Baseline assessment and best practices in urban water cycle services in the city of Hamburg

Abstract

Megatrends (e.g. demographic changes, water scarcity, water pollution and climate change) pose urgent water challenges in cities. This is highlighted in the European Union (EU) project TRUST (Transitions to the Urban Water Services of Tomorrow; www.trust-i.net/index.php). The main objective of TRUST is to support water authorities and utilities in Europe in formulating and implementing appropriate urban water policies as well as new technology and management solutions in order to enhance urban water cycle services. Baseline assessments of the sustainability of Urban Water Cycle Services (UWCS) have been made for eleven cities [1]. Hamburg performed well and had a high Blue City Index. This is in line with previous studies performed by Siemens [2]. In 2011, the city of Hamburg was awarded the title “European Green Capital” by the European Commission because of its ambitious targets in sustainability, climate and environmental protection. In order to improve the sustainability of UWCS in cities it is essential that cities share their best practices, for instance via a dedicated website. In this way cities can learn from each other in their transition towards more sustainable UWCS and become part of the solution!