A successful example of LIFE + project : AQUAVAL

Approved in 2008 under the heading "Policy and Governance", the principal aim of this ambitious project is to provide innovative solutions to problems related to runoff quantity and quality in the urban environment in the Valencian Region (Spain).

Through the integration of part of the hydraulic infrastructure into the municipal landscape using Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), thereby decreasing the impacts of urban development and adding social and environmental values to the programmed actions.

The main objectives are to:

• Avoid combined sewer overflows in order to improve water quality of the receiving water courses (rivers Albaida and Turia)
• Save on potable water by exploiting Natural Water Resources (rain water) in order to use it for irrigation, street cleaning, etc
• Develop community environmental policy through the integration of environmental concerns into planning and urban water policies, thereby contrbuting to sustainable development.
• Reduce energy consumption (and consequently CO2 emissions to the atmosphere) both in the water management cycle (pumping, sewer treatment plants) and in buildings (with the use of green infrastructures).

Partners:

Council of Xàtiva (Spain) - leaders of the project

Council of Benaguasil (Spain)

PM Enginyeria (Spain)

University of Abertay (UK)

Fundación Comunidad Valenciana - Región Europea (Spain)

More info: www.aquavalproject.eu

Contact: info@uegva.info

Félicitations à la Région PACA

World Water Forum 2012 in Marseille!

On Friday, the World Water Council selected Marseille (France) as the city and country to host the 2012 World Water Forum. The selection followed a process for evaluating the candidates and a final vote from the Council's Board of Governors. The World Water Forum is the world's largest water gathering that brings together over 20,000 political leaders, NGOs, government officials, water professionals, and scientists every three years.

Tragedy in Abruzzo

The network Wateregio express its sorrow for the victims of the terrible earthquakes happened yesterday and today in Italy.

The Mediterranean is an area of high sysmic risk, as the History records in every country. That is why we should strenghthen our commitment to co-operate in the field of risk prevention, considering floods but also applying similar methodologies to sysmic events.

This could result in better protection for our citizens: basic research, improvement of civil protection and rapid response mechanisms, awareness of residents and authorities, and more quality of buildings can be lines of future joint projects, that would add European value to the actions currently undertaken by our National, Regional and Local Authorities.

From this modest website we express our solidarity with the Region of Abruzzo and with its citizens.