LIFE WAT’SAVEREUSE, European project to highlight the benefits of saving and reusing water
WAT’SAVEREUSE is an international and inter-regional project funded by the EU program LIFE, led by the Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion (EPM). The project gathers EUR 1.5 million European funds and represents the first LIFE communication project of the entity.
This project, to be developed over three years in the Mediterranean basin, was launched on September 1, 2020, and will end on October 30, 2023. The main objective of LIFE WAT’SAVEREUSE project is to highlight the benefits of saving and reusing water, as well as the opportunities this can bring to the tourism sector, the implementation of initiatives that promote a circular economy model based on the reduction of water consumption.
For the first time, a project is being carried out that addresses all aspects of water consumption and reuse in the tourism sector, in addition to reducing the risk of drought and reducing the environmental impact of tourism on the Mediterranean coast.
WAT’SAVEREUSE, aims to help alleviate the environmental problem of water scarcity and drought, particularly in the tourism sector. Amid the crisis of Covid-19, this sector is having a difficult time, that’s why the Euroregion and its 9 partners are working on the elaboration of a good strategy to make the project go further, and in the best conditions to achieve the established objectives.
Among those, awareness campaigns aimed at 4 target groups are programmed, to achieve the following objectives:
• To reduce at least 10%, the overall water consumption of tourists during their stay in hotels.
• To promote and raise awareness of groups of interest of the tourism industry concerning water saving and reuse.
• To encourage the tourism industry to implement at least 5 water reuse solutions.
• To strengthen collaboration between public administrations and value chain operators.
• To diminish global freshwater consumption by 30%.
Apart from the Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion (see map), the consortium gathers nine partners, from the regions of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands (ES), and Occitania Region (FR):
On the other hand, the Canary Islands, Corsica and Sardinia actively participate in WAT’SAVEREUSE and are part of the pilot group of the project, engaging in replication and capitalization activities.
The partners encourage actions and collaborations involving advanced solutions in the water sector and for end-users, as well as public entities and other actors of the tourism sector.
The strategic axis of LIFE+ program focuses on the validation of the communication and governance actions of the regions, aiming at the reduction of water consumption and to foster the circular economy, with special emphasis on the Mediterranean environment.
To achieve the defined objectives, a series of actions will be undertaken mainly at national, regional, and local levels, creating common ownership of shared goals and objectives and ensuring a level playing field for business and public authorities.
More information:
Ariadna ANTON
Communication Manager of WAT’SAVEREUSE Project
EGTC Pyrenees Mediterranean EUROREGION
El Centre del Món |35, Boulevard Saint Assiscle |CS 32032 | 66011 Perpignan Cedex | France
Tel. +33 4 48 22 22 38
ariadna.anton@euroregio-epm.eu
Featured image by Jong Marshes on Unsplash
