The Pavitra Ganga project, which aimed to unlock wastewater treatment, water reuse, and resource recovery opportunities for urban and peri-urban areas in India, has been a collaboration between EU and Indian partners from academia, industry and SMEs. Its primary goal has been to demonstrate innovative solutions while at the same time improving water governance, monitoring, and stakeholder engagement. The project made significant strides in water governance and stakeholder engagement. It developed policy and social support for innovative wastewater technologies, conducted co-creation workshops, and implemented multi-criteria decision analyses. Wastewater safety plans were established in Kanpur and Delhi, and the results were disseminated through various conferences, workshops and publications. In terms of water monitoring, modelling, and control, the project implemented smart water management solutions and monitoring networks. Citizen-based water quality monitoring was conducted in New Delhi and Kanpur, and a web-based water quality and quantity dashboard was developed. Additionally, water balance scenarios were modelled to assess future water demands and quality under different conditions. Several treatment and recovery technologies were evaluated in laboratory settings before being piloted in real environments. These technologies included SFD-MBR, ANDICOS, Constructed Wetlands+, Photo Activated Sludge, Clean Blocks, Structured Adsorbents and Aerobic MBR. The project identified challenges specific to Indian conditions and optimized technology performance accordingly. The project also established an EU-India Business Platform to develop a roadmap for exploiting wastewater treatment and recovery technologies. Investment and financing programs were created to support technology implementation, and commercial opportunities for EU-India partnerships were identified. Capacity building was a crucial component of the project, with workshops and open course materials developed to enhance the skills of Indian and EU water professionals. These activities focused on themes such as water management, safety planning, and innovative wastewater treatment technologies. Communication and dissemination efforts significantly enhanced the project's visibility. Information was shared through a project website, social media, newsletters, and scientific publications. Additionally, the project organized events and participated in conferences to disseminate outcomes. The Pavitra Ganga project demonstrated considerable advancements in wastewater treatment and resource recovery technologies. Recommendations were provided for policy frameworks, financing mechanisms, and stakeholder engagement strategies. Future efforts will focus on scaling up successful technologies, securing regulatory approvals, and fostering continued EU-India cooperation in water management.
