From water challenges to water-sensitive cities: turning EU resilience goals into urban action
Addressing these challenges requires moving beyond traditional, siloed approaches. Urban water management, planning, design, and climate adaptation have historically followed separate paths, but becoming a water sensitive city demands an integrated approach. A water sensitive city (WSC) is a resilient and livable place that restores the water balance and protects against flooding and scarcity through circular water management, collaboration across governance levels, and community engagement.
The Water Sensitive City Partnership under the Urban Agenda for the EU, coordinated by the Intermunicipal Community of Coimbra Region, brings together 23 partners - cities, national authorities, European institutions and other organisations - to explore how water can become central to urban planning, design and decision-making. Launched in November 2024, the partnership signals a change in perspective, aiming to place water-sensitive approaches at the heart of urban policies.
“Coordinating the Water Sensitive City Partnership is a unique opportunity to bring a strong intermunicipal perspective to a challenge that affects cities and regions across Europe and help cities become more water-resilient and sustainable by connecting experiences, sharing solutions, and strengthening local capacity. Water does not stop at administrative boundaries, and neither should our approaches to managing it.”
In recent years, many cities across the EU identify an urgent need to move beyond traditional water management: periods of drought put water supplies under pressure, and rising temperatures increase demand for water precisely when it is less available. Weeks later, intense rainfall overwhelms drainage systems and floods gush through sealed-surface streets, with devastating effects. Moreover, competing demands, including agriculture and industrial use create further pressure on water, a strategic resource for EU’s global competitiveness.
The UAEU Water Sensitive City Partnership met this year in Prague.
Coordinated by the Intermunicipal Community of the Coimbra Region (CIM-RC), the Partnership brings together 23 partners, including cities, national and regional authorities, European umbrella organisations, technical partners and representatives of the European Commission.
Water resilience requires transforming urban water management
The Partnership is working within a European policy landscape that recognises the need for water-related action. Adopted in 2025, the EU Water Resilience Strategy sets three broad objectives: restoring and protecting the water cycle from source to sea; building a water-smart economy; and ensuring clean and affordable water for all. The Strategy calls for wider use of water-smart practices and green infrastructure, reduced leakage, modernised infrastructure and greater use of digital solutions. It also sets an EU-level objective to improve water efficiency by at least 10% by 2030. The need to address water scarcity and leakage were also highlighted in the State of the Union address delivered by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
To turn these ambitions into reality, cities need more than a common direction – they need funding, enabling regulations, and practical tools and guidance. The Partnership’s draft Action Plan provides the bridge between European objectives and local implementation.
In Chalandri, Greece, the revival of Hadrian’s Aqueduct demonstrates this relationship: previously unexploited water now irrigates public spaces and private gardens, reducing the use of drinking water while involving residents and school communities in creating greener spaces.
“Water is a non-negotiable public good and its protection is a collective responsibility, especially in the era of the climate crisis.”
Planning with water, rather than around it
The Partnership’s seven Actions center on a simple question: how can water become integral to urban planning, rather than a problem addressed after development decisions have already been made? The Actions are designed to work together under the umbrella of the Action 3 on water sensitive urban planning.
Led by the City of Turin, this Action focuses on developing a roadmap for Water Sensitive City Plan. Conceived as an adaptable framework, it will help cities understand their current position, identify their risks, and coordinate action across spatial planning, infrastructure and governance.
“By turning our gaze towards blue infrastructure and seeing it as a network of central, multifunctional urban nodes, municipalities can envision a future in which water, soil, biodiversity and human activities are engaged in a continuous dialogue. Water-sensitive urban planning enables overlapping yet coordinated actions to tackle current crises and future challenges.”
Demo site of the LIFE LATESTadapt project in Viimsi, Estonia (member of WSC Partnership)
Several resources prepared by the Partnership has developed key resources to support cities:
- Mapping of water risks and priorities, recognising that risk depends not only on climate but also on where and how a city has developed.
- A review of water-sensitive planning solutions, from floodplain protection to rainwater harvesting, water reuse and heat-sensitive public-space design, including a Risk–Solutions Matrix, connecting seven priority hazards with 27 possible solutions.
- A Good Practices Report showcasing nine European cities and beyond with tangible water sensitivity solutions, such as Rotterdam’s public squares that temporarily store stormwater, or Dublin’s network of green roofs, permeable surfaces and rain gardens.
- A set of Water Sensitive City indicators (e.g. leakage, stormwater retention, soil impermeability, green-space coverage, water reuse, flood risk, access to water, local capacity and public participation).
- An analysis of indicators and digital tools, revealing that while the necessary technology exists, persistent challenges include data governance, interoperability, institutional responsibilities and finance – which also contribute to the capacity gaps in small and medium sized cities.
“Hungarian small and medium‑sized cities often face capacity gaps when moving from planning to implementation, particularly in finance, organization, human resources and governance. With WSC Partnership support, we can mitigate these gaps by learning from peers, thinking together and adapting good international practices locally”
The Action 5, led by Elche Municipality, introduces a stepwise digitalisation standard to help municipalities assess their digital maturity and identify appropriate next steps, recognising that not every city needs the most advanced technology.
“The stepwise water digitalisation standard helps municipalities bridge capacity gaps by defining clear management goals and technologies for each element in the water cycle. It supports territorial cohesion, preventing a two-speed transition, and harmonised indicators track progress and simplify EU reporting"
How to move from awareness to behaviour change?
Water-sensitive planning cannot rely solely on municipalities - it requires an active engagement of citizens.
The Partnership, through Action 7, led by the City of Enschede, is exploring how citizen science and behavioural interventions can improve urban water management, with the recent publication of a Citizen Science Readiness Scan.
“Creating a water-sensitive urban environment requires societal change, not just technical and nature-based solutions. Beyond creating awareness, the Partnership is developing a framework for behavioural interventions that correspond with indicators for water sensitivity and can be digitally measured.”
Tiles removed from private garden.
The Dutch National Tile Flipping competition offers another example: municipalities encourage residents, businesses and public authorities to replace paving with greenery, reducing heat stress and flooding, while improving biodiversity and urban spaces. This low-budget, but very effective campaign has removed over than 21.1 million tiles and re-greened 1.92 million m2
What comes next for the Water Sensitive City Partnership?
Following the endorsement of the Final Action Plan at the Urban Development Group meeting in Dublin on 25 September 2026, the Partnership will shift from preparation to implementation.
The next phase will focus on putting the tools, knowledge and approaches developed through the Partnership into practice, helping cities connect European water resilience goals with local decisions.
Follow the Water Sensitive City Partnership webpage for more updates!