Circular Water Management in Smart Cities

Abstract

The ongoing climate change forces the need for more and more attentive water management in the city. On the other hand, citizens expect solutions that make their lives easier, or increase their comfort. The answer to these needs seems to be the introduction of circular water management with the use of solutions characteristic for smart cities. Therefore, the aim of the article is to present the framework and perspectives for implementing circular water management in smart cities. At the beginning, the definitions of the circular economy and smart city were discussed. The differences in the linear and circular approaches to water management in cities were also presented. The study presented the stages of the product (water) life cycle as part of a circular model together with a discussion of various circular water management practices used in a smart city, with particular emphasis on innovative solutions in this area. A SWOT analysis was conducted to assess the prospects for the implementation of circular water management in smart cities. The conclusions summed up the framework of circular water management in smart cities and perspectives for its implementation. On the basis of the analysis, suggested directions of activities for the cities of the future were indicated.