Innovation in water management for the city of the future

With increasing global change pressures, cities of the future will experience difficulties in efficiently as they are forced to manage scarcer and less reliable water resources. In order to meet these challenges there needs to be a paradigm shift in the way we manage urban water systems. The paradigm shift should be based on several key concepts including: flexible and robust system design, interventions over the entire urban water cycle; reconsideration of the way water is used (and reused); and greater intervention of natural systems for water and waste water treatment. This will substantially contribute to a reduction in the vulnerability of cities and an increase in their capacity and preparedness to cope with global changes. SWITCH is a research project that aims to create this paradigm shift by developing scientific, technological and socio-economic solutions for the sustainable and effective management of water in the city of the future - 2050.