Insights into safe drinking water to be presented by experts
Experts working to improve the safety of our drinking water are gathering to exchange knowledge with professionals in the water treatment industry and shape new solutions.
The University of Leicester is supporting a Stakeholder Engagement Workshop that will bring together the partners of the H2OforAll project with experts, regulators, operators and researchers to discuss the management of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water, including measures of prevention.
It will take place on 27 March 2025, in person at De Morgan House in London and is open to interested parties in associated industries. Delegates can attend in person, from 9.30 am to 2pm (GMT) or online from 2pm to 6pm (GMT).
Water purification and disinfection are vital processes in providing safe water to citizens, but when disinfectants such as chlorine interact with natural organic materials in water, this results in DBPs such as chlorinated and bromated compounds. When consumed, these can have serious effects on the liver and nervous system, and they also cause environmental damage, even at low levels. In addition, the effects of DBPs are not yet fully understood.
H2OforAll, led by University of Coimbra, is addressing this situation through the development of fast, cost-effective and accurate DBP sensor monitoring devices, as well as modelling the spread and fate of these contaminants through drinking water distribution systems.
A team from the University of Leicester’s Materials Innovation Centre (MatIC) is working on how to prioritise the identification of hazardous disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water and evaluate novel water treatment technologies. Using data analysis techniques, they are assessing DBPs based on key factors such as toxicity, occurrence, and physicochemical characteristics. The Consortium can then evaluate water treatment technologies for their effectiveness in removing the high-priority DBPs identified by these frameworks.
The MatIC H2Oforall project team at the University of Leicester comprises Dr Shiladitya Paul, Dr Kranthi Maniam, and Madhuri Maniam.
The workshop will include keynote presentations by project consortium representatives Professor Rui Martins, University of Coimbra, who will give an update on H2OforAll, Prof Boris Mizaikoff of Ulm University, who will discuss innovative sensing technologies, and Dr Sara Azerra, University of Haifa who will provided insights on DBPs prevention measures. Interactive breakout discussions, facilitated by specialists from global institutions, will enable delegates to engage in collaborative sessions on relevant technologies, risk management, the power of collaboration, regulations, water safety plans and more. Panel discussions, aimed at sharing best practice and strategies to minimise DBPs in drinking water.
Dr Shiladitya Paul, Director of the Materials Innovation Centre in the University of Leicester’s School of Engineering, said: "This project is essential for safeguarding public health by identifying the most hazardous DBPs in drinking water and ensuring they are effectively removed. By applying multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methods, we provide a data-driven framework to prioritise DBPs based on toxicity and occurrence, addressing critical gaps in water safety.
“The outcomes will not only guide regulatory policies but also drive innovation in water treatment technologies, ultimately reducing exposure to harmful contaminants and improving global water quality.”
Register in advance to book a place on the Workshop, and also explore the full Agenda.
H2OforAll is a Horizon Europe project funded by the European Commission aligned with the European Green Deal for zero pollution. The Materials Innovation Centre (MatIC), a strategic partnership between the University of Leicester and TWI, and H2OforAll consortium member, is delighted to be supporting this event.