The intoDBP Final Conference, held on 22–23 September 2026 in Girona, Spain, brought together project partners, researchers and water-sector stakeholders to present and discuss the knowledge, approaches and solutions developed throughout the project for improved management of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water.
As intoDBP approaches the end of its activities, the conference represented a key opportunity to share the project’s results with the wider drinking water community and discuss how research and innovation can support safer and more effective water management.
The programme addressed some of the major challenges associated with DBP formation and control across drinking water systems. Discussions covered areas including natural organic matter (NOM) control, predictive modelling, innovative treatment technologies, DBP management and risk-based approaches in the context of the Drinking Water Directive.
The conference opened with contributions from Wolfgang Gernjak, followed by a keynote from Loïc Charpentier. Across the programme, experts and project partners shared scientific findings, practical experiences and perspectives on how advances in monitoring, modelling and treatment can contribute to improved management of DBP-related risks.
The event also provided a space to look beyond individual research results and consider their potential application within drinking water management. Exchanges between researchers and sector stakeholders helped connect scientific developments with operational needs and the evolving European regulatory landscape.
After several years of collaborative research, the Final Conference marked an important milestone for intoDBP. It provided an opportunity not only to present what has been achieved but also to discuss how the project’s results and knowledge can continue to support research, innovation and decision-making after the project formally concludes.
With two months remaining, the intoDBP consortium is now entering its final phase. Partners will focus on consolidating project results, completing the remaining activities and strengthening their communication and exploitation to maximise the project’s impact beyond its lifetime.
The Final Conference was followed by the consortium’s last in-person project meeting in Girona, where partners continued discussions on the final steps and future exploitation of intoDBP’s results.
