 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Project summary
Name of the case study
Water savings in Copenhagen
Where is it located?
Denmark
What type of activity is it?
Changing users attitudes and actions
Short description of the case study
The case study concerns the efforts for water savings in Copenhagen since 1989, where the average water consumption in households has been used as a main indicator. The water saving campaign included many different efforts: Information campaigns about water savings and the water cycle, promoting of water saving devices, providing consultancy on water saving for consumers, demonstrating alternative ways of using water locally, collaboration with intermediary actor groups and other initiatives). The average water consumption in the municipality (litres/person/day) was used as a primary measuring point to define goals, to monitor the process and evaluate the results. The water saving campaign was a major success; from 1989 to 1994 the average water consumption in Copenhagen was reduced by 18%, from 168 to 138 liters per person per day. Since that time, the progress has decreased, and the water consumption seems to have stagnated around 127 l/p/d. The initiatives for water savings have been reduced since Copenhagen Water was merged with Copenhagen Energy in 2001. Today, there is a wider range of possibilities to increase a sustainable water management in the region that need to be considered and assessed.
The case was chosen, as the quantitative goals for water reductions had a central place in the Water planning for Copenhagen, and have bee often referred to in local initiatives on water savings. The drivers for sustainable water management have been very strong in the Copenhagen Region, due to the physical and organisational context. The case is related to PETUS key problems "The water resource quality and availability", and "Sustainable management of water in cities"
What tools were used to assess sustainability?
Indicators on water consumption
More information