Urban M2O Launched to Support Smarter Cities and Cleaner Urban Water

Urban M2O, has been launched with a €6 million budget to help cities tackle growing urban water pollution challenges through smarter monitoring and data-driven management.

As cities face increasing pressure from climate change, expanding urbanisation, and the development of sponge cities, understanding urban water flows and quality is becoming essential. As environmental engineer Lena Mutzner, Head of the Stormwater Quality and Reuse group at Eawag, explains: “First you need to know when, where, how much water is flowing and, above all, what its quality is.”

Urban M2O addresses this need by developing advanced sensors, intelligent data management systems, and adaptable digital twins. These tools will enable cities to implement risk-based water quality management plans, ultimately protecting public health and the environment.

The project brings together leading European research and innovation organisations, including Eawag and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), and is coordinated by DTU – Technical University of Denmark.

By combining monitoring and modelling-based solutions, Urban M2O aims to deliver practical, scalable approaches to improve urban water quality management across Europe.