dws-wsstp-wei-2015-awards-winners4-770pxDutch water technology company BWA Water was one of the four SME companies to the WssTP European Water Innovation Award 2015. The award was handed out in Brussel, Belgium on 25 June by by WssTP European technology platform for water.

The other winning SME companies are Resolute Marine from Ireland, Sansox Oy from Finland and CardPool from France.

The WssTP European Water Innovation Award supports the economic opportunities for the European water sector and especially the small and medium enterprises in Europe.

The innovations of the four winning SMEs were identified, as the best practices in their field of application with high market potential.

dws-wsstp-wie-sme-awards-2015-bwa-krol-wessels-350px  BWA director Coos Wessels (right) during his acceptance speech after receiving the award.

WssTP hosts the Water Innovation SME awards ceremony for European SMEs that have generated innovative solutions or technologies for water resource management with high market potential.

Finescreen technology
BWA received the award for their developments regarding finescreen technology and valorizing of removed waste stream.

By using finescreens, the biological downstream process at a wastewater treatment plant (wwtp), is relieved, resulting in a significant reduction of the energy consumption, the produced excess sludge the use of chemicals for sludge dewatering.

dws-wsstp-wie-sme-award-2015-bwa-finescreen-350pxBWA developed a process to recover cellulose from the influent - containing used toilet paper - at a waste water treatment plant (wwtp).

Recovery of high value cellulose
The screened material, which is extracted from the raw waste water (influent), consists to a major part of cellulose, coming from used toilet paper. In particular, this cellulose has a potential high value.

In several projects BWA, along with partners, developed possible valorisation routes and applicable technology, while monitoring the impact of the finescreen technology in the downstream process.

Importance for young technology
During his word of thanks, Coos Wessels explained the activities of BWA and emphasized that winning a prize like this is of great importance for a young technology. "It not only shows that we are doing interesting things, but it also gives the company the exposure that puts us on the European map."

This news item is based on original publications on the websites of Water Innovation Europe 2015 and BWA.

More information
BWA Water
Purmerend, the Netherlands
+31 299 476 303
www.bwa-water.nl

Wsstp
Brussel, Belgium
+32 2 792 75 51
www.wsstp.eu