Milan Climathon: The integrate management of the water system in Lombardy

News 23 Oct 2016

The Climate-KIC Climathon is a global  climate change event which will take place simultaneously in major cities around the world on 28 October 2016. 

In Milan, the Climate-KIC Climathon will begin on the 28 October CEST and finish the next day. It is organised by ComoNExT and the Politecnico of Milan. The Milan Climathon looks at the city’s water management systems and the possibility of monitoring the water quality and usage, as well as making citizens aware of damaging household sources. 

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The Challenge 

Lombardy is characterised by numerous streams and rivers (that reach a total length of about 6000km) and lakes of different sizes. Underground resources adds up to these surfacing ones and they both concur in fulfilling the water need by residential (drinkable water) and industrial sites.

Water is a common good, essential and not transportable. For these reasons an integrated management policy is needed in order to allow the optimal use of this good by citizens and productive companies; the policy should take into account the differences between areas where water is scarce or abundant.
This Climathon challenge is linked to this thematic, proposed by the city of Milan but interesting also at a regional level.

What kind of water management systems and policies could be implemented? How it could be possible to monitor the surface water quality? How can citizens contribute in the management of the most important resource? Is it possible to monitor water usage? How to find out the leakages in the water supply network? How to make citizens aware about damaging discharge for the sewage and waste water systems (e.g. frying oils, varnishes, rags, cotton buds,…)?

The challenge could be answered with models, idea, physical and digital products.
The participants will be supported in the scientific field by experts in resources management and geographic information system ones, and they could evaluate the feasibility of the ideas with the help of the ComoNExT incubator’s team.

Partners

ComoNExT

Politecnico of Milan

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