Local Integrated Action Plan (Plano Local de Ação Integrada, PLAI)

The PLAI was developed in response to a range of pressing environmental challenges, including extreme weather events, pollution, water scarcity, and high-water consumption.

The objectives of the PLAI included transforming the city into a “Human Smart City” by encouraging innovation and, at the same time, preventing extreme events and improving urban living through the optimisation of urban spaces. Efforts focus on strengthening the territory by improving ecological, social and functional value of natural and urban environments and standardising Águeda’s Action Plan to implement a locally driven, participatory strategy to improve water efficiency, adapt to climate change, and embed circular practices. Raising awareness and engaging the community is an essential step (environmental education, community-led ecological restoration of rivers and streams), along with resource efficiency, waste reduction and promotion of best practices in water management, notably in flood prevention.

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Agueda’s PLAI was developed in 2023 against the backdrop of the Circular Cities Network initiative and, more specifically, the CApt2 – Water Circularity project. The Circular Cities Network was established through a partnership of 8 Portuguese cities, receiving technical and financial support from the Environmental Fund under the National Circular Cities Initiative. Within this framework, the project “CApt2 – Water Circularity, by all and for all” project was launched to promote circular water use through community-led action plans that drive sustainable, efficient, and participatory water management.

As part of CApt2, the municipality of Águeda developed a Local Integrated Action Plan (PLAI) to address local challenges by enhancing resource efficiency, support climate adaptation, and water and energy conservation. The plan outlines nine actions across three key areas: watercourses and ecological restoration, awareness and community engagement, and resource reuse and education. Several actions directly address water quality, such as river rehabilitation, environmental monitoring through sensors, and water reuse in public buildings.

Through the design of a concrete and effective action plan, the PLAI supported behavioural shifts with the adoption of more responsible water consumption habits and raised awareness of water scarcity. It also facilitated the effective implementation of monitoring techniques, strengthened knowledge sharing, as well as the recognition of the value of water as a resource. Overall, the plan contributed to improving water management and sustainability, building a greener and more resilient city.

• Participatory approach: local entities, private bodies and citizens worked together to evaluate the state of the art and identify the actions needed in a short-medium period. All the people who participated in the CApt2 project were involved in developing the plan.
• Collaboration with other cities and sharing of best practices. Study visits were organised between the 8 Portuguese cities, as well as with international partners. Talks and interviews with technicians, politicians and associations took place to understand the implementations challenges in different territories, as well as to learn, improve and not repeat the same mistakes (win-win situation)
• Political and technical awareness of the issue

• Water scarcity and the need for retention in the summer months: reduced summer rainfall and increased demand make retention infrastructure essential, but implementation involves high environmental impacts.
• Challenges among different cities regarding the management of natural resources and the management of their cities: differences in policies, financial capacity and governance lead to uneven water management, complicating cooperation.
• Effects of flooding during periods of heavy rainfall: inadequate drainage systems struggle to handle extreme precipitation, causing infrastructure damage, soil erosion and water contamination.
• Significant silting of watercourses and the lake: erosion from land use changes accelerated sediment buildup, reducing water storage capacity and increasing flood risks, requiring costly dredging and conservation efforts.
• High water consumption among the population
• Losses within the water supply system: old infrastructures have high water leakage indexes, leading to system losses and associated costs for improvement works.
• Climate change: in the context of evolving water precipitation due to climate change, uncertainties surrounding extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, add a layer of complexity to the management of such resources.
• Costs related to interventions: infrastructure upgrades, flood protection, and efficiency measures require significant funding.

• The plan was developed through a participatory process involving local stakeholders, including schools, environmental organisations, and technical experts, ensuring strong local ownership and relevance.
• Águeda integrated smart monitoring systems (e.g. sensor networks under Projeto Águas) to track water flow and quality, improving responsiveness to extreme events such as floods and droughts.
• Community engagement actions like Vamos Falar de Água! and the Eco-Escolas programme promoted behavioral change and environmental awareness, particularly among young people.
• Recognition of Águeda as one of Portugal’s most sustainable municipalities, including high scores in the Municipal Sustainability Index and awards such as the “Green Destinations” and “Bandeira Verde ECOXXI”, underscores the plan’s alignment with broader sustainability goals.
• Evidences that the General Drainage Plan and pumping system, improved rainwater run-off capacity and protect the right bank of the River Águeda. This system has prevented the city centre from flooding.

• Engage a wide range of stakeholders early: involve municipal departments, schools, citizens, and private actors from the outset to ensure the plan reflects local priorities and builds shared responsibility.
• Build on existing sustainability efforts: align new initiatives with ongoing local strategies and programmes (e.g. climate adaptation plans, energy efficiency strategies) to maximise coherence and impact.
• Combine technical solutions with education: pair infrastructure investments (like smart water sensors) with public awareness campaigns to foster long-term behavioural change.
• Secure political and institutional support: a clear commitment from local leadership, as shown in Águeda, is key to sustaining momentum and allocating resources.
• Adopt a flexible but structured methodology: use participatory planning tools and non-formal education techniques to co-design actions that are adaptable to evolving environmental and social contexts.​​​​​​​

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