The construction phase of HYDRO6 began almost as soon as the project was launched.

The design and preparatory works for the construction of the cistern, rooftop and greenhouse, as well as the reed bed system were carried out in the first 12 months.

In addition, the prototype of a meteorological station for data collection was installed at HYDRO6 within the first months, measuring parameters such as humidity, rain, air temperature, solar radiation and wind speed that were constantly monitored and the data were available in a dedicated platform.

During the time that the constructions of the cistern, reed bed system and rooftops for water collection were completed, the tiny Lodge was also ready to receive visitors.

All the installations took into account the aesthetics of the landscape in order to harmonize with the traditional buildings of the island of Tinos, while materials from the surrounding area were used for their construction.

Atmospheric water condensation units were then installed and tested. One of them is a ‘water flower’ that collects vapors through passive and active operation, while a commercial system was also installed.

The HYDRO6 demo site has been fully operational since July 2020.

The amount of rainwater collected annually in the cisterns is about 180 m³, while the amount of vapor condensed and collected per year is estimated at 4.4 m³. In addition, about 50 m³ of wastewater is treated annually at Tinos Ecolodge and reused.

The systems are monitored online by industrial and low-cost sensors that were installed in the cisterns and treated water tank, for quantity measurements (ultrasonic level sensors, flow meters) and quality measurements (pH, conductivity, turbidity, temperature). In addition, soil moisture sensors were installed in the cultivated areas and two meteorological stations.

The sampling campaign at HYDRO6 was started in October 2020 to monitor the wastewater treatment process and the quality of the irrigation water.