At the final conference in Jaworzno, Poland, researchers presented solutions for strengthening the resilience of Central European cities to climate change, with a special focus on urban water resource management. The MAURICE project, which began in 2023, brings together pilot cities from Central Europe, including Ljubljana, where GeoZS made a significant contribution to the development of these solutions.

The solution in Ljubljana addresses stormwater management, the operation of the sewer system, and the quality of groundwater sources for drinking water supply, which lie right beneath our feet. The fundamental idea behind the Ljubljana case study is to increase resilience and adaptability to climate change, which enables the effective management of excess stormwater, dilute and break down pollutants, and ensure water supply within the functional urban area without endangering neighboring communities. We have established an advanced infrastructure for retaining and infiltrating stormwater that functions reliably even in less permeable soils and during long-term operation. At the same time, we have updated the city’s hydrogeological map with detailed data on soil infiltration capacity. This data enables a better understanding of the necessary measures in specific parts of the city and the identification of potential limitations.

On this basis, we can now design resilient drainage concepts tailored to actual natural conditions and the expected impacts of climate change. The key question is no longer whether infiltration is possible, but rather how much stormwater we can infiltrate, how much we can retain within the natural water cycle, and how much we can reuse. A video about the project is available here.