The kick-off meeting of the REWATER project took place on 17 March 2026 at the TECES Ljubljana office. The project is a research and development initiative to establish a comprehensive, mobile, and modular water management system for dual-use operational bases. TECES is coordinating the project, with Kolektor Sisteh d.o.o. acting as the technology integrator. The meeting was attended by project partners and representatives of the contracting authority – the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovenian Armed Forces.

The purpose of the meeting was to present the project’s objectives, activities and organisation, align expectations with the contracting authority, and enable effective collaboration among partners from the very early stages of implementation.

The REWATER project addresses key challenges faced by modern operational bases, where existing water management solutions are often not fully integrated. Among the main challenges are developing a modular, adaptable system suitable for various environments, achieving high levels of water recycling, and ensuring efficient management of material and energy flows in line with circular economy principles. Particular emphasis is also placed on energy self-sufficiency, waste reduction (“zero waste, zero discharge”), and ensuring interoperability with other camp systems.

Technological solutions for drinking water supply, wastewater recycling, and utilisation of by-products

Within the REWATER project, three interoperable mobile modular functional units will be developed: one for drinking water production, one for wastewater treatment and recycling, and one for the capture and utilisation of by-products such as energy, biogas, hydrogen, and other resources. The solutions will be designed to be energy self-sufficient and interoperable with other operational base systems, and will be supported by an advanced digital monitoring and control system to optimise performance and ensure safety.

A strong consortium of Slovenian research and industrial partners

The project consortium brings together leading Slovenian research and industrial partners. In addition to the coordinator TECES and the technology integrator Kolektor Sisteh d.o.o., the project also includes the Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, ROTO ECO d.o.o., IOS d.o.o., and Stroka Produkt d.o.o. The research segment of the consortium comprises the University of Ljubljana – Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the University of Maribor – Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, and the National Institute of Chemistry. Together, the partners will develop advanced solutions for sustainable water management, with a clear focus on dual-use applications in both defence and civilian environments.

REWATER as a response to key needs in the international defence and civilian landscape

Colonel Robert Šipec, Head of the Energy Efficiency and Green Transition Sector at the Ministry of Defence, highlighted the importance of collaboration between project partners and end users:
“Such meetings are essential for exchanging information and aligning solutions at a higher level. This is particularly important as technologies move closer to implementation in real environments. End users are often unable to precisely define all future needs in advance, which is why it is important that partners develop flexible and long-term solutions supported by appropriate testing procedures,” emphasised Colonel Šipec.

Matej Gajzer, MSc, Director of TECES and Chairman of the SiEnE partnership, stressed that water management represents one of the strategic technological areas of future development in both defence and civilian contexts, as also reflected by identified international needs: “Projects such as REWATER are focused on developing competitive solutions that will be relevant not only in Slovenia but also on the global market. The key lies in connecting industry and research organisations and creating synergies that lead to breakthrough innovations,” Gajzer emphasised.

Strategic role of the REWATER project in the development of smart, energy-resilient deployable bases

The REWATER project plays an important strategic role within the National Strategic Programme PamPIK, implemented under the Slovenian Energy and Environment Partnership in Defence (SiEnE). Water and waste management are among the key technological areas within the concept of smart, energy-resilient, deployable bases. The REWATER project is also closely linked to the R&D project MODEL2, which will use REWATER solutions to ensure drinking water supply and convert wastewater into reusable resources, as well as to the ALENOS 2 project, which addresses energy supply and the comprehensive management of energy flows at the camp level. Through such integration, REWATER serves as a key building block for advanced operational bases, significantly contributing to their self-sufficiency, resilience, and overall functionality.