About the Water Treatment group

The Process Technology and Data Science in Water Treatment group believes that data science can revolutionise water technology research and practice.

We explore the benefits of data science for water quality assessment, control of water treatment processes, and engineering of water systems.

In our research, we extract meaningful insights from big data applying those towards improving water quality monitoring, control of treatment processes, and the innovative engineering of water treatment systems.

Our mission is to resolve global water-related challenges, safeguarding human health and preserving our environment.

• Research areas

  Our current lines of research include:

  • Multi-technology sensors and sensor fusion for enhanced water quality monitoring
  • Leveraging data analytics for effective control of water treatment processes
  • Utilising a data-centric approach to design advanced water treatment systems and materials

  Our group’s core expertise encompasses:

  • Chemical processes: coagulation and flocculation
  • Separation processes: membrane, adsorption, and ion exchange
  • Electrochemical methods
  • Environmental biotechnology
  • Descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and cognitive data analytics
• The Water Harmony network

  The Process Technology and Data Science in Water Treatment research group evolved from the internationalisation and capacity-building projects of the Water Harmony network, a visionary initiative spearheaded by Harsha Ratnaweera in 2012.

  We proudly continue to support and expand this network, which today boasts a membership of 89 universities and research institutes across 53 nations.

  The vision of Water Harmony is to harmonise water related graduate education across the globe; to continuously and collectively improve the global quality of water-related education through sharing of best practices. In this process, emerging challenges in the water industry and the resulting research, developments and innovations are also addressed.

  Visit the Water Harmony network website
• Research projects

  Selected coordinator projects

  • SmartWB – Curricula innovation in climate-smart urban development based on green and energy efficiency with the non-academic sector. (Erasmus+, 2023-2026)
  • PATCHER – Protecting aquatic ecosystem and human health from micropollutants (RCN INTPART, 2021-2026)
  • DIGIWATRO – Digitalisation of the water sector and water education (EEA Grants, 2021-2024)
  • CCWater – Graduates for Climate Change adapted water management (Erasmus+, 2021-2024)
  • AECo – Advancing EleCtrochemical processes for water safety and circularity (RCN INTPART, 2020-2024)
  • DIGIWATER – Digitalisation of water industry by innovative graduate water education (Erasmus+, 2021-2023)
  • SMARTEN – Serious gaMes for digitAl Readiness of waTer EducatioN (Erasmus+, 2021-2023)
  • ECO-SOS – Development of Emerging Contaminants – Hybrid Soft Sensor for on-line monitoring of contaminants of emerging concern in water (EU H2020 – MSCA IF, 2021-2023)
  • MEMPREX II – Membrane processes for the next decade's challenges in the water sector (RCN INTPART, 2020-2023)
  • NANOWATER – Managing nanoparticles and use of nanotechnology in water (DIKU, 2020-2022)
  • WaterJPI – Closing the Water Cycle Gap with Harmonised Actions for Sustainable Management of Water Resources (JPI, 2019-2023)
  • MEMPREX – International partnership on membrane processes in water treatment for research and educational excellence (RCN INTPART, 2017-2020)
  • Water Harmony - Integration of Education, Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Water Harmony-II) (DIKU, 2016-2022)
  • RECOVER – Biological processes for resources recovery (RCN, 2015-2020)
  • Development of three study modules in water management and technology for Ukraine, Byelorussia, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan harmonised with Norway ("Water Harmony") (DIKU, 2011-2014)

  Selected partner projects

  • WATERLINE – Transforming advanced water skilling through the creation of a network of extended-reality water emulative centres (EU HORIZON-WIDERA, coordinated by Malta College of Arts Science and Technology, 2022-2025)
  • SMART4ENV – Enhancing the scientific capacity of TUBITAK Mam in the field of smart environmental technologies for climate change challenges (EU HORIZON-WIDERA, coordinated by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, 2022-2025)
  • Water ESSENCE Africa – Creating synergy to meet the global challenges (NORHED II, coordinated by the University of Bergen, 2021-2026)
• PhD theses

  • Sola, Kristin Jenssen: Fremmedvann i avløpsnettet - analyser av påvirkningsfaktorer, konsekvenser og mulige tiltak. NMBU, 2021.
  • Nair, Abhilash Muralidharan: Innovative Surveillance and Process Control in Water Resource Recovery Facilities. NMBU, 2020.
  • Zhang, Duo: Sewer Overflow Control using Different Modeling Techniques and Internet of Things. NMBU, 2019.
  • Kulesha, Olga: Flux enhancers in biofilm membrane bioreactors: insight into fouling control. NMBU, 2019.
  • Sivchenko, Nataliia: Image analysis in coagulation process control. NMBU, 2018.
  • Wang, Xiaodong: Optimisation of wastewater treatment systems with data mining and process modelling. NMBU, 2018.
  • Liu, Wei: Enhancement of coagulant dosing control in water and wastewater treatment processes. NMBU, 2016.
  • Rathnaweera, Subhash S.: Modelling and optimisation of wastewater coagulation process. UMB, 2010.
• Group members