In early February, representatives from the Westcountry Rivers Trust (WRT) attended the second in-person consortium meeting of the EU Horizon project UrbaQuantum in Paris. Over two days of technical sessions and site visits, partners from across Europe collaborated on key project themes, including sensor development, data integration, modelling approaches, and stakeholder engagement.
UrbaQuantum brings together 18 organisations across six European countries to address challenges in urban water management through integrated sensing technologies, advanced modelling, and decision-support tools. The UK hosts one of four demonstration catchments within the project – the River Dart – where WRT is working alongside South West Water and the University of Exeter. The focus of this collaboration is to incorporate citizen science into both monitoring strategies and model development, strengthening the evidence base for local decision-making.
During the meeting, WRT presented its approach to developing a citizen science toolkit designed to support project partners in embedding community-led monitoring within their own demonstration sites. This contribution forms a key part of ensuring that local knowledge and participation are effectively integrated into technical workflows and outputs.
The consortium meeting also included a site visit to the Paris demonstration location at SEDIF’s water treatment facility. This provided valuable insight into the operational context of a major urban water supply system, including its reliance on surface water sources and the complexities of a multi-stage treatment process. Particular attention was given to emerging challenges such as microplastics and chemical contaminants, reinforcing the importance of innovation in monitoring and management approaches.
Beyond formal sessions, the meeting provided an important opportunity to strengthen working relationships with both UK and international partners. These interactions are essential to maintaining effective collaboration across a diverse consortium and underpin the successful delivery of project outcomes.