Background The implementation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive is increasing the amount of sewage sludge for disposal and the number of small- to medium-size plants. It also requires Member States to provide collecting systems for all agglomerations with populations of more than 2 000. Wastewater from households and industry is a significant pressure on the water environment because of the loads of organic matter and nutrients as well as hazardous substances. Given that a large percentage of the population of EEA member countries lives in urban areas, a significant amount of wastewater is collected by sewers connected to public wastewater treatment plants. In the EU, about 10 million tonnes of sewage sludge are produced after water treatment every year. A low percentage of this sewage sludge, however, is recycled in agriculture. Incineration and landfilling are the most common disposal methods, both causing significant environmental, economic and social impacts. This scenario cannot be considered a sustainable approach to sludge management in the long term. Objectives The main objective of the ELECTRO-SLUDGE project is to design, develop and demonstrate an innovative electro-osmotic dewatering system that is able to dewater urban sludge from wastewater treatment plants and thus obtain a dry solid content (DS) equal to, or greater than, 30%. The project will reduce both the volume and weight of urban sludge (drying process) and the concentration of some heavy metals in the dewatered sludge (osmotic process), leading to an increase in the amount of sludge that meets regulations for its safe use in agriculture. Consequently, the project will: Reduce the amount of waste directed to incineration and landfilling (which has to be phased out gradually according to EU Directive 99/31); and Drastically reduce sludge volumes to final disposal, limiting CO2 emissions due to transport. Expected results: Increased dry solid content (up to or over 30%) comparable to that obtainable by filter presses, but without adding chemicals; 40 m2 of photovoltaic panels to provide around 15% of the energy consumption of the electro-dewatering plant; Reduced direct CO2 emissions during transport thanks to the lower mass of sludge hauled away for disposal; Reduced landfilling or incineration costs; Reduced concentration of heavy metals (Cr, Cu and Pb) in the sludge by 10 to 20%, depending on the operating conditions (pH, temperature and oxidation-reduction potential); and Demonstrated elimination of the bacterial load in the urban sludge after digestion.