The sixth Community of Practice and Citizen engagement event took place the 29th of May 2024 in the Water Museum of Alicante. The event was very insightful, with a detailed presentation of the results of the work on the Alicante Case Study both on the technical and collaborative levels. Moreover, interesting brainstorming exercises happened during the CoP as well as a presentation of the future opportunities for Alicante within the Water-Oriented Living Lab framework, carried out by Water Europe in the local language. After engaging discussions, museum visits happened the following days, confirming successful citizen engagement focused on the decision-makers of tomorrow, namely young students. They followed and participated actively to all the visits, which were brilliantly prepared by Aguas de Alicante.
On June 11th, the East Frisia CS hosted a local event under the BWS project framework with the aim of educating citizens and political players on climate-adapted water supply. A guided tour of the Lohne pumped storage plant provided insights into the local water management. Participants have visited the B-WaterSmart project areas showcasing the progress and activities that are being done within the project. The local press presence ensured widespread coverage of the CS results achieved by the local drinking water provider. Attendees expressed significant interest in the findings, raising numerous questions to better grasp the CS’s impact and its added value to their community.
The final conference of the Living Lab Flanders B-WaterSmart project was held in Mechelen at Lamot’s Dijlezaal. The event was moderated by Simon de Paepe -VITO-Vlakwa and opened by the Mayor of Mechelen Bart Somers, the Alderman Patrick Princen and Andrea Rubini Director of Operation of Water Europe. The event presented four years of research by De Watergroep, Aquafin, PSKW, Stad Mechelen, VITO, Vlakwa, and KWR within the Horizon2020 project B-WaterSmart. Key highlights included the presentation of the Diksmuide-Woumen Case Study and the Mechelen Case Study that contributed to the success of the project. The event concluded with closing remarks and a networking session by Andrea Rubini, Water Europe. This conference highlighted the importance of collaborative research and innovative water management solutions in addressing climate challenges and promoting sustainable urban development to achieve a Water-Smart Society.
