SUSTAQAUA: Improve policies to reduce energy consumption & make water resources more accessible, efficient & sustainable

SUSTAQUA project – funded by the Interreg Europe Programme – encourages European public authorities to peer-to-peer learning to use the most sustainable water sources in proximity to the least sustainable ones, using reused water and rainwater for their supply.

The rules for the use of resources are determined by river basin plans, which in most cases are limited to offsetting demands with available resources, not prioritising sustainable water sources over non-sustainable ones.

In most cases, groundwater is the most convenient source for the user, however this source is being overexploited in most regions. Groundwater is a convenient option for users because in a way aquifers function as water storage reservoirs where the user extracts water on demand. Surface resources that use reservoirs for regulation are also convenient for the user; however, these two sources are not necessarily the closest and, in some cases, more sustainable and other closer sources are available that do not require pumping water several kilometres away including non-conventional water sources.

In 2020 the EU reuse regulation was approved and yet the rate of water reused is less than 3%.

Another alarming case is rainwater, which is not only not wasted but also causes damage to the population and carries elements that pollute water bodies.

SUSTAQUA will exchange knowledge and experience among highly experienced partners from Spain, Malta, Hungary, North Macedonia, Sweden and Denmark to improve policies on how to assess the availability, quality, and distribution of water resources; what is the current carbon footprint associated with water management practices; identify the challenges and opportunities for improvement; propose strategies to reduce water wastage and improve efficiency in agriculture, industry, and domestic use; suggest ways to incorporate renewable energy sources into water management systems and recommend infrastructure improvements, such as green building practices, smart irrigation systems, and water recycling facilities.

SUSTAQUA will exchange knowledge and experience among highly experienced partners from Spain, Malta, Hungary, North Macedonia, Sweden and Denmark to improve policies on how to assess the availability, quality, and distribution of water resources; what is the current carbon footprint associated with water management practices; identify the challenges and opportunities for improvement; propose strategies to reduce water wastage and improve efficiency in agriculture, industry, and domestic use; suggest ways to incorporate renewable energy sources into water management systems and recommend infrastructure improvements, such as green building practices, smart irrigation systems, and water recycling facilities.