Accelerator RWW (Foto Jörn Wittenberg)
Hydrant mit Wasserstrahl, RWW

FAQ

Here you will find a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the application for the Mülheim Water Award.

The Mülheim Water Award is an international water award that honours praxis-orientated projects and developments as well as the implementation of innovative concepts in the fields of water analysis and drinking water supply.

There is a two-step application procedure. You only can apply for the requirement phase online over the online form that is available under Apply. There is no other way to apply. Applications only can be handed in within the application period from 01. Dezember 2023 to 29. Februar 2024, 12.00 o’clock MET. The application process has to be completed and the online form submitted before then. Later applications aren’t going to be accepted.

On the base of the project descriptions the jury makes a preselection. Those selected applicants are being informed by the coordination office and asked to hand in more detailed application documents for their projects within two months (nomination).

You can apply in either German or English.

After the application phase has ended and based on the project description the jury selects a shortlist of the most promising applications. Those selected applicants are being informed by the coordination office and asked to hand in more detailed application documents for their projects within a month.

During the ongoing application procedure no further details are given by the coordination office or the jury. The coordination office and the jury are not obliged to give any explanations or reasons on their choice of projects for the second project phase.

Allowed and wanted for application are innovative, praxis-orientated concepts and/or applicable (application maturity) solutions for future challenges in water systems and water analysis.

You can apply with projects from the field of drinking water supply that are dealing with strategic or operational issues or with projects that deal with any application area in the field of water analysis. Also permitted are applications that deal with waste water but are related closely to drinking water supply and have a verifiable positive impact on it.

The following focus topics are particularly addressed:

  • Non-target screening (NTS) and high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)
  • Effect-based Analytics
  • PFAS – Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
  • PMT – persistent, mobile and toxic substances
  • Green Analytical Chemistry
  • Digitalization, automation, big data and artificial intelligence (AI)
  • The adaption to changing structures because of demographic/structural/climate change.
  • Use, efficiency and protection of resources
  • Sustainability reporting – Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)
  • Predictive maintenance
  • operating cost optimisation

Innovative can be a newly developed process, but also the first-time combination of already existing established processes.

If the project ended more than two years ago (measured from the time of the application) you can’t apply with it any longer.

Yes, but only if they are in an advanced state, are concluded from a scientific point of view, and the results can be measured according to the evaluation criteria.

The Mülheim Water Award is endowed with a prize money of 10.000 EUR, donated in equal parts by RWW Rheinisch-Westfälische Wasserwerksgesellschaft mbH and GERSTEL GmbH & Co. KG.

The prize money can be split between two winners. The decision if and to which parts the price money is split is subject to the jury.

In the case that a group applied, the money goes to the leading applicant.

The price money can be used for any purpose and the recipients of the price money agree to be mentioned by name publicly.

The Award Ceremony of the Mülheim Water Award 2024 takes place during the conference dinner of the 6. Mülheimer Wasseranalytisches Seminars (MWAS 2024 ) at the 10. September 2024 in Mülheim an der Ruhr. The Patron and Lord Mayor of Mülheim will hand over the Award.

The application phase starts at 01. Dezember 2023.

You can apply from Europe (geographically defined, not politically) and Israel.
A detailed list with the countries you can apply from can be found at the Call for Application (under 4. application requirements).
Due to the political situation, applications from the Russian Federation and Belarus are excluded until further notice.

The geographical limitation to Europe is related to the location of the headquarters of the applicant. If you apply as a group, at least one member of the group has to have their headquarters in Europe. The implementation of the project you apply with doesn’t have to be in Europe.

Natural or legal persons, groups of persons and institutions from Europe may apply.

Yes, but you have to determine a leading applicant for the group that takes the role of the contact person for the coordination office and is responsible for external communication. In case a group wins the leading applicant receives the price money.

No, you have to apply personally.

Yes.

The submitted documents are made available for the coordination office, the members of the jury as well as the sponsors of the Mülheim Water Award. The other rights of the applicants remain unaffected. All information the jury and the coordination office receive during an application are treated strictly confidential.

All data is treated strictly confidential, data protection is respected.

You will find any information about the application for the Mülheim Water Award 2024 here.

   If you can’t find the answer to your question please contact us.

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