm­afbeelding 2025-01-17 om 13.51.00-transformed.png" src="https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/gokhc74OTyGdqGBTLuct" alt width="936" height="225" />
<ul>
<li>        13:00-13:10, Prof. Leo Posthuma, RIVM, Green swans for a safe and sustainable water cycle under the EU-Green Deal</li>
<li>        13:10-13:20, Dr. Peter Behnisch, BDS, GreenDeal projects for toxic-free water</li>
<li>        13:20-13:30, Dr. Jeroen van Stappen, VMM, Effect-based water testing in Belgium</li>
<li>        13:30-13:40, Dr. Birte Raes, Aquafin, Toxicity testing in the water cycle</li>
<li>        13:40-13:50, Dr. Tjalf de Boer, MicroLife Solutions, Effect-based antibiotics testing</li>
<li>        13:50-14:00, Dr. Joep Appels, MicroLan, Biosensors in the Dutch water cycle</li>
</ul>

Safe & sustainable water cycle, EU Green Deal

As an experienced professional in water quality and sustainable water management, I have significantly enhanced my expertise through active participation in the Water Platform Brabant and the Water Bank initiatives. Collaborating within the Circular Water Working Group of the Water Alliance, I focus on promoting green-blue water applications and optimizing (rain)water usage to conserve resources for future generations. Additionally, I contribute to the development and application of sensors and AI-driven data platforms to improve water quality monitoring and decision-making. My work aligns with the transition towards a circular water economy, promoting innovation in sustainable water solutions. More details at https://waterplatformbrabant.nl/ and https://www.microlan.nl/ and my profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joepappelsmicrolan/

Managing Director, microLAN / OSD

Alvaro Lagartos is a Chemical Engineer with over 15 years of experience in the water industry and desalination. He has developed different roles in the industry from project engineer, process engineer, project manager, or technical service engineer in Europe, USA, LATAM, and Australia. Since 2017 he has been working for LG NanoH2O, initially as a Senior Application Engineer, and in 2023, he was promoted to Senior Technical Marketing Manager, his current role.

Senior Technical Marketing Manager, LG Chem

Dr. Kees Roest has worked at KWR Water Research Institute since 2008 and was among the pioneers in KWR’s wastewater research. On the Energy and Circular Systems team he works on sustainable transitions with a focus on innovative (waste)water treatment concepts and the reuse of water, energy, and materials. Kees is managing the KWR TKI Water Technology program for public-private partnerships (PPPs) and is portfolio manager resource recovery and circular systems issues at KWR. Kees has a Ph.D. in Environmental Microbiology from WUR.

Senior Scientific Researcher, KWR

Adriaan holds master degrees in electromechanical engineering and industrial management, and received a PhD (2013) in mechanical engineering at the University of Leuven for research on predictive maintenance. For six years he held the position of manufacturing lead customer advisory Western Europe at the analytics software company SAS. Currently, he is the Chief Customer Officer at Timeseer.AI. Adriaan has more than 10 years of experience in making impact with data and advanced analytics.

CCO, Timeseer.AI

Andrea Naves has been working in the Sustainability area of the Eurecat  Foundation since 2020. She currently works as an Advanced Researcher in the Water, Air and Soil Unit of the center. Her main lines of research are included within water treatment technologies, both conventional and advanced systems with membranes, in the industrial field. She has experience in tertiary treatment systems for water regeneration and reuse, as well as zero liquid discharge (ZLD) systems. She has worked in more than 20 research projects, public and private, participating in various scientific-technical publications and patents.

Advanced Researcher, Eurecat

Sofie has a Masters’ degree in bioengineering and has worked as environmental process engineer in the water technology sector and the pharmaceutical sector. At VITO she works on acquisition and management of consultancy and research projects in the following domains: industrial water and wastewater management, circular water and implementation of sustainable water concepts.

Project Lead Water & Industry, VITO

Stefan Schmidt studied mechanical engineering at the University of Siegen and started working for the SMS group GmbH in 1996. Over 25 years of experience in fluid & piping engineering of rolling mills and other plants for steel industry led finally into taking care of water solutions. Today Mr. Schmidt is part of the Water Treatment team of the SMS group developing new perspectives on the steel industry water footprint.

Water Expert at SMS group / Steel Industry

Dean, ResinTech University, ResinTech, Inc.

With nearly 25 years in Sales & Business Development, Wayne focuses on Industrial Water Treatment at HPNow. Using his previous experience with Xylem and Evoqua, along with already established connections, his primary focus is on Data Centre Cooling and Light Industry applications.

Head of Industrial Sales – Europe & Middle East, HPNow

Owner & Director, Influx Search

Co-Founder & COO (Riverkin)

CEO, VWMS GmbH (Coliminder)

Application Technology Manager

Nebojša Ilić is a chemical engineer deeply committed to environmental protection and sustainability. He specializes in advanced water treatment, with a focus on functional nanomaterials and hybrid treatment processes. Nebojša holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Belgrade, Serbia.  His academic journey included research stays in Germany and Thailand, where he explored diverse topics such as developing novel nanomaterials for methanol sensing, UV-blocking, and targeted cancer therapy. Nebojša's Ph.D. research at the Technical University of Munich focused on developing novel nanomaterials for removal of PFAS from water and providing insights into the fundamental forces governing the adsorption process. Furthermore, he investigated ultrasonic cavitation as a potential method for destroying concentrated PFAS streams and conducted preliminary environmental impact assessments of different PFAS treatment train strategies. Before co-founding SUIKI,  Nebojša honed his entrepreneurial skills in a well-known battery recycling startup, conceptualizing and testing various water treatment solutions for lithium carbonate purification and production. Currently, Nebojša is spearheading technology development and co-founding SUIKI, an internal startup within TDK. SUIKI is driven by a mission to rapidly develop and deploy innovative solutions for complex water treatment challenges, starting with destruction of PFAS in-situ using electrochemical oxidation. Nebojša's dedication to impactful research is reflected in his publications in prestigious journals like "Chemical Engineering Journal" and "Advanced Materials."  His combined expertise in chemical engineering, process optimization, and early-stage deep tech startups positions SUIKI as a leader in delivering transformative environmental solutions to the market.

Co-Founder, Head of Technology, SUIKI (by TDK)

Round Table 7, CEO, Valuing Blue B.V.

SALT Doctors

A passionate professional with more than decade of experience in closing the water loop in various types of challeging industrial and municipal wastewater streams with proven delivery of innovative recycling concepts. Talent for identifying the most cost-efficient solution for the client to build up a resilient and sustainable environment. 
Dimitra has developed innovative treatment solutions for mainly light & heavy industries and municipal applications, leveraging her deep technical knowledge and commitment to advancing water treatment technologies.
She is primarily working with leading industrial companies worldwide in water efficiency studies, wastewater treatment assessments and technology due diligence. Hence, her strong technical / commercial background contributes to an excellent understanding of the water market trends.

Senior Technology Consultant, Isle utilities

Mathematics graduate. Before joining Canal de Isabel II in 1992, Javier worked for Andersen Consulting and Isdefe (Spanish Ministry of Defence). Currently working for Canal de Isabel II, he carried out duties as R&D analyst, Head of Software Development and IT. Since 2007, as Deputy Director of Instrumentation, Control, Automation, Telecommunications, Metrology, the Control Centre and Digital Transformation. Javier is also a member of IWA’s Governing Assembly, IWA’s Strategic Council and leads EUREAU’s Joint Working Group for Innovation.

Deputy Director –  Telecontrol (Canal de Isabel II)

Antonia is an Environmental Engineer with a M.Sc at Politecnico of Turin. She is currently based in Switzerland, and she works for Isle Utilities as a Technology Consultant within the industrial team.  She has working experience on water usage within many production processes, ranging from F&B, to O&G, textile, chemical and many more. She has expertise in water treatment technologies, utilities and is very passionate about water neutrality and water stewardship. Before joining Isle, she worked at Philip Morris International and Siegried on innovative treatment technologies pilot projects, applied to wastewater, wastewater recycling and cooling towers.

Technology Consultant, Isle utilities

Wouter is an environmental engineer with over 12 years of experience in sustainable water technology, resource recovery, and waste stream reuse. He is a results-driven advisor who values technological solutions and human processes. Passionate about making the world a better place, he has worked on phosphorus recycling and set up numerous projects on organic waste valorization. Since 2022, he has worked at LeAF, previously at Arcadis, Nutrient Platform, and REWIN West-Brabant.

Senior Consultant, LeAF

Kaustub Singh is a research engineer in the R&D of Royal FrieslandCampina, specializing in membrane driven separation and purification technologies. He earned his PhD from Wageningen University, working on electro-driven water purification and resource recovery. In addition, Kaustub has contributed to the field redox active flow batteries. His work in water desalination and energy storage has appeared in several publications and multiple filed patents. At FrieslandCampina, he continues to advance (electrochemical) membrane separation technologies to support sustainable industrial processes such as side stream handling and valorization.

Research Specialist, R&D, Royal Friesland Campina

Research Manager, Bluetech

Vice President and General Manager, McEwen Copper

Diego Bleeckx, an engineer in chemistry & bioprocesses, is a specialist in industrial wastewater treatment. At Waterleau, he has designed advanced wastewater treatment plants across multiple continents and managed international projects. As Growth Leader for PFAS removal, Diego focuses on innovative solutions to eliminate "forever chemicals" from industrial water streams. His expertise and global perspective make him a passionate advocate for sustainable water management and environmental stewardship​.

Growth Leader – PFAS Removal, Waterleau

(PhD, Materials Science, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany) joined Kurita Europe GmbH in 2017 worked several years in Research and development as Innovations manager in water treatment with focus on boiler water, cooling water and geothermal applications. Since 2025 responsible as local technical manager in Benelux area.

LTM Manager BENELUX, Kurita

I´m glady to introduce myself
My name is Norbert Rademacher. I´m a HACH Application Development Manager and hold a degree in electrical and enviromental engineering.
I´ve been advising and supporting HACH customer for almost 30years this year with my expertise in industrial water applications and water cycle management.

Application Development Manager, HACH

In his role as Application Technology Manager with LANXESS, Dirk develops new applications for ion exchange resins in th field of battery metals, waste- and drinking water.
Prior to joinging LANXESS in 2016 Dirk pursued a Post-Doc at Harvard University, with a main focus on ion exchange resin for pharmaceutical applications. Dirk obtained his PhD in 2013 in polymer chemistry.
 
He is the author of 25 reviewed articled and 10 patents. His work was awarded by the Konrad Adenauer and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Application Technology Manager, Lanxess

AI Solutions Director  (Sand Technologies)

Gabriele earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Central Florida. Her graduate research focused on carrying out a feasibility study utilizing a nanofiltration pilot system for a local municipality, while assisting on other research projects including corrosion studies, RO piloting, and more. In May 2024, Gabriele joined American Water Chemicals as an Applications Engineer, where she has been providing technical support, troubleshooting, and innovative solutions to clients in the water treatment industry. Recently, Gabriele transitioned to American Water Chemicals’ European division, where she continues to apply her technical expertise while expanding the company’s support across international markets.

Applications Engineer, American Water Chemicals

Enterprise Product Sales (Bentley)

Steven Lam is Head of Technology at Gradiant, a water technology company that strives to treat the toughest waters. Over the past 14 years he has developed technologies related to thermal desalination, OARO, semi-batch ro, advanced oxidation processes, PFAS removal, and many more. He has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and specializes in thermodynamics and product commercialization.

Head of Technology, Gradiant

Head of Business Development , Oxyle

Product manager of Aquasuite OPIR, a virtual operator for drinking water treatment and distribution. Engineer who enjoys pragmatic solutions for complex challenges, especially if it contributes to a better society. I strongly believe that for a true impact on society, cooperation is key. Background: MSc in mechanical engineering.

Product manager drinking water Aquasuite®, Royal HaskoningDHV

Assiyeh Tabatabai is Senior Application Expert at Lhoist where she leads product and application development for water, wastewater, and sludge treatment. Assiyeh holds an MSc in Water Supply Engineering from UNESCO-IHE, Delft and a PhD in membrane-based desalination technology from TU Delft. With over a decade of experience in technology development and commercialization, Assiyeh has worked across various areas of the water treatment value chain. She is dedicated to developing solutions that reduce the chemical and energy footprint of water treatment processes and recover valuable compounds from reject streams.

Senior Applications Expert, Lhoist

Smartvatten

Jochen Kallenberg brings extensive expertise in water treatment processes and chemical engineering, complemented by an advanced degree in marketing. With over 25 years of experience in the water treatment industry, he has developed deep knowledge in desalination, membrane technology, media filtration, and applications for the mining sector. His career includes roles at globally recognized membrane and mineral technology companies. He currently serves as Director of Water Treatment at Dryden Aqua in Switzerland. For the past four years, Jochen Kallenberg has been a board member and the acting Vice President of the European Desalination Society.

Director Water Treatment, Dryden Aqua

Director at BioDetection Systems in Amsterdam, The Netherlands since 2006.
Experienced in international effect-based monitoring tool development and applications since 1992. Former Managing Director and Head of several laboratories at Kaneka Corp. (Japan), Eurofins (GER) and SGS (GER/USA). 
University education at Tübingen University (Germany, 1992-1997, PhD), Lancaster University (1997, post-doc) and Kyoto University (1998-2001, post-doc).
He has ample experience in initiating/coordinating of various international collaborative research projects in many kinds of applications (ROHS, REACH, environment, water monitoring & treatment, wildlife & human health). 
His area of expertise spans innovative approaches in application of various (bio)analysis tools with many kinds of chemicals (EDCs, POPs, PFAS) in many different matrices (environment, feed/food, wildlife and human monitoring). 
He has been involved in more than 150  publications & cases related to these pollutants in various countries. 
He is currently involved in several EU Grean Deal water projects such as PROMISCES (PFAS and PMTs in the water cycle), SafeCrew (Desinfection byproducts), OneBlue (Marine water pollution) and HOLISTIC (Urban water pollution) as well as in Risk3Hunter for non-animal methods (NAMs).

Director, BioDetection Systems bv

Ben began his journey at Aqua Membranes in testing, gaining hands-on experience with membrane technology and design. What started as a technical role quickly evolved into a deeper passion for understanding how innovation can drive real-world solutions. This foundation in the lab paved the way for Ben’s current role as product and marketing manager, where he combines his background in environmental planning and design with a focus on building strong relationships and sharing compelling stories.
In his current work, Ben collaborates with engineers, researchers, and customers to deliver cutting-edge water treatment solutions that are both effective and sustainable. He is proud to be part of Aqua Membranes’ mission to revolutionize reverse osmosis technology and make clean, sustainable water more accessible. Ben looks forward to sharing insights and ideas from his journey in this rapidly evolving industry and discussing how we can continue to innovate for a better future.

Marketing Manager, Aqua Membranes

I am a consultant helping manufacturers and other organizations with product certification strategies focusing in the areas of POU / POE, Drinking Water Treatment, and Municipal Distribution. 
I am a voting member of the NSF Joint Committee on Drinking Water Treatment Units.
Leveraging the unique knowledge developed over 24+ years with NSF, while authoring over 200 trade publication articles, and presenting dozens of seminars around the globe, I can assist with deep technical understanding and a proven ability to craft bespoke solutions for specific situations and aspirations.

Consultant, Rick Andrew Consulting Services

Over 10 years of experience as a researcher at the Desalination Technology Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology. Successfully, I have led multiple research projects as a principal investigator, contributing to advancements in desalination technologies and water treatment. My efforts have been recognized and I have been nominated by the global prize for innovation in desalination and the 8th edition of King Hassan II great world water prize.
 
Expertise
• Atmospheric Water Harvesting: participateDevelopment of device to extract water from air in arid regions. • Metal-Organic Framework Synthesis: Innovation of materials and devices to capture harmful gases contributing to acid rain. • Polymer and Ceramic Membrane Synthesis: desalination and water treatment technologies to improve efficiency of membrane and reduce the environmental impact of traditional methods. • Micro - Nano plastics in Water: Development of advanced detection methods and mitigation strategies for sustainable water management.

Researcher, King abdulaziz city for science and technology

Vishal is a Research Analyst at BlueTech Research. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the National University of Singapore. During his PhD and post-doctoral work, Vishal conducted research on membrane technologies for desalination and industrial wastewater treatment. Before joining BlueTech, he worked as an Incubation Manager at a Singapore government supported startup incubator, supporting the commercialization of innovative water technologies.

Research Analyst, BlueTech Research

Tina Donda serves as the Senior Vice President of IAPMO R&T's Water Systems program, where she leads strategic planning and oversees key initiatives within the division. With over 20 years of experience in the water treatment industry, Tina has an extensive background in both the technical and operational aspects of product certifications. Prior to her current role, she managed the daily operations of IAPMO R&T’s product certification program for water treatment products. Tina is also actively involved in standards writing groups, contributing to the revision of existing standards and the development of new ones. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, and Management from Penn State University.

Senior VicePresident, IAPMO R&T's Water System Program

Vice-President Business Development, Atoco

Has over a decade of experience scaling water startups and driving adoption of innovative technology into the water industry across the residential, commercial and industrial markets. Joshua has held a number of leadership roles, spearheading the growth of new technology and supporting international brands globally. His expertise spans sales and service, growing from an R and D base, helping him become a key force in delivering sustainable, high-performance water treatment solutions. He holds a Master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of York.

From a young age, Kris has been fascinated by the purity and movement of clean water, which inspired him to pursue a career dedicated to environmental sustainability. His passion led him to study Bioengineering and Environmental Sciences, with a personal mission to make the world a better, more sustainable place.
With nearly 20 years of experience in various technical, process, and sales roles within the water treatment sector, Kris has established himself as a true water expert. His deep knowledge spans biological wastewater treatment, process and potable water filtration, and water reuse. Additionally, Kris is well-versed in biogas production, nutrient recovery, and heat valorization, making him a versatile professional in environmental technologies.
EXPERTISE AND SPECIALIZATIONS
• Over 20 years of experience in the water treatment sector • Specialist in biological wastewater treatment, water filtration, and water reuse • Expert in biogas, nutrient recovery, and heat valorization.

Director, Nuoro

EMEA Business Development Lead - Power & Utilities

Dr. Perryman received a PhD in Chemistry from the University of California at Davis, where his research focused on synthesis and operando characterization of Earth-abundant electrocatalysts. He performed postdoctoral research at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, CA, as well as at the Chemical Engineering department of Stanford University where research efforts were dedicated to developing bipolar membrane electrolyzers for hydrogen production from seawater. He is the CTO of Brineworks, based in Amsterdam, NL.

Chief Technology Officer, Brineworks

Professional with extensive international experience in the water treatment industry, with knowledge on the use of specialty chemicals as well as monitoring and control instrumentation.
Diana began her career working in the United Kingdom in the specialty chemicals industry for industrial water treatment systems, reverse osmosis and Geothermal applications, where her passion for preserving the integrity of water treatment facilities under challenging operating conditions emerged.
This experience fueled her interest towards the use of monitoring and control technologies for KPI´s in water treatment systems. Working now for Pyxis Lab. North American engineering company focused on the development of online monitoring instrumentation, she continues to contribute to optimizing processes, preserving facilities and sharing innovative solutions to service companies and water doctors, whom she has been supporting from the start.

Vice-President Commercial - EMEA & LATAM

Managing Director/ Co-Owner, Rainboo

VP Client Success (Daupler)

Jeroen Van Stappen has obtained his PhD in Geology in 2017 after which he continued in academic research with the focus on geo-chemical changes in the subsurface related to human activity. As of December 2022, Jeroen joined the Flanders Environment Agency as team lead of the inorganic and metal analyses of the laboratory. In 2024, the laboratory invested in the development of a biological section for effect based monitoring via Calux® tests. Since January 2025, Jeroen Van Stappen is the acting head of the laboratory until further notice.

head of laboratory Flanders Environment Agency / Team lead inorganics

Program Manager Infra 2025 (Vitens)

AQC项目经理, Project Manager, Aquatech China

I’m a Spanish engineer with over 25 years’ experience specializing in wastewater projects and project management. My journey began in Spain, where I started working as a process designer and project manager, primarily focusing on industrial wastewater treatment systems.
For the past 15 years I’m living in the Netherlands, Amsterdam, where I’ve been involved in managing projects related to wastewater, drinking water and water governance. My expertise lies in the realms of sustainability and innovation, area’s I’m deeply passionate about. 
In essence, my goal is to deliver tangible results and driving positive change within the realm of water management, using my expertise and leadership skills to make a meaningful impact in this crucial field.
I am currently working between my two countries. In Spain, I focus on industrial water management in collaboration with Arcadis. In the Netherlands, I work as a water expert, collaborating with the water boards. Trying to integrate the knowledge from both countries.

Water matter expert, Arcadis Spain

Liang-Shin Wang is a PhD candidate in Biopolymer from Water Theme at Wetsus and Eindhoven University of Technology. Her research focuses on a renewable semi-crystalline biopolymer, polyhydroxyalkanoates, with the aim of integrating the polymer recovery process with solution processing to membranes and films. Her experience has been on projects related to polymer properties modulation, membrane formulation, and performance analysis.

PhD Researcher, Wetsus

Show Manager Aquatech Mexico – Informa Markets

Guillaume Clairet holds a Physics Engineering degree from Laval University, an MBA from the University of San Diego, and is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in Canada. In his early career, Mr. Clairet worked on projects involving groundwater remediation for the Canadian National Institute of Scientific Research (INRS). Since joining H2O Innovation in 2004, Guillaume has held multiple positions of increasing seniority in project management, sales, innovation & strategic business development. He has served in his current role as Chief Operating Officer of H2O Innovation since 2015 and he remains active in many industry associations (IDRA, WateReuse, WEF and AMTA). Mr. Clairet has previously served for 8 years on the Board of Directors of the International Desalination & Reuse Association (IDRA). He is currently a mentor for the Imagine H2O water start-up accelerator and is also actively involved as a General Partner of the specialized fund investing in water technology companies: Cycle-H2O.

COO, H2O Innovation

Director, Allied Waters / EnergyLabNL

Manager Sales, Econvert, part of Nijhuis Saur Industries

​Şenol ​Ağaç is actively supporting water technology companies in their sales efforts since 2016. He is working for 3 different clients and selling their products into the real estate industry in Germany and Europeanwide.
He is a conference speaker at Aquatech and other events & fairs in 2025.
With "Chancendeutschland" he has published a bestselling book on the future of German democracy.

Founder, Sustainable Water Consulting

Marta Faneca Sanchez is a senior hydrogeologist at Deltares with over 15 years of experience in groundwater management and modelling. Marta holds a dregree in geology and hydrogeology from the University of Barcelona and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. She specializes in assessing groundwater systems, with expertise in evaluating the impact of droughts, defining risk indicators, and designing strategies to mitigate negative effects. Her work integrates field work, modelling, and collaborative approaches to analyze climate, socio-economic scenarios, and the impact of strategies on groundwater. She also has extensive experience in coastal groundwater assessment and management, focussing on freshwater availability and long-term water security measures. In recent years Marta has been actively involved in Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) projects, contributing to conceptual designs and exploring MAR's role in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).  Marta has worked in projects across The Netherlands, Spain, Bolivia, Bangladesh, Kenya, Chile, Vietnam, Colombia and Mozambique, engaging in both technical roles and project coordination.

Specialist Hydrogeology, Deltares

Senior Sales Consultant, Aquatech Global

Mr Wilbert Menkveld has a BSc. degree in Chemical engineering from Saxion University, Enschede and a MSc. degree in Environmental Technology and Urban Environmental Management from Wageningen University & Research Center in the Netherlands. He has more than 27 years of experience in design, engineering and optimisation of water and biomass plants for many different markets.
He worked from 2002 until 2013 as senior industrial wastewater expert and manager industrial water treatment at Witteveen+Bos Consulting Engineers in the Netherlands. In 2013 he started as Director Innovation & Technology at Nijhuis SAUR Industries in the Netherlands. Since 2023 he is Chief Technology Officer for SAUR and it’s industrial division Nijhuis Saur industries. He is as CTO responsible for Innovation strategy, development of new technologies/solutions, market introduction and technology selection for water and resource projects.

CTO Saur / Nijhuis Saur Industries

Burcu is leading the Global Water Technology Group and over the years, she has led several projects ranging from feasibility studies to commissioning and troubleshooting of treatment plants for various industries. Based on her knowledge and experience Burcu was named a Fluor Fellow in the field of water and wastewater treatment. Since 2020, she serves as vice chairwoman of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AiCHE)  for the Netherlands/Belgium section.

Process Engineering Manager – Fluor Fellow, Fluor Corporation

Dr. Christine Kleffner is a process engineer with over 10 years of R&D experience in membrane technology. She specializes in the innovative application of membrane processes for energy efficient treatment and concentration of saline process and wastewater, striving to develop sustainable technical solutions for the industrial implementation of a circular economy.

Professor of Sustainable Process Engineering

Gerrald Bargeman obtained his MSc and PhD degree at the University of Twente, and worked for Shell R&D and NIZO Food Research before joining AkzoNobel in 2002. At AkzoNobel and its divested businesses Nouryon and Nobian, Gerrald held scientific and leadership roles. Currently, he is Process Technology Specialist and part-time professor at the University of Twente, where he holds the chair “Membranes for Harsh Conditions”. Gerrald is (co-)author of approximately 50 peer reviewed journal publications.

Process Technology Specialist and Part-time Professor Membranes for Harsh Conditions, Nobian Industrial Chemical B.V

Dr.-Ing. Markus Busch is an expert in Environmental Engineering with a focus on water, microbiology, and separation technologies. With over 25 years of industry experience in global technical leadership, he has worked in Germany, Switzerland, and Spain. Since 2022, he has served as Global Technology Manager at Lanxess Material Protection Products in Germany. Previously, he was Application Leader for Industrial Preservation at Dupont & IFF Microbial Control.
25+ years industry leadership in water technology  - Industrial microbial control:         water, paper, O&G, anti-fouling, preservation  - RO, NF, UF membranes, ion exchange  - Germany, Spain & Switzerland  - LANXESS (previously Dow, Dupont, IFF)  - Technical, regulatory, projects, organizations
Doctorate, "integrated UF/RO system development" Wroclaw University of Science & Technology
Master (Dipl.-Ing.), "anti-scalant evaluation" Technical University Berlin and Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

Global Technology Manager, Lanxess

President, Ion Exchange (India) Ltd.
Responsible for Technology, Heavy Industry & Environment Business, Corporate Marketing, Corporate Diversification and Communication.
Mr. Ajay Popat pursued his engineering degree in Plastics Technology from the Plastic & Rubber Institute, UK and Masters in Business Administration specializing in Marketing & Strategy with honors from NMIMS Institute. He has also been conferred with a Fellowship by Indian Plastics Institute in 2007.
He has more than 40 years of experience in Strategy, Business & Organisation Development with leading organizations like Resins & Plastics Ltd. (then a subsidiary of Asian Paints Ltd.), Pidilite Industries Ltd. and Ion Exchange. He had an extremely successful career track record with Pidilite industries from 1983 to 1994 where he grew from the position of Sales Representative to All-India Sales Manager with successive promotions and career progression every year.
Associated with Ion Exchange since 1994, he has spearheaded several initiatives in developing and successfully commercializing proprietary, advanced & sustainable technologies for purification & separation in water, wastewater treatment and more recently in areas of renewable energy in compliance with legal, environmental, economic and social requirement of our country. During his tenure, Mr. Popat successfully conceived the idea of a separate Environment Management business, which he formed through a joint venture between Ion Exchange and a leading Belgium company. Under his leadership as a CEO of this joint venture (and then elevated to the Board of the Company), Mr. Popat created a leadership position for the joint venture, leading to his elevation as the President of the parent company, Ion Exchange (India) Ltd. where he is responsible for Corporate functions in Technology, Marketing, Communications, Heavy Industry Business Verticals, Environment Division and Corporate Affairs.
Mr. Popat is active in promoting the cause of water industry through active participation with the Water and Environment Council in CII, FICCI, Bombay Chamber of Commerce, Indian Environmental Association, Water Quality Association – India Task Force, Process Plant and Machinery Association of India (PPMAI) and other trade bodies. He is a Director in the governing bodies of these organizations and leads CII’s Core group on Promotion of New and cutting–edge Technology for Waste Water Management. He has chaired and delivered more than 100 papers on the subject of Sustainable Environment Management practices. He continues to play an active role to facilitate industry & its associated initiatives to achieve efficiency and excellence in water and energy management practices benefiting all stake holders.
He likes to read, socialise, pursue indoor & outdoor sports activities and pursue lifestyle improvement activities for the benefit of self, associates and the society.

President, Ion Exchange (India) Ltd.

Engineer by vocation, with experience in renewable energies, space structures and now in wastewater treatment, particularly in advanced digital control solutions with artificial intelligence. I like to keep up to date with new technologies and keep learning new things.

Digital Solutions Sales Technician, CIMICO

Sonia Vila Cremer a Water Industry Expert with 15+ Years of Experience, joined DuPont Water Solutions in 2012 as Application Development Engineer. After progressed through various roles in Application Development, R&D, and Technical Service & Development (TS&D), supporting FilmTec™ RO/NF products and DuPont™ IntegraTec™ Ultrafiltration across diverse market segments, Sonia is currently leading a team of experts in innovative water technologies, including MBR, UF, RO, and IX, providing strategic product selection and design support, plant start-up assistance, operational follow-up, and troubleshooting. Apart of this Sonia spearhead the laboratory responsible for service provision and product complaint evaluations in the EMEA region.
Sonia is also Passionate about bridging sustainability with cost-effective water solutions through collaboration and expertise.

EMEA Technical Service and Development Leader, Dupont

Michael P. Mormino, VP Sales & Marketing of the ENPRESS GROUP™, leads this group of companies in their product and business development efforts. Mike has served in many volunteer roles with the Water Quality Association and has been actively involved since joining the industry in 2001, currently serving on its Board of Governors.  The ENPRESS Group™ is a leading global manufacturer and distributor of advanced liquid filtration solutions. As a premier conglomerate in the filtration industry with five state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, ENPRESS Group™ unites several top-tier companies including ENPRESS, essef, Applied Cartridge Systems, and United Filters International.  The Group is dedicated to delivering cutting-edge, patented products that set the standard for performance, filtration efficiency, and water conservation. All ENPRESS Group™ products are proudly Made in the USA, ensuring superior quality and reliability for diverse global markets. Mike has an MBA from Case Western Reserve University in Entrepreneurship and is active in his community and an avid runner, fisherman, and golfer.  He lives in Hudson, OH with his wife Amanda and their four children.

Vice President Sales & Marketing, ENPRESS GROUP of Companies: ENPRESS LLC, United Filters International, essef, Applied Cartridge Systems

10+ Years active within gas and water as a consultant, entrepreneur and board member in various companies.
Co-founder of DALI Pipeline Monitoring DALI is a pipeline monitoring solution aimed at optimizing water asset management and increasing network resilience, by providing real time information about a pipeline’s performance and integrity, using fiber optic sensing.
Co-founder and CEO of Fiberflux Fiberflux develops the hardware needed to implement (fiber optic) cables inside of pipelines, as a part of DALI Pipeline Monitoring, but also stand alone for fiber communication networks or other applications.
Board member of a gas and water solutions company focused on pipe systems and leak detection services.

Co-owner, DALI Pipeline Monitoring

Mohamed Mokhlef's journey into the water industry wasn’t a straightforward one. As a young man, he dreamed of a career in media, believing it held the power to influence minds and drive change. But a conversation with his father changed everything. He learned that billions of people worldwide lack access to clean water and proper wastewater services—a silent crisis with far-reaching consequences. That realization shifted his perspective and set him on a path he never imagined.
Today, Mohamed leads IWTE, a company founded by his father in 1992. What started as a small family business has grown into a regional leader in water treatment under his leadership. Since 2021, he has focused on transforming IWTE into a modern, forward-thinking organization, opening its first international branch in Saudi Arabia, working on ISO certifications, and preparing to publish its first ESG report.
Alongside IWTE, Mohamed founded Meyahh, a startup designed to empower small contractors, support local manufacturers, and bring more investment into the water industry. He believes collaboration and innovation are key to solving the region’s water challenges.
Mohamed’s journey has taken him to over 15 countries and 96 cities, where he’s met hundreds of experts and seen firsthand the issues that need solving. His focus is clear: to turn challenges into opportunities and to help create a more sustainable future for the Middle East and Africa.

CEO, Meyahh

Tatiana Fedotova is the Founder and Managing Director of LeafTurtle, a boutique sustainability consultancy dedicated to positive change, collaboration and partnerships in the field of water stewardship. Tatiana has over 18 years of sustainability and international cooperation experience. She has worked at the intersection of public and private sectors including the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the United Nations, with a singular expertise on and passion for water. Before founding LeafTurtle, Tatiana was the Global Water Lead at Quantis, a leading science-based sustainability consulting group. She studied political science and sustainability, and has been continuously learning since, with a particular focus on change management and behavioral impact.

Founder - Water stewardship specialist, LeafTurtle

Nicholas Nelson is the Director of Innovation and Technical Marketing at Omya International for Consumer & Environmental Solutions, responsible for the development of products and solutions for water, air and consumer applications based on natural minerals.

Director of Innovation and Technical Marketing for Consumer & Environmental Solutions, Omya International

Ali graduated with Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from Iowa State University, Ames, IA. Right from school, he joined DuPont De Nemours, Permasep® Products  (RO membrane division).  In 2005, Ali joined GE Corporate as Desalination Sales Leader then in 2006 joined GE Water & Process Technologies. In September 2007, he was appointed as Commercial Development Leader, for Middle East and North Africa providing industrial water purification solutions as  well as water re-use and desalination solutions.  He joined Nanostone in April 2023 and ZwitterCo in June 2024 as Sales executive for MEA.  Ali has many years of water and wastewater including infrastructure investment experience  dealing with large water projects in Algeria, Cameroon, Iraq, Kuwait, and across the MEA  region.

Sales Executive, MEA, ZwitterCo

Ragne Pärnamäe is a Scientific Project Manager at Wetsus, specializing in electrochemical membrane technologies at the water-energy nexus. She holds a MSc in Chemical Engineering from Aarhus University and is currently pursuing a PhD at Wageningen University & Research, where her research focuses on alkaline water electrolysis and nickel-based hydrogen evolution catalysts.

Scientific Project Manager

Orianna Bretschger received a B.S. in Physics and Astronomy at the University of Northern Arizona; and after a career in aerospace and government consulting, she completed a Ph.D. in Materials Science at the University of Southern California. Bretschger launched Aquacycl with her partners after 12 years of technological development and validation. Dr. Bretschger is a 2021 Cartier Women’s Initiative Science and Technology Pioneer Laureate, a 2019 Fellow in the National Academy of Sciences New Voices in Science, Engineering and Medicine Program, a 2022 Unreasonable Fellow, and Aquacycl was a Finalist for the 2023 Earthshot Prize for their work to decarbonize wastewater treatment. 
Aquacycl was founded in November 2016 and the company provides industrial wastewater treatment as a service to help companies support healthy watersheds and communities worldwide with offices in the United States and Aquacycl Europe B.V. in the Netherlands. Aquacycl technologies and services guarantee permit compliance, greenhouse gas mitigation, reliable performance in variable production environments, and operational savings. Customers served by Aquacycl, including PepsiCo, have realized up to a 30% reduction in wastewater management costs and over 100 tons of greenhouse gas emissions mitigated per month.

CEO & Founder, Aquacycl

Shintaro Mori holds a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in materials science from Osaka Prefecture University in Japan. Since 2002, he has been a researcher at Kurita Water Industries Ltd., specializing in water treatment technologies, particularly for boiler and cooling water systems.
With a strong background in electrochemistry and corrosion protection, he has presented his research at international conferences. As an engineer, he has significantly enhanced the efficiency of water treatment processes, resulting in substantial cost savings and environmental benefits.
He is also an active member of the Japan Industrial Standards Committee (JIS) and the Thermal and Nuclear Power Engineering Society. Additionally, he holds certifications as an Environmental Measurement Specialist and an Energy Manager.

Senior Chief Researcher, Kurita Water Industries

Dawaco

Boom Chicago is an international creative group based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, that writes and performs sketch and improvisational comedy at their theater on the Rozengracht.
The group performs their own shows and hosts outside productions at their theater on the Rozengracht. The venue with three theaters also houses Boom Chicago for Business, and the Boom Chicago Academy and InterActing, their program for teenagers with autism.
Shows performed at Boom Chicago examine a range of subjects including privacy, the role of technology, Europe, the extreme right, Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn, 9/11, social media, the gig economy, AI and the Metaverse.
Comedy Central News (CCN), a news show on the Dutch Comedy Central TV channel, was created by Boom Chicago

The world-class improvisers

As the CEO of REDstack BV, Paula leads a company dedicated to addressing some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. From water treatment to CO2 capture and resource scarcity, REDstack is at the forefront of developing cutting-edge solutions that make a tangible, lasting impact.
REDstack develops and produce the world’s most advanced and efficient ElectroMembrane stacks. REDstack's technology is revolutionizing industries by enabling the harnessing of clean water, the recovery of valuable resources, and supporting the reuse of chemicals.

CEO, REDstack

Business Developer National, Water Alliance

Sr. Water Treatment & Integration Engineer, Shell

Business Development Manager Mexico,  Netherlands Enterprise Agency

Alejandro Sturniolo, Head of Sustainability Strategy at Aqua Positive and General Secretary of the Water Positive Think Tank 
Work History:
Alejandro Sturniolo began his professional journey at Unitek Argentina in 1998 as a chemical engineering intern. In this role, he worked as Project Manager and was responsible for after-sales service, gaining valuable fieldwork experience.
By the age of 28, after advancing to the position of Applications Engineer, Alejandro acquired a 50% stake in the company, becoming a major partner. When 70% of Unitek was acquired by RWL Water, an enterprise founded by Ronald Lauder, one of the creators of Estée Lauder, Alejandro was appointed Director of Business Development for South America. This collaboration subsequently led to the formation of Fluence Corporation, where he sold his remaining stake in Unitek and assumed the role of Vice President of Marketing and Sales until July 2020. From 2021 to 2023, Alejandro worked at H2O Innovation as Global Head of Water Reuse.
Alejandro is currently the General Secretary of the Water Positive Think Tank, where he has focused his research on water positivity since 2021. He is also a former VP of the International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA) and has held leadership positions at the Latin American Desalination and Reuse Association (ALADyR) and the Argentine Desalination and Water Reuse Association (ADRA). His expertise is reflected in over 30 international publications.
Education:
<ul>
<li>Chemical Engineer, National University of Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina</li>
<li>Postgraduate in Marketing from Belgrano University, Buenos Aires, Argentina</li>
<li>Postgraduate in Negotiation and Leadership, FASTA University, MDP, Argentina</li>
<li>Business Sustainability Strategy, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA</li>
<li>Neuroscience for Business, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA</li>
</ul>
Vision Statement:
It is my greatest desire to be part of the change, connecting water with the needs of present and future generations. We possess detailed data on water needs, but we often repeat it as if problems will resolve themselves. This is my mission and the path I chose for my career. Water is my passion, and my motto is: “Sharing apocalyptic forecasts is easy; anticipating them is the great challenge.” If we can purify a glass of seawater with less energy than an internet search, no one should be thirsty. This is why I embrace the challenge. As I see it: “We are not just facing a water crisis, but also a crisis of knowledge.”

Head of Sustainability Strategy, Aqua Positive

Irene Marian is a Technical Sales Consultant with a degree in Chemical Sciences and over 15 years of experience in the water treatment and desalination industry.
 
She began her professional career in the pharmaceutical industry at Lilly Co., where she developed a focus on excellence and continuous improvement. 
 
Over 17 years ago, she joined Adiquimica, an international Spanish company specialized in water treatment products and services. Initially representing their commercial interests locally, her role soon expanded to include national and international business development, as well as developing transversal business lines such as IAQ. 
 
Working in business development, she found her passion in membrane technology, particularly reverse osmosis, and today combines her experience in the municipal sector with industrial demands to achieve increasingly greater water recoveries. 
 
Currently, she specializes in client and project management, sales, business development, and technical expertise within Adiquimica's Technical-Sales Department.

Sales Consultant, Adiquímica

Bart is a Hach Application Development Manager for drinking water and desalination applications for the region EMEA. He holds a bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering of Hogeschool van Utrecht, The Netherlands. Bart joined Hach Company in 2016 as sales engineer for the municipal market in The Netherlands and joined the EMEA ADM team in 2021. Before joining HACH, Bart worked in sales and product management roles with pumps, analyzers and integrated solutions.

Application Development Manager, Hach (Dr. Lange Nederland B.V.)

Elbir Jové is working at DuPont Water Solutions as
Technical Service and Development for municipal and industrial water reuse for
southern and easter European countries,
giving technical support to WAVE (DuPont Water modeling tool).
Elbir joined Dow Chemical in 2014 as application R&D engineer for reverse osmosis,
nanofiltration and ultrafiltration technologies, leading the experimental part of several
projects in industrial water.
She is a chemical engineer, holding a master in occupational health and safety and a
MBA degree.

Technical Service and Development, Dupont

Simone Callioni has worked in the water treatment industry since 2001, filling various technical, sales, and business development roles. His career began in Italy and expanded across Europe before he took on roles in the Middle East, India, and the United States. His 20+ years of experience have given him extensive knowledge of water treatment technologies and their use in industries such as biofuel production, oil and gas, mining, power generation, food and beverage, and more. Currently, he is the Global Lead Project Development Manager for the decarbonization industry at Aquatech, based in The Hague, Netherlands.

Global Lead Project Development, Aquatech

Christos Charisiadis is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Brine Consulting, a firm dedicated to delivering innovative, sustainable solutions in water management, with a focus on Water Reuse. Brine Management, and Resource Recovery. With over 8 years of professional experience spanning technical research, strategic business development, and project implementation, Christos brings a unique combination of technical expertise and strategic vision to address water challenges globally.
Through Brine Consulting, Christos works to bridge the gap between technical solutions and market-driven outcomes, helping organizations implement cost-efficient and scalable water management systems. His approach combines a deep understanding of water treatment technologies with a focus on sustainable impact, delivering actionable results for industries seeking to navigate complex water challenges.
Christos is passionate about advancing solutions that integrate circular economy principles, ensuring water projects are not only compliant but also drivers of innovation, resource recovery, and environmental responsibility.

Founder & Principal Consultant, Brine Consulting

Corine Houtman works as a Toxicologist at The Water Laboratory in Haarlem, the Netherlands. Her work is devoted to the investigation of the presence and toxicology of contaminants in the aquatic environment and to the management of the Water Laboratories own research program. With her studies, she advises the drinking water companies with respect to chemical water safety issues. She also a researcher at the department of Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment A-LIFE, VU University Amsterdam.
She has a MSc in environmental chemistry and toxicology (Leiden University, Wageningen University) and a PhD on effect-directed analysis of endocrine disruptors in the aquatic environment (2007, VU University Amsterdam). During the PhD, she obtained the national and European registration as Toxicologist (ERT). After having worked as project leader at BioDetection Systems and as a toxicologist at the Netherlands Forensic Institute, she has worked at the Water Laboratory for over ten years now. Her main fields of interest are emerging contaminants in water, bioassays, effect-directed analysis and risk assessment of chemicals.

Toxicologist, senior researcher chemical water quality, Het Waterlaboratorium, VU University Amsterdam

I am a molecular biologist-microbiologist with an interest in applying microorganisms to environmental and industrial processes. During my PhD research, I have focused on aerobic granular sludge, a biofilm used in biological wastewater treatment. I studied the microbial activity and composition of the biofilm and the conversions of organic macromolecules during the wastewater treatment process. I am interested in combining advanced techniques to study mixed microbial communities and their in situ behavior. With a little help from microorganisms, I hope to contribute to transitioning to a sustainable society.

Process Engineer, CIMICO

Marthe de Graaff works as a senior process engineer at Evides Industriewater on several topics relating resource recovery. She also has experience on full scale industrial wastewater treatment plants as a process advisor. In this presentation the new installation at Yara will be presented where nitrogen rich wastewater is upgraded to be reused again to produce fertilizers.

Senior process engineer, Evides Industriewater

Manager Environmental Technologies, Clariant

Juan Cifuentes is a Technical Manager at Energy Recovery, Inc., with extensive experience working in wastewater treatment and reverse osmosis desalination. Prior to joining Energy Recovery, Juan held several engineering roles for large EPC firms focused on commissioning, operations and maintenance, and procurement, including managing process and engineering design of wastewater treatment and desalination plants. Juan has worked on water treatment projects around the world, including in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and China. He has a master's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Oviedo.

Technical Manager, Europe & Middle East, Energy Recovery, Inc

Tenair

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