World Water Day: Why People and Participation Are Key to Water Resilience

World Water Day reminds us that water is not only a resource,but a shared responsibility. As climate change intensifies pressures on water systems, innovative and decentralised approaches are becoming essential toensure resilience, sustainability, and equitable access. This is precisely theambition of the WATERSENS project, which develops and demonstrates nature-basedand decentralised water management solutions to support smarter decision-makingand water reuse across diverse regions.

Beyond technology, WATERSENS places strong emphasis on people and participation. Through active involvement in clustering initiatives and citizen engagement activities, the project connects with local communities,schools, and students across its pilot regions - raising awareness, fostering environmental responsibility, and empowering the next generation to become active contributors to the water transition.

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Citizen engagement in action: Spain and Greece

 Visits to the pilot site in Rases and Astillero (Spain)

To mark World Water Day, partners from the University of Cantabria and the RIA association organised an educational visit to the Rases demonstrator. Environmental Engineering PhD candidates and exchange studentswere introduced to the project’s objectives and ongoing activities on-site. The visit provided a valuable opportunity to connect theory with practice, allowing participants to better understand how innovative water management solutions are implemented in real-world conditions.

Also, partners from the University of Cantabria organised an educational visit to the Astillero demonstrator with international exchange students from France, USA and Germany. During the visit, studentswere introduced to the challenge of urban runoff managementin a decentralised way, using Nature-based Solutions to improve the quality ofthe water before return it to the environment.

School visit in Athens (Greece)

Earlier in the month, Professor Fivos Sargentis from the National Technical University of Athens led an educational session at the Ionios School. Through an interactive presentation, students were introduced tothe WATERSENS project and engaged in a dynamic discussion about waterchallenges and solutions. The session also highlighted the Greek pilot inNaxos, encouraging students to reflect on local water issues and ask insightfulquestions.

Clustering for greater impact

 On 23 March, WATERSENS contributed to a webinar organised by the ZERO POLLUTION4WATER cluster titled “World Water Day: Water Resilience & Gender – From Policy to Practice.” World Water Day, celebrated annuallyon 22 March, provides an opportunity to reflect on how water shapes oursocieties and how collective action can strengthen sustainable watermanagement. The 2026 theme, Water and Gender Equality, highlights theimportance of inclusiveness in water governance, examining who participates inshaping solutions and who benefits from them. In this context, the ZEROPOLLUTION4WATER cluster brings together initiatives addressing water pollutionwhile promoting resilience and inclusiveness across Europe.

During the webinar, Sara García Argüelles (University of Cantabria) shared personal insights from her experience as a researcher in thewater sector, while Evdokia Bairampa (3OC) introduced the WATERSENS project andits contributions.

 Did you miss the webinar? You can watch it here.

Conclusion

From pilot site visits to school engagement and cross-projectcollaboration, WATERSENS demonstrates that addressing water challenges requiresmore than technological innovation, it requires informed, engaged, andempowered communities. On this World Water Day, the message is clear: buildingresilient water systems starts with people.

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