SWIC is one of the world’s leading research and testing facilities for water treatment technologies. Owned by IVL and jointly operated by IVL and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the facility supports both research projects and serves as a testing and pilot environment for companies and other organisations.

At SWIC, water and environmental experts develop, test, and evaluate technologies for water treatment, water reuse, and circular water solutions. The work includes technology development, sampling, and analysis, carried out in close collaboration with both the research community and industry.

Since 2023, SWIC has been located in Loudden, in Stockholm’s Norra Djurgårdsstaden district, close to both Djurgården and Värtahamnen. SWIC is closely connected to the Stockholm HQ office, with many colleagues working across both sites.

To demonstrate what future water solutions can look like in practice, IVL joined forces with Nya Carnegiebryggeriet and Carlsberg Sweden to create PU:REST – a beer brewed using recycled water.

The idea is simple: the technology to treat wastewater to a quality equivalent to ordinary drinking water already exists. The challenge is less about technology and more about changing perceptions and rethinking how we use and value our resources.

Through this collaboration, we wanted to make the concept tangible and easy to understand. The result was a crystal-clear pilsner brewed from recycled water, organic malt, and hops – a clear example of how research can be translated into real-world solutions. The initiative demonstrates how collaboration between researchers and industry can challenge established ways of thinking and contribute to more sustainable water use.