This project addresses the critical need for reliable access to safe drinking water in field environments - including disaster response, civil protection operations, and defense applications.
DABCE has been awarded funding by Vinnova, in collaboration with the Swedish Armed Forces, within the programme Acceleration of civil-military innovation. The project focuses on developing and validating the OWTS platform for robust deployment in demanding and remote environments.
The project is conducted under Vinnova’s formal funding framework, including structured reporting through start, progress, and final reports, as well as continuous project follow-up. This ensures transparency, technical validation, and alignment with the programme’s objectives.
In accordance with funding conditions, all public communication and dissemination of results will acknowledge support from Vinnova (Sweden’s Innovation Agency) and the Swedish Armed Forces within the Civil-Military Innovation Programme (CMIP).
Key development areas include energy autonomy, rapid deployment, operational simplicity, and resilience against variable raw water quality. The system is designed to function independently of fixed infrastructure and to be operable by non-specialist personnel.
The project will run through 2025–2026, with field validation and system refinement as core activities.
This is a dual-use technology initiative, where solutions developed for defense and emergency scenarios are directly transferable to civilian applications such as rural water supply, humanitarian aid, and infrastructure resilience.
Our OWTS - Off-grid Water Treatment System - is being developed with reference to the NATO framework for water in operations. This includes AMedP‑4.9, which defines requirements for water quality during operations, and ATP‑104, which covers water production, storage and distribution in deployed environments.
In the Swedish context, this aligns with the evolving defence-standardization landscape coordinated through FMV, as Sweden adapts to NATO-related requirements.
This positions OWTS not only as a treatment unit, but as a deployable operational water system designed for real-world use in distributed and resource-constrained environments.
OWTS provides a key operational capability for defence and civil preparedness by enabling autonomous water supply directly at the point of need. In disrupted or contested environments, where infrastructure is unavailable or compromised, the system allows units and communities to access safe drinking water without reliance on centralized systems or continuous resupply.
By operating independently of fixed infrastructure and with minimal logistical requirements, OWTS supports distributed operations and emergency response. Water can be produced locally from available surface sources and made accessible where it is needed, whether for deployed units, civil protection operations, or population support during infrastructure failure.
This capability reduces dependence on vulnerable supply chains, enables rapid deployment of water supply points, and provides critical time for authorities and operators to stabilize and restore essential infrastructure.
OWTS – Offgrid Water Treatment System is a container-based, energy-efficient system for producing drinking water from surface sources such as lakes and rivers.
The system is designed to operate fully off-grid using solar, wind or fuel-powered generators in combination with battery storage, requires no chemical dosing, and is designed for straightforward field operation. Core treatment is based on robust physical and biological processes, minimizing maintenance complexity while ensuring consistent water quality.
Container-based OWTS platform – transportable field deployment unit
Integrated water system – storage, flow control and treatment layout
Filtration module – UV sterilization and multi-stage filtration assembly – robust and serviceable design
Q4 2025 – Project start & system definition
Project initiation following Vinnova approval, including formal start reporting,
detailed system specification, and alignment with civil-military use cases.
Q1 2026 – Prototype development & validation
Development of OWTS prototype configurations with focus on energy efficiency,
robustness, and operability in field environments. Initial technical validation
and first progress reporting.
Q2 2026 – Field adaptation & system refinement
Iterative improvements based on testing, including deployment readiness,
transportability, and user interaction for non-specialist operators.
Ongoing reporting and programme follow-up.
Q3 2026 – Final validation & reporting
Completion of system validation and final reporting to Vinnova and the Swedish
Armed Forces. Preparation for next-stage development, scaling, and potential
operational deployment.
OWTS is being developed within a Vinnova-funded civil-military programme. We are engaging with organisations, operators, and partners with needs for robust water supply in field environments.
Are you operating in field environments, emergency response, or areas with limited infrastructure? We are looking for early users for dialogue, testing, and future deployment.
We are open to strategic collaborations and investment supporting validation, scaling, and international deployment of the technology.
Engagements are managed in accordance with project scope and development phase.
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