Securing Our Water Future: Insights from MARCLAIMED Coordinator Sara Espinosa at Water Knowledge Europe
Amidst the bustling halls of Water Knowledge Europe 2025, the ZeroPollution4Water cluster brought together the brightest minds in European water management. Among them was Sara Espinosa, Hydrogeologist and Coordinator of the ambitious EU-funded MARCLAIMED project.
As the impacts of climate change accelerate, the need for resilient water management has never been more urgent. We sat down with Sara to discuss how MARCLAIMED is turning the tide by redefining how we recharge and manage our precious groundwater resources.
What is MARCLAIMED?
Sara Espinosa, who leads the Advanced Aquifer Management program within her organization, describes MARCLAIMED as a vital response to the global climate crisis. “Our main objective,” Sara explains, “is to integrate Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) using alternative water resources into river basin and drought management plans.”
By doing so, the project aims to ensure that regions have a buffer against drought, effectively storing water underground when it is available to be used when it is scarce.
The Three Pillars of Success
Innovation in water management isn’t just about engineering; it’s about creating a system that works for society and the economy. Sara highlighted that the MARCLAIMED solution is built on three essential pillars:
- Operational Efficiency: Ensuring the technology works flawlessly in real-world conditions.
- Economic Sustainability: Making sure the solutions are cost-effective for long-term use.
- Social Acceptance: Building trust with the communities that rely on these water sources.
Co-Creation and Decision Support
One of the most exciting aspects of MARCLAIMED is its “Community of Practices” (CoP). Rather than developing technology in a vacuum, the project co-creates tools alongside stakeholders at various demo sites.
These tools are being integrated into a Decision Support System (DSS) designed to optimize alternative water resource strategies. This ensures that every drop of water is managed with precision, tailored to the specific needs of the local environment.
The Power of Collaboration
When asked about the importance of events like Water Knowledge Europe, Sara was clear: knowledge sharing is the key to scaling.
“These kinds of events bring us the opportunity to share lessons learned in developing solutions across different climate and socio-economic contexts,” she noted. This cross-border exchange is what allows local successes in MARCLAIMED demo sites to be scaled up and implemented across the European Union.
Watch the full interview on YouTube.
