City Water Circles: Urban Cooperation Models for enhancing water efficiency and reuse in Central European functional urban areas with an integrated circular economy approach

Climate change induced hydrological risks are making Central European (CE) cities increasingly vulnerable against urban floods and at the same time water scarcity problems. This coupled with growing drinking water consumption and consequently rising amount of wastewater to be treated, threatens the safety of future water supplies. Shared challenges call for adopting water saving and reuse measures beyond current practices, both in the public sector and by individuals. Reforming outdated urban water infrastructure systems via applying the novel approach of circular economy offers many economic and environmental benefits.
Recognizing this emerging potential, municipalities and public (waste)water companies from 5 Functional Urban Areas and thematic expert organisations decided to launch CityWaterCircles (CWC) project. Not guided by EU regulations, CWC partners from 6 countries aim to enable cities making this circular change happen. Goals can be achieved by promoting water saving culture, including use of non-conventional water resources and taking the lead by adopting urban rainwater harvesting and utilisation, as well as greywater recovery measures on city-level.
Partners join forces to create a knowledge base for urban circular water management, made available as Digital Learning Resources for all willing to learn about the topic, and co-develop with local stakeholders a set of innovative methods and tools (cutting-edge technological and nature-based solutions, smart governance tools exploring novel cooperation and financing schemes) usable all around CE, to be also demonstrated in 5 pilot actions (e.g. combined use of rainwater and wastewater, capturing rainwater by rooftop and rain gardens, ICT tools stimulating behaviour change amongst citizens). Partners adapt these solutions to local needs, develop mid-term Strategies and Action Plans and elaborate related policy recommendations with an aim to put the issue on the table of national decision-makers.R 3.3 Status of integrated environmental managment capacities of the public sector and related entities in functional urban areas achieved through transnational cooperation for making them more liveable places.As direct effect of the project, public authorities of the involved FUAs will gain improved human, institutional & management capacities in the field of sustainable water resources management which is a key & integral part of environment mgt. Trainings & cross-learning activities will provide PPs & local STHs with enhanced competences on water efficiency, RW & GW utilisation measures & related governance tools, with their knowledge also getting activated via implementing & cross-evaluating relevant pilot actions, which are to unfold further investments after project closure. Vivid STH involvement & co-creation processes will effectuate new FUA-level cross-sectoral collaboration platforms able to contribute to co-creating & implementing socially accepted urban programmes even after the project.
Realizing the interventions defined in PPs’ CWC strategies & action plans will bring combined environmental & economic benefits:
1) savings of used potable water & relatedly energy, decreased exploitation of freshwater resources & safer water supply.
2) upgraded stormwater management, making urban drainage & sewage systems more climate proof, improving overall urban resilience.
3) by reducing urban flood risk decreasing potential water (groundwater, river) pollution incidents.
By revealing & stressing the expected economic benefits, CWC foresees to generate supportive attitude of decision-makers to adopt circular water use policies & behaviour change of end-users in water use habits.