Monitoring greywater heat flows (WP) 2.2

Climate change is increasingly affecting urban environments worldwide through prolonged droughts, more frequent heat waves, extreme precipitation events, and rising pressures on freshwater resources [1]. These developments directly influence water availability and water quality, creating challenges such as water scarcity, urban flooding and salinization of freshwater bodies. At the same time, ongoing urbanisation and population growth are placing even greater pressure on urban infrastructure and natural resources. Consequently, water management is becoming a critical component of sustainable urban development and climate adaptation strategies. To address these challenges, cities must evolve towards more climate-resilient and resource-efficient systems [2]. In addition to resilience, future urban developments are expected to support circularity, sustainability, and social cohesion. Urban water reuse and resource recovery of valuable resources such as thermal energy, nutrients have emerged as promising approaches to achieving these goals by reducing freshwater demand, improving resource efficiency, and strengthening the overall resilience of urban water systems [3].

The ANCHOR project was established to accelerate this transition towards water-wise neighbourhoods within the North Sea Region [4]. By focusing on the neighbourhood scale, the project brings together multiple disciplines and sectors to develop practical tools and strategies that support the implementation of innovative urban water management solutions. Through a combination of demonstration sites, pilot projects, and an international knowledge network spanning the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Sweden, ANCHOR generates system knowledge on urban water reuse and the resilience of urban water systems. Within this broader framework, the project assesses a range of environmental and technical impacts, including the reduction of micropollutant emissions, nutrient and energy recovery, greenhouse gas emissions, climate adaptation benefits, and the performance of innovative sewage infrastructure. Urban water reuse is therefore not considered as an isolated technological solution, but rather as part of a wider transformation towards circular and sustainable urban systems. Understanding these interconnections is essential for supporting governance decisions, socio-economic evaluations, and the large-scale implementation of water-wise neighbourhood concepts.