Brief intro to the WaterMan pilot measure

In Braniewo, Poland, water from the public indoor swimming pool is treated in a local recirculation system so that, after several stages of purification, it can be used for municipal purposes, such as cleaning the sewage system. Specifically, it is the drinking water regularly used to backwash the pool’s filter system. Up to 50 percent of this backwash wastewater can be reused. The closed-loop treatment of this water includes coagulation (flocculation), sedimentation, as well as natural dechlorination and odour removal.

The system is designed to have the potential to achieve water quality benchmarked against classes A/B under EU Regulation 2020/741. Over the coming months, this level will be validated in live operation through routine monitoring to ensure it can be met reliably and consistently. Overall, the measure enables the recovery of around 15 percent of the pool’s total drinking-water consumption that would otherwise be discharged to the sewer during daily operations.

Type of pilot measure: Real-world implementation
Location: Braniewo (Poland)
Water source: Wastewater from a public indoor swimming pool
Type of treatment: Natural dechlorination, coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation
Target water quality: Quality class A/B according to Directive (EU) 2020/741
Utilisation: Cleaning of the sewage system, other municipal purposes
Return to natural cycle: Discharge into sewage system
Responsible: Braniewo Municipality / Gdańsk University of Technology
Operational & open for visitors: Since Sept 2025

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“A Fresh Dive into Water Recycling “ - read the full story behind the pilot measure

It is astonishing, really, that recycling swimming‑pool water has never been systematically tested before. In this sense, the pilot in Braniewo – set up by the local municipal administration in cooperation with the Gdańsk University of Technology – is a true pioneering achievement, with encouraging results. Read more...

In-depth information on the pilot measure

Pilot measure overview (final status) These slides present the final shape of the pilot measure, including its context, implementation, and key lessons learned.

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The evolution of the concept (until today) These slides give an account of the work process behind the chosen technical-organisational concept, incl. considerations, recommendations and decisions taken at different stages. Scroll through the slides to chronologically follow the iterative “development journey” of the pilot measure step-by-step, from the initial idea to its present status!

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Collection of further materials

Purification system for water from swimming pool filter backwashing: Technical specification
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Sewage container for swimming pool water: Technical specification
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