Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MULTISOURCE (ModULar Tools for Integrating enhanced natural treatment SOlutions in URban water CyclEs)
Reporting period: 2021-06-01 to 2022-11-30
Increasing urbanization poses a range of challenges worldwide, including water scarcity, water insecurity, human health issues, and loss of ecosystem services such as clean air, water and soil. It is estimated that by 2050, half of the world population will live in cities. To satisfy their water demand, many cities rely on extensive supply infrastructure to transfer water over long distances. In light of the increasing pressure on water resources worldwide, the integration of decentralized approaches into existing centralized infrastructure is essential for achieving sustainable, efficient, and affordable water resource management, increased water reuse, and establishing a circular water economy.
Surface and groundwater in urban areas are polluted by point and nonpoint sources that harm the quality of life, ecology, and land values in cities. The chemical and biological hazards stemming from release of inadequately treated water (such as during extreme rain events) can no longer be ignored, especially with the increasing concerns surrounding priority substances and contaminants of emerging concern such as micropollutants and microplastics. Nature-Based Solutions for Water Treatment (NBSWT) are green infrastructure components that can complement existing grey infrastructure for water, stormwater, and wastewater management in urban environments. NBSWT provide improved water quality, reduced flood risks, and increased ecological connectivity, while serving as attractive components of the urban landscape, providing important ecosystem services and contributing to the creation of a circular water economy
Despite the recognized potential of NBSWT for increasing urban resilience, there is an overall lack of large-scale integration of NBSWT into urban environments, as reflected in the recent European Green Deal. Decision-makers at all levels of government (particularly at local level) often lack the tools to conduct large-scale strategic simply lack the tools to conduct large-scale strategic decision-making for integrating NBSWT in different geographical and economic conditions. On a technical level, there is a knowledge gap regarding the performance of these systems and their response to variations in pollutant and hydraulic fluctuations due to climatic events such as storms or droughts. From an economic perspective, financing to stimulate rapid uptake of NBSWT must look beyond private sector investment and towards spatial planning, regulation, and tax incentives. Urban water management scenarios for different combinations of NBSWT must be tailor-made, account for site-specific conditions and needs, and be complemented by a framework that can help private sector stakeholders formulate successful business models for NBSWT implementation on a city-wide scale.
The overall goal of MULTISOURCE is to, together with local, national, and international stakeholders, demonstrate a variety of enhanced natural treatment systems treating a wide range of urban waters, and to develop innovative tools, methods, and business models that support citywide planning of nature-based solutions for water treatment, storage, and reuse in urban areas. To this end, MULTISOURCE aims to:
• deliver new knowledge about enhanced natural treatment systems for removing waterborne contaminants (including pathogens, micropollutants and microplastics), providing effective reduction of chemical and biological risks, and contributing to the improvement of urban habitats;
• co-create demand-driven tools and business models to guide technology selection, design, large-scale spatial planning, and sustainable financing of NBSWT;
• develop evidence-based policy recommendations for safe water reuse in urban water cycles;
• mainstream gender and inclusivity in research on and implementation of NBSWT;
• overcome the barriers to trans-sectoral growth and sustainable development in urban water management
Surface and groundwater in urban areas are polluted by point and nonpoint sources that harm the quality of life, ecology, and land values in cities. The chemical and biological hazards stemming from release of inadequately treated water (such as during extreme rain events) can no longer be ignored, especially with the increasing concerns surrounding priority substances and contaminants of emerging concern such as micropollutants and microplastics. Nature-Based Solutions for Water Treatment (NBSWT) are green infrastructure components that can complement existing grey infrastructure for water, stormwater, and wastewater management in urban environments. NBSWT provide improved water quality, reduced flood risks, and increased ecological connectivity, while serving as attractive components of the urban landscape, providing important ecosystem services and contributing to the creation of a circular water economy
Despite the recognized potential of NBSWT for increasing urban resilience, there is an overall lack of large-scale integration of NBSWT into urban environments, as reflected in the recent European Green Deal. Decision-makers at all levels of government (particularly at local level) often lack the tools to conduct large-scale strategic simply lack the tools to conduct large-scale strategic decision-making for integrating NBSWT in different geographical and economic conditions. On a technical level, there is a knowledge gap regarding the performance of these systems and their response to variations in pollutant and hydraulic fluctuations due to climatic events such as storms or droughts. From an economic perspective, financing to stimulate rapid uptake of NBSWT must look beyond private sector investment and towards spatial planning, regulation, and tax incentives. Urban water management scenarios for different combinations of NBSWT must be tailor-made, account for site-specific conditions and needs, and be complemented by a framework that can help private sector stakeholders formulate successful business models for NBSWT implementation on a city-wide scale.
The overall goal of MULTISOURCE is to, together with local, national, and international stakeholders, demonstrate a variety of enhanced natural treatment systems treating a wide range of urban waters, and to develop innovative tools, methods, and business models that support citywide planning of nature-based solutions for water treatment, storage, and reuse in urban areas. To this end, MULTISOURCE aims to:
• deliver new knowledge about enhanced natural treatment systems for removing waterborne contaminants (including pathogens, micropollutants and microplastics), providing effective reduction of chemical and biological risks, and contributing to the improvement of urban habitats;
• co-create demand-driven tools and business models to guide technology selection, design, large-scale spatial planning, and sustainable financing of NBSWT;
• develop evidence-based policy recommendations for safe water reuse in urban water cycles;
• mainstream gender and inclusivity in research on and implementation of NBSWT;
• overcome the barriers to trans-sectoral growth and sustainable development in urban water management
During the first 18 months of MULTISOURCE, monitoring of seven technical NBSWT pilots has started, including identification of measurable co-benefits, target and non-target screening for micropollutants and microplastics. A knowledge base for the development of long-term financing and operations & maintenance of NBSWT case studies has been constructed. A “Reference handbook: financing and O&M best practices” was publicly published on the project website. The conceptual development of the MULTISOURCE Selection tool, for both the Selection and Design decision making levels was also started during this reporting period, with work continuing in the next reporting period. Additionally, a methodology to map urban archetypes at block-level has been developed that is set up in a modular manner to incorporate different and interchangeable data sources and first urban archetype maps using common data sources have been developed for Girona, Milano, Lyon, and Oslo. A hydraulic disconnection module has started with a data reduced network assessment. The foundation for integrating the needs and interests of relevant stakeholders into all core activities across MULTISOURCE has also been developed. Integration roadmaps for the international advisory board, municipality partners, and international partners has been developed. A gender mainstreaming workshop was held for the entire consortium and continues to be a cross-cutting theme across various work packages and tasks. The project website has been launched, as well as a portfolio for communication and dissemination material, and regular postings on social media. Project management has established a framework for protection of personal data as well as data management within the project.
The main results of MULTISOURCE are expected to:
• demonstrate the pollutant removal and risk abatement capacities of enhanced natural treatment systems, as well as the ecosystem benefits and values they provide;
• enable stakeholders in developed and developing countries, including local municipality and metropolitan areas government staff, to reduce pressure on existing infrastructure and freshwater resources by using MULTISOURCE tools to plan, finance, and implement NBSWT in their region;
• accelerate the uptake of nature-based solutions in urban water management worldwide;
• normalize social equality as an integral target of green infrastructure and smart urban development;
• enhance cross-sectoral international collaboration among governmental staff (both practitioners and policy makers), educators, researchers, and the general public.
The main exploitable result during the first reporting period is the Deliverable 3.1: Reference Handbook on Financing and O&M Best Practices for nature-based solutions for water treatment, which is a publicly available deliverable. Other work done during this reporting period is not ready to be exploited yet, as data collection for the pilots is still underway, as is the development of the planning tools and integration of stakeholder input. This work is expected to advance significantly in the second reporting period.
• demonstrate the pollutant removal and risk abatement capacities of enhanced natural treatment systems, as well as the ecosystem benefits and values they provide;
• enable stakeholders in developed and developing countries, including local municipality and metropolitan areas government staff, to reduce pressure on existing infrastructure and freshwater resources by using MULTISOURCE tools to plan, finance, and implement NBSWT in their region;
• accelerate the uptake of nature-based solutions in urban water management worldwide;
• normalize social equality as an integral target of green infrastructure and smart urban development;
• enhance cross-sectoral international collaboration among governmental staff (both practitioners and policy makers), educators, researchers, and the general public.
The main exploitable result during the first reporting period is the Deliverable 3.1: Reference Handbook on Financing and O&M Best Practices for nature-based solutions for water treatment, which is a publicly available deliverable. Other work done during this reporting period is not ready to be exploited yet, as data collection for the pilots is still underway, as is the development of the planning tools and integration of stakeholder input. This work is expected to advance significantly in the second reporting period.