A hackathon on financial and management solutions for the water supply and wastewater treatment sector

16–17 April marked a hackathon on financial and management solutions for the water supply and wastewater treatment sector. It was organised by the consortium partners as part of the LIFE-U-SPRINGBOARD project, which is co-funded by the European Union.

The hackathon was attended by 12 participants from the communities of Novovolynsk, Boryslav, and Przemyśl, as well as representatives of the Kuyalnyk Village Council in the Podilskyi District of the Odesa Region.

Over the course of two days, they did not merely discuss the issues, but worked on real solutions that could be put into practice, including:

• identifying the actual problems (rather than their symptoms);
• analysing resources and weaknesses;
• identifying barriers: tariffs, debt, energy dependence, governance;
• working on comprehensive solutions (not just a single project, but a system of changes);
• identifying realistic sources of funding;
• shaping the outcomes and long-term impact.

As a result, each team developed a roadmap for addressing the issue, a set of specific initiatives, potential sources of funding, and well-defined outcomes and impacts.

The outcomes can also be incorporated into local strategies. The hackathon was not just about ideas, but about real solutions!

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all our partners for their cooperation and for driving change in the water supply and wastewater treatment sector! We appreciate the participants’ active involvement and willingness to share their experiences! Many thanks to the Dental Medical Centre of the Danylo Halytskyi Lviv National Medical University for the institutional support of this event.

As a reminder, the LIFE-U-SPRINGBOARD project is implemented under the LIFE Programme and funded by the EU. It aims to promote sustainable water supply, modernise water treatment systems, and strengthen the institutional capacity of water utilities and local authorities.