Scaling Water Reuse Initiative

The coalition

Five working groups, one objective.

The Scaling Water Reuse Initiative does most of its substantive work through five collaborative working groups — each tackling a different barrier to making water reuse the default choice rather than a last resort.

The groups meet monthly online and convene in person around major water events. Their conclusions feed directly into the UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi later this year, where the Initiative is contributing to a longer-term goal: an aspirational global target for water reuse adopted post-2030.

How the work is organised

The Initiative starts from a simple observation. Water reuse happens today mostly where there is no other option — in water-stressed regions, under regulatory pressure, or when business continuity is at stake. Three things have to change for reuse to become a first-choice solution rather than an emergency measure: the cost of doing it, the rules that govern it, and the way it is financed. Three of the working groups address those levers directly. A fourth defines what reuse actually means in industrial settings and what a credible global target would look like. A fifth focuses on the city and utility perspective, including how reuse is communicated and built into urban planning.

Participation spans more than seventy active contributors from industrial end-users, water utilities, regulators, technology providers, financiers, NGOs, and academic researchers — across the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Tech Innovators

Industry & Supply Chain

Project Finance

Cities, Utilities & Communications

Policies & Regulations

Working group

Tech Innovators

Focus

Identify the areas of technology innovation that will have the greatest impact on reducing the cost of reuse.

Deliverable

Tech Innovation Roadmap incl. simplified Reuse Cost Calculator.

What they’ve been working on

The group has organised itself into themed subgroups — water quality and sensing, process technologies, costing, on-site treatment and cross-sector collaboration, and resource recovery (“valorisation”). Members are pooling case studies, technical papers, cost data, and regulatory references into a shared library so the group can produce a baseline picture of where reuse stands today before mapping where innovation can take it.

Current members

  • Rick Stover — Chief Technology Officer, GP ProcessGroup Lead & Moderator
  • Michael Ahmadi — Water & Wastewater Expert (Industrial Water Reuse), Siemens AG
  • Zouhayr Arbib — Head of Sustainability Area, Innovation & Technology Department, FCC Aqualia
  • Juan Arevalo — R&D+i Project Manager, Innovation & Technology Department, FCC Aqualia
  • Xavier Belda Camps — Lead Business Development Manager, Water Utility, Grundfos
  • Peter Bokor — Senior Vice President, Growth and Innovation Office, Stantec
  • Sophie Borgne — Segment President, Water and Wastewater, Schneider Electric
  • Hans-Ulrich Buchholz — Environmental Compliance Manager – Water, Wastewater & Biodiversity, Corporate QEHS, L’Oréal
  • Nicholas Burnett — Head of Water Recycling, NEOM (Enowa)
  • Jess Chapman — Head of Corporate Water Leaders Initiative, Global Water Intelligence
  • Guillaume Clairet — Chief Operating Officer – Québec, H2O Innovation
  • Ufuk Erdal — Global One Water and Reuse Solutions Director, Black & Veatch
  • Zeynep K. Erdal — Director of Integrated Water Solutions, Black & Veatch
  • Christopher Gasson — Publisher, Global Water Intelligence
  • Melanie Holmer — Global Water Reuse Principal and Vice President, Jacobs
  • Menno Holterman — President & CEO, Nijhuis Saur Industries
  • Josef Lahnsteiner — Director Technology, R&D, VA Tech WABAG
  • Kris Lambert — Commercial and Tender Director, Europe TDS, Veolia Water Technologies
  • Meagan Mauter — Associate Professor, Stanford University; Director, WE3 Lab; Research Director, NAWI
  • Melissa Meeker — CEO & Founder, The H2O Tower
  • Victor Monsalvo — Head of Eco-efficiency Area, Innovation & Technology Department, FCC Aqualia
  • Rod Naylor — Global Water Leader / Global Future of Water Leader, GHD
  • Kelly L. Osborne — Senior Staff Engineer and Site Water Champion, Intel Corporation
  • Mehul Patel — Executive Director of Operations, Orange County Water District
  • Vincent Petit — SVP, Climate & Energy Transition Research, Schneider Electric
  • Megan Plumlee — Director of Research, Orange County Water District
  • Jonathan Pressdee — US Water Market Sector Leader, GHD
  • Frank Rogalla — Director of Innovation and Technology, FCC Aqualia
  • Eline Suijlen — Water Industry Manager (Food & Water Division), Alfa Laval
  • Aaron Tartakovsky — Co-founder & CEO, Epic Cleantec
  • Lydia Whyatt — Founder, Eau Zero; Managing Director, Resonance Asset Management
  • Dimitris Xevgenos — Assistant Professor of Circular Water Systems & Sustainability, TU Delft
  • Veronika Zhiteneva — CEO & Co-Founder, Waterloop Solutions

Working group

Industry & Supply Chain

Focus

Align industries on global water reuse and recycling definitions and principles.

Deliverable

Principles and Guidelines for Industrial Water Reuse.

What they’ve been working on

Members are mapping how their industries currently define reuse and recycling, comparing reporting frameworks (CDP, ESRS, sector-specific tools), and identifying where definitions diverge. A clear pattern has emerged: a single global definition is probably unrealistic given how different the sectors are, but a harmonised reporting category is both possible and needed. The group has also started defining the principles for where water reuse makes sense — both for industry and for the health of the watershed — and the key considerations for implementing it onsite and offsite.

Current members

  • Marta Ceadel — Scaling Water Reuse Initiative Coordinator, Global Water IntelligenceGroup Lead & Moderator
  • Alfredo Zein — Water Sciences & Stewardship Director, Danone
  • AnaClara Da Rosa Santos — Water Specialist, Nestlé Waters
  • Arturo Gaytán Covarrubias — Sustainability Manager, Cemex
  • Blair R. Douglas — Global Practice Lead, Hydrology & Water (Resource Engineering Centre of Excellence), BHP
  • Christoph Schwaller — Water and Wastewater Technology Expert, Linde
  • Christopher Gasson — Publisher, Global Water Intelligence
  • Deena Starkel — Principal Water Engineer, Micron Technology
  • Hans-Ulrich Buchholz — Environmental Compliance Manager – Water, Wastewater & Biodiversity, Corporate QEHS, L’Oréal
  • Henrietta Salter — Independent Consultant
  • Ian Toevs — Director, Natural Resource Conservation, Lamb Weston
  • Indradeep Jadhav — Central Engineering Manager – Water (Engineering Utilities, Water & Wastewater), Unilever
  • James N. Field — Manager, Supply Chain Clean Water Program, Apple
  • Jess Chapman — Head of Corporate Water Leaders Initiative, Global Water Intelligence
  • Jimmy Summers — Vice President, EHS and Sustainability, Elevate Textiles
  • John Durkan — Group Environmental and Sustainability Manager, ABP Food Group
  • Kelly L. Osborne — Senior Staff Engineer and Site Water Champion, Intel Corporation
  • Lourens Meijer — Global Water Stewardship Lead, Unilever
  • M. Gunderson — Apple
  • Marcela Chacón — Regional Director, Public & Government Affairs, Central America & the Caribbean, Bayer
  • Márcio da Silva José — CEO, Aquapolo Ambiental; Head of Water Positive, GS Inima Ambiental
  • Mehdia Mounir — Sustainable Agriculture Manager, Bayer CropScience
  • Sandy Fabritz — Director of Water Strategy, Freeport McMoRan
  • Shariful Hoque — Group Production: Stakeholder Engagement; Water Sustainability Responsible (Bangladesh), H&M Group
  • Yoann Glocheux — Water Processing Manager, Danone

Working group

Project Finance

Focus

Identify the key inhibitors to private-sector investment in water reuse projects — and define the conditions under which private finance can be unlocked.

Deliverable

Analysis of successful project-finance case studies from the OECD and emerging markets.

What they’ve been working on

The group is analysing a shortlisted set of case studies, chosen by member vote, that illustrate how reuse projects have actually been financed in practice — spanning long-term offtake agreements, industrial water purchase deals, utility-to-industry partnerships, government-guaranteed annuity models, and blended finance approaches across both OECD and emerging markets.

Current members

  • Lydia Whyatt — Founder, Eau Zero; Managing Director, Resonance Asset ManagementGroup Lead & Moderator
  • Rochi Khemka — Senior Private Sector / Water Resources Management Specialist, World Bank (2030 Water Resources Group)Group Lead & Moderator
  • Alyssa Boyer — Resilient Water Accelerator
  • Boitumelo Mashilo — Chief Director, Infrastructure Regulation & Assessment, Budget Office; Lead, Infrastructure Working Group (SA G20), South African National Treasury
  • Christopher Flensborg — Head of Climate and Sustainable Financial Solutions, SEB
  • Christopher Gasson — Publisher, Global Water Intelligence
  • Édouard Pérard — Head of Water Division, European Investment Bank
  • Ella Lazarte — CEO, Resilient Water Accelerator
  • Jason Fonti — Head of Infrastructure Investment & Capital Projects, APAC, GHD
  • Jess Chapman — Head of Corporate Water Leaders Initiative, Global Water Intelligence
  • John Hanula — SVP & Global Director, Business Development – Water, Stantec
  • Josefina Maestu — Independent water economist; formerly Director, UN-Water Office
  • Juan Bofill Maestre — Lead/Senior Water Engineer, Projects Directorate – Water Division, European Investment Bank
  • Margot d’Ancona-Roesink — Head of Rabo Water, Rabobank
  • Michael Webster — Program Manager, 2030 Water Resources Group, World Bank
  • Nathalie Degger — Project Manager, UNIDO
  • Neil Dhot — Executive Director, AquaFed
  • Nitin Bassi — Senior Programme Lead & Fellow, Sustainable Water, CEEW
  • Saiba Gupta — Programme Lead, Sustainable Water Programme, CEEW
  • Sebastian Spannenberg — VP, KfW
  • Shariful Hoque — Group Production: Stakeholder Engagement; Water Sustainability Responsible (Bangladesh), H&M Group
  • Suzie Nkambule — CEO, Nafasi Water
  • Tumisang Moleke — Head of PPP & Transaction Advisory Services, GTAC, South African National Treasury
  • Yvan Treal — Director Strategy, Communication & Development, SUEZ Engineering & Construction

Working group

Cities, Utilities & Communications

Focus

Exchange best practice on making reuse work for cities (potable, non-potable, ag, municipal–industrial partnerships, public acceptance).

Deliverable

Strategy Guide for Cities with case studies.

What they’ve been working on

The group works across four sub-groups — potable, non-potable, agricultural, and municipal–industrial partnerships & public acceptance — each exploring the drivers, challenges, and case studies shaping water reuse at scale. The goal: a grounded, practical framework for moving reuse projects from promising to widespread.

Current members

  • Paul Sciuto — General Manager, Monterey One WaterGroup Lead & Moderator
  • Ángel Fernández López — Managing Director, Saur Spain & CEO, Gestagua
  • Ashley Harper — Water Reuse Team, Office of Water (Science & Technology), US EPA
  • Brian Steglitz — Executive Director, Upper Occoquan Service Authority
  • Charalampos (Harry) Sachinis — CEO & Executive Director, EYDAP (Athens Water Supply & Sewerage)
  • Christopher Gasson — Publisher, Global Water Intelligence
  • Danielle Francis — Manager, Policy & Strategy, WSAA
  • Ed Renner — Creative Director – Brand & Marketing, Aquaporin
  • Eline Suijlen — Water Industry Manager (Food & Water Division), Alfa Laval
  • Felicia Marcus — Landreth Visiting Fellow, Stanford University – Water in the West
  • Greg Finlayson — Technical Director – Water Treatment (Distinguished Technical Leader), GHD
  • Henrietta Salter — Independent Consultant
  • Jess Chapman — Head of Corporate Water Leaders Initiative, Global Water Intelligence
  • João Pitta — Director, Water Management, NEOM
  • John Hanula — SVP & Global Director, Business Development – Water, Stantec
  • Kelly L. Osborne — Senior Staff Engineer and Site Water Champion, Intel Corporation
  • Lydia Whyatt — Founder, Eau Zero; Managing Director, Resonance Asset Management
  • Márcio da Silva José — CEO, Aquapolo Ambiental; Head of Water Positive, GS Inima Ambiental
  • Meagan Mauter — Associate Professor, Stanford University; Director, WE3 Lab; Research Director, NAWI
  • Melanie Holmer — Global Water Reuse Principal and Vice President, Jacobs
  • Melissa Meeker — CEO & Founder, The H2O Tower
  • Menno Holterman — President & CEO, Nijhuis Saur Industries
  • Michael Jahne — Environmental Engineer, Office of Research & Development, US EPA
  • Michael Webster — Program Manager, 2030 Water Resources Group, World Bank
  • Nathalie Degger — Project Manager, UNIDO
  • Nuno Brôco — Chairman & CEO, Águas do Tejo Atlântico (AdP Group)
  • Rabia Chaudhry — Director of Water Supply Resilience, DC Water
  • Rochi Khemka — Senior Private Sector / Water Resources Management Specialist, World Bank (2030 Water Resources Group)
  • Rod Naylor — Global Water Leader / Global Future of Water Leader, GHD
  • Veronika Zhiteneva — CEO & Co-Founder, Waterloop Solutions
  • Zeynep K. Erdal — Director of Integrated Water Solutions, Black & Veatch

Working group

Policies & Regulations

Focus

Identify enabling water reuse policies and regulations.

Deliverable

“Plug-and-play” global water reuse regulation guidance document.

Current members

  • Amy Childress — Dean's Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, USC Viterbi; Director, USC ReWater CenterGroup Lead & Moderator
  • Nitin Bassi — Senior Programme Lead & Fellow, Sustainable Water, CEEW
  • Graham Bateman — Technical Director – Water (UK), GHD
  • Nuno Brôco — Chairman & CEO, Águas do Tejo Atlântico (AdP Group)
  • Lindsey Brown — Australian Market Leader – Water, GHD
  • Vincent Casey — Water Sector Lead, Resilient Water Accelerator
  • Jess Chapman — Head of Corporate Water Leaders Initiative, Global Water Intelligence
  • Márcio da Silva José — CEO, Aquapolo Ambiental; Head of Water Positive, GS Inima Ambiental
  • Nathalie Degger — Project Manager, UNIDO
  • Sandy Fabritz — Director of Water Strategy, Freeport McMoRan
  • Danielle Francis — Manager, Policy & Strategy, WSAA
  • Christopher Gasson — Publisher, Global Water Intelligence
  • Saiba Gupta — Programme Lead, Sustainable Water Programme, CEEW
  • John Hanula — SVP & Global Director, Business Development – Water, Stantec
  • Ashley Harper — Water Reuse Team, Office of Water (Science & Technology), US EPA
  • Shariful Hoque — Group Production: Stakeholder Engagement; Water Sustainability Responsible (Bangladesh), H&M Group
  • Tyson Ingels — Engineering Section Manager, Water Quality Control Division, Colorado DPHE
  • Paula Kehoe — Director of Water Resources, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
  • Roberta Maffettone — Scientific Project Officer, Ocean & Water Unit, European Commission – JRC
  • Melissa Meeker — CEO & Founder, The H2O Tower
  • Michael Jahne — Environmental Engineer, Office of Research & Development, US EPA
  • Teodoro Estrela Monreal — Deputy Advisor to the Presidency, Confederación Hidrográfica del Júcar
  • Lina Ong Chiew Yin — Indah Water
  • João Pitta — Director, Water Management, NEOM
  • Paul Sciuto — General Manager, Monterey One Water
  • Loga Sunthri Veeraiah — Senior Executive, ESG Unit, Strategic Planning Division, SPAN (Malaysia)
  • Lydia Whyatt — Founder, Eau Zero; Managing Director, Resonance Asset Management
  • Veronika Zhiteneva — CEO & Co-Founder, Waterloop Solutions

Where the work goes

Outputs from all five groups converge on two near-term venues — the Global Water Summit in Madrid (May 2026), which hosts dedicated sessions on each theme, and the UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi (November 2026), where the Initiative contributes to the diplomatic track shaping a post-2030 global water agenda. Beyond those moments, deliverables are published as free, open-access materials so that utilities, regulators, financiers, and end-users anywhere can use them.

Getting involved

The working groups are open to participants who can contribute substantive experience — operating reuse projects, financing them, regulating them, or building the technologies that make them work. If your organisation would like to take part, contact us and we will introduce you to the relevant group lead.