Acacia Water

🌍 Acacia Water at the MARCLAIMED EU General Assembly in Lisbon 🌍 We are thrilled to share that Acacia Water participated in the second General Assembly of the MARCLAIMED project in Lisbon from February 11-13. 🌱 MARCLAIMED is an EU-funded project dedicated to scaling up Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) and Alternative Water Resource (AWR) solutions across Europe. The project has three demonstration sites: Barcelona (Spain), Comporta (Portugal), and Texel (Netherlands). It’s a collaborative effort that brings together a variety of partners to explore innovative water solutions. 💡 Key take aways from Lisbon: During this two-day event, we had the chance to meet with the project partners, align our goals, and discuss how we can move forward together in a more realistic and efficient way. The complexity of this EU project has its challenges, but we are making significant progress—and it’s exciting to be part of something so impactful. We were also pleased to finally meet the incredible team behind the emails and online meetings. Connecting face-to-face with partners confirmed that we’re all deeply committed to making MARCLAIMED a success. 📍 Comporta Demo Site Update: In Comporta, Portugal, the challenge of finding a destination for treated wastewater led to the innovative solution of controlled infiltration using sand and activated carbon filters. The team is now conducting experiments to validate this approach, which will pave the way for scaling up these efforts. 🚰 Other MARCLAIMED Updates: • Next year, Acacia Water will be hosting the General Assembly—exciting times ahead! 😊 • Honorable mention: Daniela Benedicto van Dalen and Joren Verbist were interviewed by the comms team—stay tuned for our Hollywood debut! 🎬 #MARCLAIMED #watersolutions #HorizonEurope #sustainablewater #watermanagement

Transferring knowledge to future generations at the 14th Earth Science Career Event. Acacia Water colleagues prepared a workshop in which students and starters with a geoscience background were invited to think about sustainable groundwater supply. And step into the role of a hydrogeologist.  Participants were asked to identify suitable sites for drilling groundwater wells in one of our project areas in Ethiopia. They made suggestions for additional fieldwork and desk research, identified stakeholders and considered how groundwater supply can be both sustainable and climate resilient. This case study reflects a core expertise of Acacia Water. Workshop hosts Harmen van den Berg and Laurens de Vries, both hydrogeologists, introduced the fundamental importance of thorough field research and the conceptualization of subsurface groundwater flow. At the stand of the business fair, co-founder and owner Arjen De Vries and geophysics consultant Perry Mooij showed examples of our projects in Europe, Africa, South Asia and the Middle East. We had many inspiring conversations and could tell the story of Acacia Water and the passion for groundwater with great enthusiasm. The event was held at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam). This institution has a special meaning for Acacia Water. It is where our organization originated as a research institute in 2003, before we continued as a social enterprise in 2008. Many thanks to all attendees and everyone who made this day possible. Stichting Aardwetenschappelijke Loopbaandag (Earth Science Career Day Foundation), congratulations on this successful event. #earthscience #watermanagement #watercareer

Acacia Water enhances accuracy and efficiency in groundwater exploration in East Africa by investing in the state-of-the-art Time Domain Electromagnetic surveying: the sTEM instrument from TEMcompany in Denmark. Our team in Addis Ababa completed an extensive field training of its usage and application. With this tool, ground layers can be explored down to 300 m depth.    “This instrument allows for a higher level of detail and precision in characterizing aquifers and exploring groundwater resources. It also generates more detailed groundwater maps compared to traditional methods,” Dawit Tsegaye, hydrogeologist at Acacia Water, explains.  Currently, we’re applying the instrument in one of our UNICEF groundwater mapping projects in Southern Ethiopia to ensure the provision of safe drinking water to children and people in need.    We will also deploy the sTEM for the exploration of both shallow and deep aquifer systems across various regions in Africa. This enhances the chance of developing productive boreholes for water supply. #watermanagement #sustainable #groundwater #watersecurity  

Hands-on Water Management: Inspiring the Next Generation of Change-Makers.   Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) is more than a governing strategy. It’s a vision for the future, balancing nature, communities, and economies. It’s a holistic approach to managing watersheds, addressing water scarcity while ensuring ecosystems thrive and socio-economic equity flourishes. But how do we measure its success? This was the challenge we tackled at Acacia Water through the Catchment 2 Tap (C2T) initiative in Kenya, bridging WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) with IWRM. Monitoring IWRM often feels like solving a puzzle; diverse projects like dam construction, irrigation, and ecosystem restoration rarely fit neatly together. Yet, we believe that monitoring should do more than assess — it should inspire collaboration, spark learning, and empower communities.   Our Solution: A Simple, Impactful Tool We developed an open-access, spreadsheet-based tool that makes IWRM accessible, actionable, and collaborative. Anchored in five core principles — stakeholder engagement, institutional development, environmental impacts, socio-economic considerations, and enabling environments — the tool simplifies complexity into actionable insights. Using a 5-point scale, stakeholders evaluate indicators, from financial readiness to environmental outcomes. Workshops then bring diverse voices together, highlighting varying perspectives and encourage shared understanding.   Results That Inspire Action Clear charts and tables reveal project performance, sparking dialogue and identifying opportunities for growth. The tool underscores a critical lesson: every action within a watershed impacts others, reminding us that true progress requires collective effort. Joren Verbist of Acacia Water: "We believe this allows young entrepreneurs and visionaries, to build on innovation, collaboration, and create sustainable futures and this together can turn water management challenges into opportunities for transformation."   Appreciations to partners KEWASNET, WWF-Kenya, Water Resources Authority (WRA), VEI. Sponsorship by World Waternet through Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kenya. #iwrm #watermanagement #sustainability

Let’s get things started! Acacia Water's Sophie Luijendijk and Maarten Koudstaal installed the Nitrate sensors for MARCLAIMED EU project in Demonstration Site 3 – localized in a farm in Texel, the Netherlands. We will collect data on water quality for machine learning of the MARVIS tool. With this work we foster knowledge sharing and improve operation of ASR-systems (Aquifer Storage and Recovery). Ultimately, enhancing water availability, quality and sustainability for communities and ecosystems. Texel serves as a vital testing ground for the EU-funded MARCLAIMED project, which seeks to address water stress and enhance climate change resilience by integrating Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) with Alternative Water Resources (AWR). The successful installation of the sensor equipment marks a significant milestone for our project. We are excited about the potential impact this initiative holds for developing sustainable solutions to tackle water scarcity challenges.   Stay tuned for the results! #marclaimed #managedaquiferrecharge #watermanagement

To contribute to considerate and successful decisionmaking regarding drinking water supply, Acacia Water conducted an expert water resources assessment. Such an assessment provides insights into the best possible interventions. In Northern Benin (West Africa) we employed our MEL (Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning) Tool. This tool tracks and assesses Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM), Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) status and progress, fostering ongoing learning and optimization of water infrastructure projects. We appraised water systems, water usage, external influences, and developments. Strategies were offered for improving water sustainability. Collaboration is promoted with key stakeholders, to create balanced water use practices that align with good social, economic, environmental, and governance practises. Invest International, the Government of Benin, and the water utility SONEB prioritize hydrogeological, socio-economic, and environmental considerations early in this water supply project. We now look forward to supporting the implementation team as they advance water-wise development strategies in Benin. #watermanagement #watersupply #sustainability  

Vacancy alert! At Acacia Water we are on the look out for an Applied Software Engineer to join our team. In this independent position you will get a lot of space to shape your role. Help building digital tools for sustainable water management worldwide. Is this job not for you, but do you know someone who would fit in well, please forward the message! https://lnkd.in/ey3m4kb3 #vacancy #jobposting #ict #it

An example for sustainable and futureproof agricultural water management. Two Dutch farmers on the island of Texel join forces in an innovative collaboration: a fresh water cooperation. Together they are collecting tile drainage water from their farmlands in the wet season, filter it and reuse it in warmer and dry periods as irrigation water in challenging saline island conditions. They jointly operate the system and share the maintenance costs, amplifying cost-effectiveness. Although this is not the first ever fresh water cooperation, it is a very special one. It is the first fresh water cooperation both on Texel as well as for arable land. Following successful technical pilots with the ASR-system filtering nutrients and pesticides from the water, and storing the water underground, this collaboration is an example for sustainable and futureproof agricultural water management. Acacia Water supervised the entire process. Together with P2 | Regisseurs van een betere toekomst and de Coöperatie expert we drafted the agreements that meet the interests of both farmers. This fresh water cooperation is an example of innovative ways to establish sustainable water solutions. Congratulations to Mark Slot and Henk Broekman for their dedication to a shared goal and their mutual commitment in their Fresh Water Cooperation Hoofdweg. #agriculture #watermanagement #sustainability

Empowering women and youth to grow sustainable use of water. In one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, Jordan, a new water strategy is implemented; an innovative approach of engaging youth and women in implementing water policies and pioneering projects. By raising awareness and education, the country strives to conserve water resources and build resilient communities for the future. With this strategy and its implementation plan, the Jordan Ministry of Water and Irrigation emphasizes the urgency of translating policy into action. As one of the supporting project partners together with INWRDAM and IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Acacia Water is proud to be part of this collaboration. The project is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Amman. We congratulate the ministry and country leaders with this big step towards increased sustainable water resource management and water security. #sustainable #watermanagement #watersecurity #women #youth  

Het zit erop! Salta on Tour in het noorden van Nederland. Dit evenement op 26 november stond in het teken van de beschikbaarheid van zoetwater en verzilting in relatie tot landbouw in kustgebieden. Meer onderzoek, kennisontwikkeling en casestudies zijn nodig om de landbouwsector praktische inzichten te bieden over de toenemende dreiging van verzilting van grond- en oppervlaktewater. Bestuurders en beleidsmakers werden op het boerenerf verwelkomd en kregen uitleg over diverse projecten. In Friesland past ecologisch boer Pyt Sipma peilgestuurde drainage toe. Dit is een methode om de bodem vruchtbaar te houden en verwachte opbrengsten te realiseren. Met deze techniek blijft zoet water langer in de bodem, wat tegen druk biedt aan zoute kwel. In Groningen wordt een aquiferopslag- en herwinningssysteem (zie foto's) gerealiseerd door Acacia Water, Broere Irrigatie en COMBI DRAIN B.V. op de boerderij van Jaap Slim. Het doel is om zoet drainwater in natte seizoenen op te vangen, pesticiden en nutriënten te verwijderen, en dit water op te slaan in de grond voor hergebruik tijdens het oogstseizoen. Vergunningskwesties voor dit soort projecten werden besproken. Hans Merton van Acacia Water kijkt terug op een geslaagde dag: “Er waren veel deelnemers, waaronder statenleden en agrarische ondernemers. Dit geeft aan dat er urgentie en behoefte is aan praktische oplossingen voor de landbouwsector.” Salta on Tour werd georganiseerd door het Salta-cluster Instituut voor Landbouw in Verzilting Delta’s en het project Zoet op Zout, in samenwerking met LTO Noord en Acacia Water. https://lnkd.in/efxPZKhM