Urban Water Added Value [antikvár]

1. Introduction a V/oter is the prin- ciple of e alt There is nothing more precious than this liquid that make our planet unique and liveable. But yet its image has to be refined. Responsible for the lives of billions of people, it is still seen as a right by most Europeans. According to the United Nation 1.1 billion people have no access to drinking water. Thus water is the leading cause of mortality before malnutrition, killing approximately 34 000 people each day. While water is a pressing concern in developing countries also face less obvious but important water issue. Old sewage systems and treatment plants that face high investment and maintenance costs that are increasing each year. In addition, floods represent about one-third of all natural catastrophes and hence are not negligible in the water issue. Moreover during the past half- century, mostly due to global warming, the number of hydro-meteorological (floods, drought, etc ) catastrophes significantly increased. Important water quality problems are also showing up in fish poisonings and the disappearance of some species in Europe's major rivers. It is clear that it is time to act. Cities can no longer bury and ignore water policy because it is dangerous, inefficient and expensive to do so. Water must become an integrated part of urban planning. The creation of "green and blue" spaces in urbanized areas provides a combined solution for many water-related problems. But the water experts cannot act alone. Each stakeholder in the urban development community must recognise the added value of integrated water management within cities. This report contains the results of the working group "Added values of Water". After a brief introduction to the Aqua Add project, a summary of the value of water to a multidisciplinary stakeholder group is provided. Next a call to action to guide water policy integration in cities is presented. Finally factsheets will summarise the case studies of the project partners in order to underline the non- hydrological usages and benefits of water. nWater, you you are the most pre- cious wealth in oind yet e almost if ite one." - Antoine de Soint-Exupery