From Plate to Pixel – Faster Decisions for Safe and Sustainable Water Use

We are facing a decisive shift in how we monitor water quality. The project is establishing a transition lab that will take us from slow, analogue cultivation methods to fast, digital techniques such as flow cytometry and qPCR. The aim is to enable real-time analysis for safe drinking water and smart circular water management.

In an era of climate change, security threats and increasing demands for resource efficiency, the need for rapid and reliable results is greater than ever. Current methods take several days – which can lead to production stoppages, discarded products and risks to health and the environment. New methods enable real-time analysis and create the conditions for safe drinking water and circular water management, where water is recycled and used more intelligently.

The transition lab will act as a catalyst for innovation – a place where technology meets practice and innovation is turned into real benefits. The focus is on creating robust decision-making tools, understanding organisational implications and influencing policy and legislation.

The project brings together a wide range of stakeholders – water utilities, authorities, researchers, industry and technology developers – who will work together to test, develop and implement new solutions.

The project is part of Water Wise Societies.