The issue of protection from the element that floods can be has been revived with the success of the Netflix series "Big Water." At the same time, water management remains a problem, but also an opportunity for Polish cities - as the latest annual Water City Index ranking perfectly demonstrates.
See here - a discussion of the Water - City - Quality of Life congress.
Water City Index 2022 is the fourth installment of the ranking published by the Foundation for Economy and Public Administration, Open Eyes Economy Summit, Cracow University of Economics and Arcadis. The publication accompanies the City - Water - Quality of Life congress. The purpose of the ranking is primarily to draw attention to the way water is managed - how the systems of managing the world's most important resource are changing.
structure of the individual indices - the final results of the ranking were based on it
© Water City Index 2022
Differentiated methodology
The WCI was prepared for three groups of local government units: metropolises, cities with county rights and the most populous non-county cities. The ranking consists of four categories, which are made up of fifteen subcategories. Data to create the report is taken from more than forty diverse sources.
Categories evaluated in the ranking
© Water City Index 2022
Each category covers a different scope. Life is primarily concerned with the cost and conditions of water use for city residents. The categories include the price per cubic meter of sewage and water, the quality of infrastructure or its density, among others.
factors considered in the life category
© Water City Index 2022
Another category is hazard. Here, preparation for crisis - responses to floods, droughts, but also the degree of preparedness or frequency of crises - was taken into account first and foremost.
factors considered in the threat category
© Water City Index 2022
Economy and business was an equally important factor. In this category, the price per cubic meter of water and wastewater for industry, the number and size of companies using water resources in the production process or the implementation of RES technologies were taken into account.
factors considered in the economy and business category
© Water City Index 2022
The last category was culture and residents. Here the main factors taken into account were the city-forming nature of water - the use of waterfronts, the connection of greenery and water with the system of recreational routes, the area of land protected by scenic qualities, but also expenditures on educational activities.
factors considered in the culture and people category
© Water City Index 2022
Water in the metropolis
The metropolis that again received first place was Gdansk. The capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship received the maximum score. It was immediately followed by Krakow and Szczecin. The decline this year was recorded primarily by Wrocław and Bydgoszcz. Of the metropolises, Lodz received the worst score.
ranking of metropolises
© Water City Index 2022
Meanwhile, in the counties
Another category taken into account was cities with county rights. In this aspect, the first place went to the coastal city of Swinoujscie. Coastal cities, fully aware of the risks, but also of the opportunities presented by water policy, led the way in this competition. Third and fourth place went to Gdynia and Sopot. Second place was awarded to Rzeszow.
ranking for cities with county rights
© Water City Index 2022
small cities
The ranking was also created for cities that are not metropolises or with county rights. In this case, Lubliniec took the first place, followed closely by Kolobrzeg and Mragowo. In this category, the report's creators did not differentiate the division into four categories in the presentation of the results.
ranking for medium-sized cities (other places available for viewing in the gallery
© Water City Index 2022
discussion about water is still needed
It's not just Netflix's series about the 1997 flood that should make us aware of the scale of the problems water can bring. The worsening climate crisis, contrary to the opinion of denialists, carries risks such as cyclical droughts and floods. Cities, the authors point out, despite the crisis of financial resources, should not be a crisis of development. A rational water management that understands the concepts of a regenerative city should be pursued to prevent negative phenomena, including economic ones.
The entire report is available on the OEES website - See here.
