At the end of January 2019 the AKUT project (incentive systems for municipal flood prevention) was launched in Mainz. As an affiliated partner, igr is involved in this project, which is supported by the Federal Ministry for the Environment as part of the German climate change adaptation strategy. It is designed for a duration of two years. 

As a result of climate change, heavy rainfall events occur more frequently and can affect every region in Germany. For technical and economic reasons, municipal drainage systems are incapable of coping with such exceptional events.  Instead, the aim must be to keep damage to a minimum through the use of preventative measures.

This brings a large variety of stakeholders into play – government, municipal administrations, industry, civil protection and emergency services as well as citizens. Flood prevention is a task requiring joint working!. This brings a large variety of stakeholders into play – government, municipal administrations, industry, civil protection and emergency services as well as citizens. Flood prevention is a task requiring joint working! To some extent the interests of the stakeholders are in competition: those who can implement a measure at little cost, are not necessarily those who are at risk of flood damage. The project goal is therefore to develop an advisory tool, which can find an optimal collective solution, taking into account the interdependencies and reciprocal influences of the stakeholders. The advisory tool will support municipalities in choosing appropriate preventative measures and suitable incentives for their implementation.

Representatives of all affiliated partners in the field of water management and residential water management from the University of Mainz; Optimierung AG from the Kaiserslautern Technical University; the Enkenbach-Alsenborn combined municipality; igr AG; the Elxleben municipality (Thüringen); the Rockenhausen combined municipality; and the Mittlere Bergstraße association of municipal management (Hessen) participated in the launch event.   Professor Gerhard Muth, president of the University of Mainz, welcomed the participants and wished the project a successful outcome.

Stefanie Seiffert