On June 10-11, IAWD hosted the official in-person kick-off meeting of “D-CLEAN: Improving Water Quality in the Danube River Basin: Nature-Based Solutions for Sustainable Wastewater and Stormwater Management in Small Settlements” in Vienna.

This three year project, supported by the Interreg Danube Region Program and co-funded by the European Union, is particularly relevant for our members operating in small, rural settlements across the Danube Region.

The project consortium led by the Global Water Partnership Central and Eastern Europe conists of ten project partners from seven countries including institutions, universities, companies, and associations. 

D-CLEAN aims to introduce sustainable, nature-based wastewater and stormwater management solutions to small and/or remote off-grid communities. As stated on the D-CLEAN homepage, the vision is "a cleaner, healthier Danube through innovative, collaborative, and sustainable wastewater and stormwater management practices that leave no community behind."

The two-day kick-off meeting in Vienna brought together representatives from ten project partners, some meeting in person for the first time. The primary objectives of the meeting were:

• Getting to know each other
• A deep dive into the three Specific Objectives, including detailed planning
• Overall context setting for the project, including engaging with Associated Strategic Partners

The intense work program included valuable insights from various experts: Arthur Guichet from the European Water Association (EWA) and Tom Besinger from the World Bank set the scene by providing the background information on the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) and the status of wastewater management in the Danube Region.

Furthermore, the project partners made a deep dive into the project activities, with sessions around assessing the status quo, stakeholder management, zooming in on pilot areas etc.

The meeting also featured a field trip to Seestadt Aspern, a new city quarter in Vienna that showcases a large-scale dual infiltration-based rainwater management system.

Attendees also enjoyed a social dinner, and early arrivals had the chance for an "early bird dinner" at Bootshaus on the shores of Alte Donau.

We thank all meeting attendants for their spirited interest and valuable contributions and look forward to reporting on the next developments of project D-CLEAN soon.

For further information on the project, please visit the dedicated project website, sign up to the newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn!