UrbanM2O Consortium Meets in Zurich to Accelerate Data-Driven Urban Water Quality Management

On June 25-26, 2026, the UrbanM2O project consortium gathered in Zurich for its latest General Assembly, marking the successful completion of the project’s first year and the beginning of a critical implementation phase.

UrbanM2O is an EU-funded initiative dedicated to meeting the Union’s ambitious Zero Pollution goals. By developing AI-enhanced sensors and advanced modelling solutions, the project addresses the fragmentation of urban water data and the growing threats of micropollutants, climate change, and aging infrastructure.

The two-day meeting featured both strategic plenary sessions and intensive field visits. Partners conducted site visits at the BZ Glatt monitoring site in Zurich and the world-leading Urban Water Observatory (UWO) in Fehraltorf, managed by Eawag and ETH Zurich. These visits provided the consortium with hands-on experience in highly distributed sensor networks, a key component for the project’s next phase: the deployment of sensors across all demonstration sites.

The coming 18 months will be transformative as we implement our sensor technology and integrate it into our Digital Urban Water Twin. We are building the data-driven framework cities need to manage water quality holistically.

The meeting also facilitated vital discussions on data flows, AI-enhanced sensor development, and collaborative dissemination strategies. As the project enters this intensive implementation phase, UrbanM2O remains committed to providing cities with the high-quality, real-time data needed to ensure a sustainable and water-smart future for all residents.