The SafeCREW Final Conference took place on 26 March 2026 in Brussels, bringing together experts from water utilities, policy, research, and industry to exchange knowledge and discuss innovative approaches to safe drinking water management. The conference, hosted at the Hanse Office, offered a balanced mix of external perspectives and professional presentations of project results, including new tools, risk assessment frameworks, and strategies for climate-resilient water systems.
Participants had valuable opportunities for networking and interdisciplinary exchange, connecting stakeholders from politics, water suppliers and the research community. The conference fostered collaboration and dialogue on current challenges and future solutions in the water sector.
A central highlight of the conference was the panel discussion on the topic “DBP risk mitigation – presence and future.” Experts from academia, stakeholders, and political institutions engaged in a lively and insightful exchange, addressing both existing risks and potential strategies for effective mitigation.
Andrea Rubini (Water Europe), Rui Martins (University of Coimbra) and Wolfgang Gernjak (ICRA) contributed with the perspective and outcomes from the ZeroPollution4Water Cluster (ZP4W) and two of the cluster’s 19 projects, H2OforAll and intoDBP. The conference also saw the launch of the third joint ZP4W Policy Brief “Preventing groundwater contamination and securing drinking water quality”.
Our special thanks go to the HanseOffice for their support in hosting and facilitating the event. Overall, the conference successfully created a platform for knowledge sharing, partnership building, and strengthening cooperation across sectors, contributing to the advancement of safe and sustainable drinking water systems in Europe.
