Using co-operations for complex challenges

One of the endeavors in the Unity4Water project, stands Eskilstuna Energi och Miljö (EEM), being both a reference organization and a key financial supporter. We met up with Anna Bogren, supervisor for processes and technology water production at EEM and asked her about EEM’s role in this water project.

As a reference organization and a financier through ESEM AB’s funding to Mälardalens University (MDU), Eskilstuna Energi och Miljö brings not only financial backing but also invaluable insights into sustainable water management. Their involvement underscores the importance of public-private partnerships in tackling pressing environmental challenges.

– Shifting to viewing wastewater as a resource is important for achieving a circular economy in urban environments. In our region, water is not exactly a scarce commodity (yet), but water contains more than this and is in itself a source of nutrients, examining the benefits of this resource and also the risks that it could entail as the water also contains undesirable substances is needed to achieve that water is considered a resource instead of a waste, says Anna Bogren, supervisor for processes and technology water production at EEM.

While not directly involved in the technical intricacies of the project, Eskilstuna Energi och Miljö acknowledges the importance of collaboration in integrating advanced technologies and socio-economic perspectives. Through their participation in reference group meetings, they foster dialogue and knowledge exchange among diverse stakeholders, driving innovation and progress.

– Many of our challenges are complex and involve several different actors, and working in isolation to solve them is not sustainable and will not lead to the best solutions and the best development of our societies. This type of co-operation will probably be required as we cannot afford to waste our resources as we do today, concludes Anna Bogren.