The growing demand for sustainable protein and fresh produce in Europe coincides with increasing water scarcity and stricter environmental regulations that constrain traditional aquaculture and agriculture. Urban and peri-urban communities often face limited access to freshwater and arable land, calling for innovative food production systems that optimise resource use and close nutrient and water loops.
The EU-funded AWARE project (Aquaponics from WAstewater REclamation) pioneers the reuse of reclaimed municipal wastewater in aquaponics as a circular solution to these challenges. AWARE integrates an advanced quaternary treatment line - combining ozonation, advanced mixing (MITO X®), vacuum-UV irradiation, and biofiltration - within a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Castellana Grotte, Italy, and connects it to Europe’s first demo-scale reclaimed-water aquaponic farm. The Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) currently grows Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) coupled with hydroponic lettuce (Lactuca sativa), and is enhanced by IoT-based water-quality monitoring, automated feeding and aeration, and real-time monitoring.
During Cycle I (August - December 2024), AWARE demonstrated that reclaimed water treated through the quaternary system meets is safe to use for aquaponic production. Tilapia grew from ~10 g to 65–95 g per fish in one cycle, reaching up to 17 cm in length. Lettuce increased from ~2 g to 57–65 g per head, with no differences between reclaimed-water and freshwater systems. Some nutrient supplementation (iron and salts) was needed, but once applied, production was steady. Despite the supporting scientific evidence, the project also evidenced a lacking regulatory framework, which presently does not allow to use reclaimed water in aquaculture for food production, regardless of its quality.
Comprehensive analyses confirmed that chemical contaminants, heavy metals, regulated food-borne pathogens, and key viruses in fish and vegetables were either undetectable or well below EU regulatory thresholds, validating both the safety and viability of the reclaimed-water value chain.
These results mark the first European proof-of-concept that reclaimed wastewater can sustain safe and productive aquaponics for human consumption. Building on this milestone, AWARE is now scaling up the system for continuous production in 2025-26 and supporting feeding trials to assess nutritional quality and consumer acceptance of reclaimed-water tilapia. The project contributes to EU ambitions for circular-water use, climate-resilient aquaculture, and innovative urban food systems while informing future regulatory frameworks for water reuse in food production.