AquaStress



AquaStress: Mitigation of Water Stress through New Approaches to Integrating Management, Technical, Economic and Institutional Instruments

AquaStress is an Integrated Project (IP) funded by the European Commission in the frame of the 6th R&D Framework Programme (Contract no: 511231).

Water stress is a global problem with far-reaching economic and social implications. The mitigation of water stress at regional scale depends not just on technological innovations, but also on the development of new integrated water management tools and decision-making practices. The AquaStress IP delivers enhanced interdisciplinary methodologies enabling actors at different levels of involvement and at different stages of the planning process to mitigate water stress problems. The IP draws on both academic and practitioner skills to generate knowledge in technological, operational management, policy, socio-economic, and environmental domains. Contributions come from 35 renowned organizations, including SMEs, from 17 Countries.

AquaStress aims to generate scientific innovations to improve the understanding of water stress from an integrated multisectoral perspective to support:

  • Diagnosis and characterisation of sources and causes of water stress;
  • Assessment of the effectiveness of water stress management measures and development of new tailored options;
  • Development of supporting methods and tools to evaluate different mitigation options and their potential interactions; 
  • Development and dissemination of guidelines, protocols, and policies;
  • Development of a participatory process to implement solutions tailored to environmental, cultural, economic and institutional settings;
  • Identification of barriers to policy mechanism implementation;
  • Continuous involvement of citizens and institutions within a social learning process that promotes new forms of water culture and nurtures long-term change and social adaptivity.

The IP adopts a Case Study stakeholder-driven approach and is organised in three phases:

  1. Characterisation of selected reference sites and relative water stress problems,
  2. Collaborative identification of preferred solution options,
  3. Testing of solutions according to stakeholder interests and expectations.

The AquaStress IP spans a duration of four years (2005-2008).

The project will make a major contribution to the objectives of the Global Change and Ecosystems Sub-Priority 1.1.6.3, addressing Topic II.3.3.b of the 6th Framework Programme of the European Commission. The project supports the implementation of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC and of the EU Water Initiative.

Project Participants

  • CNR.IRSA - Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque, IT (Project Coordinator)
  • UoR - University of Reading, UK
  • RIZA - Rijksinstituut voor Integraal Zoetwaterbeheer en Afvalwaterbehandeling, NL
  • CRANFIELD - Cranfield University, UK
  • UoP - University of Piraeus, GR
  • UCL - University College London, UK
  • USF - Universität Osnabrück, DE
  • ALTERRA BV, NL
  • RWTH - Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule Aachen, DE
  • CEMAGREF - Centre national du machinisme agricole, du génie rural, des eaux et forêts, FR
  • NERC-CEH - Natural Environment Research Council, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK
  • UHANN - Universität Hannover, DE
  • UNEXE - University of Exeter, UK
  • UB - Universitat de Barcelona, ES
  • APA - APA NOVA Bucuresti S.A. - A Veolia Water Company, RO
  • GEONARDO Environmental Technologies Ltd, HU
  • WL DELFT - Stichting Waterloopkundig Laboratorium NL
  • TNO - Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek, NL
  • APRE - Agenzia per la Promozione della Ricerca Europea, IT
  • NTUA - National Technical University of Athens, GR
  • CIHEAM-IAMB - International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, Istituto Agronomico Mediterraneo of Bari, IT
  • HYD - Hydrodata SpA, IT
  • CIRAD - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, FR
  • IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, FR
  • HIDROMOD - Hidromod, Modelação em Engenharia, Lda, PT
  • DHI - Water & Environment, DK
  • WU - Wageningen Universiteit BE IDC - Innovation & Development Consulting Sprl, NL
  • FEUP - Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade de Porto, PT
  • HYC – Hydrocontrol Centro di Ricerca e Formazione per il Controllo dei Sistemi Idrici, IT
  • CUT - Politechnika Krakowska, PL
  • UACEG - University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodezy, Sofia, BG 
  • AF - AEOLIKI Foundation, CY
  • INAT Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie, TN
  • IAV - Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Sciences Hassan II, MO