Project „Introduction of Water Footprint (WFTP) approach in urban area to monitor, evaluate and improve the water use” (URBAN_WFTP)

The application for co-funding of the project called „Introduction of Water Footprint (WFTP) approach in urban area to monitor, evaluate and improve the water use” was filed on 6 November 2011. It is an international project to be implemented by MPWiK S.A. together with other eight partners under the Programme for Central Europe, with the financial support from the European Regional Development Fund.

On 23 November 2012 the official representative of the programme authorities for Central Europe stated co-funding for the project implementation. The Project came into force and will be implemented in cooperation with universities, administrative units, non-governmental organisations, and companies in the environmental protection sector from 5 Central Europe countries (Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland). The Project Leader is the Italian University of Padua, and Poland besides MPWiK S.A. is represented also by the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences.

The subject of the Project is using a tool for monitoring, assessing and improving water resources management in urban areas. This tool is the Water Footprint as an indicator of water consumption directly or indirectly by consumer or manufacturer. It is defined as the total volume of fresh water used for production of goods and services consumed by individuals or communities or produced by the company. To date the Water Footprint has been applied on global and regional scale. The aim of the Project being implemented is to verify whether it can be also applied for urban areas? Under the Project in three cities: Innsbruck, Vicenza, Wrocław will be established three City Coordinating Points in order to assess the efficiency the Water Footprint approach, to compare the obtained results  and to develop a common strategy for Central Europe, with particular regard to the water resources management in urban areas management.

The total value of the Project amounts to 1.626.291 €, of which the financial contribution of MPWiK S.A. amounts to 167.136 €. 85% of this amount will be co-funding from the European Regional Development Fund. (i.e. 142.066 €).

Duration of the Project: November 2012 – November 2014