News

The AWARD, InnWater, and WATERUN projects are organising a joint online webinar on 26 February 2026, 14:00–15:30 CET, to present policy recommendations and share insights from European water innovation projects. 

Context

This article explores the potential of stormwater to recharge urban aquifers and sustain city lakes through a demonstration case in Bucharest’s Circus Lake area. By integrating surface water and groundwater modelling, monitoring, and hydraulic analysis, the project examines how urban stormwater can be more effectively managed. Key activities include data collection, stormwater treatment, bioretention system design, and assessment of lake–aquifer interactions. The work aims to reduce pressure on sewer networks while enhancing urban water resilience.

In the pilot site located in Bucharest, Romania, the AWARD project is testing how nature-based solutions can be used to treat and reuse urban stormwater collected from rooftops and streets. This pilot investigates simple, low-cost filtration methods inspired by natural processes, assessing their effectiveness against Romanian and European water quality standards. 

From Rainwater to Reuse: Testing Natural Filters 

Contribution to Deliverable 3.1 “Conceptual and operational elements of articulation of the patrimonial approach and the digital twin”: The vulnerability Diagnosis

Since the project's launch, the UVSQ/Paris Saclay team has facilitated a process of interaction with the various AWARD project partners to develop a vulnerability assessment related to the project's four demonstration cases.

Under the supervision of J.-M. Douguet, Sofia Perez and Loup Deladerrière conducted field visits and interviews, as well as a literature review, to address three key areas:

In the second part of 2024, the BDG team, leader of the Work Package 2 – ‘’Socio-political support and engagement for AWRs management’’, has worked on a report which aims to capture the societal shifts in attitude in the transition from a clean water supply to Alternative Water Resources.