INTERREG-SUDOE Sudwama Project: SUDoe Sustainable Water Management

Water resources are increasingly threatened by climate change, overconsumption, unsustainable land use, and inadequate regulations. The project addresses these challenges by focusing on urban areas in the SUDOE region through a circular economy approach. SudWaMa thus focuses on tackling common barriers such as regulatory frameworks, infrastructure investments, technological innovations, and public acceptance. By comparing the regulatory frameworks of SUDOE countries, the partners are developing a common strategy on measures to improve water efficiency in institutional buildings, promote circular economy practices, and engage end users. Based on a co-creation process, the project brings together R&D experts with local and regional authorities, water operators, NGOs, startups, and established companies. This strengthens networks, facilitates knowledge sharing, and creates new synergies among stakeholders at a transnational level. Furthermore, the project aims to demonstrate the sustainability of circular water management systems and tools at three pilot sites, including cost-effectiveness analysis. Innovative solutions are being implemented for the reuse of rainwater, greywater, and wastewater. Through scientific publications, workshops, and conferences, the scientific community, institutions, and authorities will engage in dialogue to validate these new solutions. By comparing different participatory awareness-raising approaches and sociocultural factors, the project designs tailored actions to engage users in sustainable water management. SudWaMa's innovative aspect lies in its offering of diverse, complementary, and interdependent circular water management solutions. This holistic approach fosters cooperation among all types of stakeholders at a transnational level, contributing to solutions for building a more resilient urban space.