Stakeholder Workshops - WATERSENES engages Local Authorities to Explore the Adoption of Decentralised Water Systems

What does it really take for a municipality to adopt a decentralised water system? This key question guided the first WATERSENS Stakeholder Workshop, organised on the 29th of April, with Local Authorities.

The workshop brought together representatives from municipalities and regional authorities across Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal, offering valuable insights into the real-world challenges faced when planning and implementing water management solutions.

Participants shared concrete examples from their regions, including Lisbon’s drainage master plan under increasing climate pressure, small Mediterranean communities evaluating the extension of sewer networks versus nature-based alternatives, and long-term strategic water planning cycles in Cantabria. These discussions highlighted the complexity of decision-making processes at the local level.

Several key themes emerged from the exchange.

First, decisions are rarely constrained by technological limitations. Instead, they are often hindered by fragmented funding mechanisms, the lack of clear national standards—such as for rainwater quality—and insufficient site-specific data.

Second, evidence-based approaches are critical. Local authorities require demonstrated pilot projects, certified compliance and transparent cost-benefit analyses before moving forward.

Finally, participants emphasised that decision-support tools must align with governance processes, offering practical functionalities such as dashboards, map-based comparisons and decision-tree logic that integrate seamlessly into existing workflows.

These insights will directly inform the development of the WATERSENS Decision Support System, ensuring it remains grounded in the needs and realities of its future users.

The project team would like to warmly thank all participants for their valuable contributions and open discussions.

Stakeholders working on related topics are invited to contribute further through the WATERSENS survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZTCG68P

Co-design activities will continue in the coming months, engaging utilities, technology providers, scientists and replication actors.

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