INSITRATE

Denitrification of nitrate-polluted groundwater aiming the production of drinking water by using bioremediation.

InSiTRate project develops a technology that uses the microorganisms already existing in the aquifer to transform the nitrates to nitrogen gas, process that permits the purification of the water. This technique, called as bioremediation, is less expensive than other current water treatments and does not need personnel to work, at the same time that allows to reduce more than 80 percent of the nitrates in each aquifer.

During the project, a pilot plant has been set up in Sant Andreu de Llavaneres (Catalonia), which has been functioning for two years with the objective to optimize InSiTRate’s solution and validate it from a technological, economic and environmental point of view.

The project has been cofounded by the European Commission’s LIFE+ programme, aiming at contributing to the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental policy and legislation.