SOLUCIR

SOLUCIR addresses the need for more widespread uptake and deployment of circular and decentralized water management solutions in the face of expanding urban populations and inadequate infrastructure, particularly in peri-urban areas. The project aims to address key challenges across technical, financial, regulatory, and societal domains that hinder widespread adoption of these solutions, that could offer effective alternatives for, but also resilient upgrades to, existing centralized water systems (where available). The project learns from 23 Inspirational Pilots (IPLs) where novel technologies already exist on the ground and leverages insights and lessons learned to develop 5+1 Pathfinding Studies (PFSs) in collaboration with utilities and local stakeholders to demonstrate the effectiveness, scalability, and benefits of decentralized solutions and directly address barriers for large scale deployment. This process is supported by novel tools and methods for integrating decentralized solutions with centralized systems and by enhancing the operations of decentralised systems through digital innovations. Critical to SOLUCIR is the development of comprehensive risk assessment tools encompassing health, operational, and environmental risks, complemented by targeted policy recommendations and societal interventions. SOLUCIR emphasizes financial sustainability, proposing innovative financial mechanisms and circular business models. The project places a strong focus on capacity building and upskilling at key decision levels (utility, local and regional authorities) and ensures the widespread dissemination of its findings and experiences. To realize its ambitions, SOLUCIR unites a strategic alliance of top universities, advanced research institutions, forward-looking water utilities, and key experts in socioeconomics, business, and innovation, blending cutting-edge knowledge with practical experience to generate tangible impacts.