Risk-based prioritization of water protection in sustainable spatial planning (WaterPlan)

Research Project, 2018 – 2022

The aim of the project is to enable a well-informed analyses and prioritization of measures for protecting drinking water sources as part of future urban development. Access to drinking water of good quality is fundamental to a sustainable society. In addition to providing drinking water, water   resources constitute a necessary part in the supply of other goods and services, such as food products, energy and cultural and aesthetic services. Human activities, increased water demand and climate change create significant risks for water resources. For long-term water protection various actions are implemented in accordance with Swedish and EU legislations and norms, e.g. water protection areas. A deficiency in prioritization and design of risk reduction measures in Sweden is a lack of a basis to motivate the measures, considering positive and negative effects on society. Major project parts are: (1) Characterization of drinking water sources and identification of services, risks and effects, (2) Economic valuation of protective measures for drinking water sources based on value transfer and primary valuation studies; and (3) Economic decision analysis of water protective measures. The project gives new knowledge and decision support for prioritizing water protection in Sweden. This project integrates the fields of risk assessment, civil engineering and environmental economics. The project is performed in collaboration with water utilities and includes three case-studies.