At the end of last year, LL Flanders organised its third Community of Practice (CoP) meeting as part of the B-WaterSmart project. The meeting gathered over 30 experts to deliberate on financial and governance strategies for the Mechelen case on stormwater management for agriculture. The discussions focussed on ensuring sustainable funding for ongoing operational costs of the buffer basin and sub irrigation components after the project’s conclusion in August 2024.

The CoP meeting addressed two core themes:

• Effective management and collaboration post-project; and
• Robust financial structure for sustained operations post-project.

Participating stakeholders proposed diverse ideas, such as engaging local industries for funding in exchange for visibility, considering varied collaboration formats (cooperatives, partnerships), and exploring alternative revenue models. Financing mechanisms like addressing groundwater pollution costs, recharge permits, revenue models linked to agriculture, and novel basin uses (energy production, recreational purposes) were also discussed.

Based on data from an OECD report on financing a water secure future, Vlakwa stated in May 2023 the need for significant investment in Europe to future-proof water infrastructure. For Belgium, the investment budget needs to increase by about 40%, in which additional financing sources need to be mobilized, as is Europe where private financing opportunities are being looked at. The CoP meeting further underscored this need for innovative financing and governance strategies and showcased a spectrum of innovative solutions which also demonstrated the critical role of collaborative efforts in tackling forthcoming water management challenges beyond the B-WaterSmart project timeline.

Read the full article (in Dutch) by Simon De Paepe (Water Innovator, Vlakwa) here: https://vlakwa.be/nl/nieuws/innovatie-binnen-financiering-beheer-en-samenwerking-wat-na-afloop-van-een-project.