In Valencia, we will test two nature-based solutions:

• Peri-urban pilot in the Albufera area, led by Global Omnium. The project begins by analysing and optimising Tancat de Mília as a successful model. This wetland can receive reclaimed wastewater and eutrophicated water from the lagoon itself, and serves a dual purpose: improving water quality through the biogeochemical processes that take place within it, and enhancing and protecting the surrounding biodiversity through the creation of scarce habitats within the Natural Park, turning it into a biodiversity reservoir. During the project, a new Nature-based Solution (NbS) will also be implemented on a 1.3-hectare plot to investigate the feasibility of crop diversification, assessing alternative species with growth cycles different from rice that can provide economic benefits and increase the proportion of flooded land throughout most of the year, while delivering high-value ecosystem services.
• Urban pilot, coordinated by València Innovation Capital, where data from monitored Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) already operating in the city will be analysed, while new sensor-equipped SuDS tree pits with advanced permeable soils will be installed at different locations. These systems will enable the retention of larger volumes of rainwater while filtering it and making it available to trees, improving their health, particularly during periods of drought. In addition, the sensors will provide real-time data on water availability.

Together, these pilots will allow Valencia to test technologies and solutions that increase water availability, reduce pollutants, and improve preparedness for extreme drought events.
In addition, Watergrid will provide a digital platform with up-to-date information to support smarter and more efficient water management across the city.