Extreme weather events are also increasing in Baden-Württemberg as a result of climate change. Floods and low water levels have already been on the agenda for some time, and periods of drought and water shortages as well as extreme heat are being added to this. For this reason, a new focus of work is on urban water resource management: water should be drained, stored, infiltrated, reused and evaporated less quickly in urban areas (water-sensitive urban development).
INFRASTRUKTUR & UMWELT Professor Böhm und Partner was commissioned to develop a national strategy for urban water resource management. Firstly, a quantitative and, as far as possible, qualitative target status for the management of the resource in urban areas will be derived in order to be able to develop targeted measures for the state strategy at a later stage. The focus here is on the urban water balance. In order to obtain an overview of the opportunities and limitations, strengths, and weaknesses in Baden-Württemberg’s municipalities in this area, a state-wide online survey of all municipalities was carried out in cooperation with Baden-Württemberg’s municipal associations. This provided some insight into the need for action in order to support local authorities with the enormous tasks and to create appropriate support and framework conditions.
In a first workshop on 30 June 2023 in Stuttgart, the outlined target conditions were discussed and further developed, e.g. for future stock developments. Representatives from municipalities, water management, green and open space planning, urban development and climate adaptation were among the participants. The second workshop will be held in November 2023.
