The Amsterdam Integrated Approach in Buenos Aires

Integrated Approach of water, waste and urban planning

What do water, solid waste and urban planning have in common with each other? Not much, you’d might say. Actually, this is far from being the case. Amsterdam is an internationally-oriented, innovative city, built on and surrounded by water. Amsterdam sets out to be livable, sustainable and prosperous city. On the basis of these values lies the integrated approach of solid waste, water and urban development, known as the “Amsterdam Integrated Approach”. This integrated vision has proven its benefit not only by preserving these values, but also by continuing to innovate. It provides public authorities with efficient ways to cope with the challenges many metropolitan areas worldwide face with today.

The UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable in 2030. But today, many metropolitan areas worldwide are facing similar challenges such as climate change, shortage of raw materials, rapid urbanization and subsequently, wastewater and solid waste management, and a fast-growing demand for drinking water. With regard to these challenges and goals, Amsterdam has a lot to offer. Especially in the field of water, solid waste management, urban development and sustainability.

In the past years, the Integrated Approach was successfully implemented in many of the partner cities of Amsterdam, such as Hanoi (Vietnam), Jordan (Al-Zaatari), China (Shenzhen, Deyang, Beijing) and Maharashtra (India). The Integrated Approach is based on the concept of a circular and climate proof city, with the economic and ecological benefits of recycling and closed raw materials cycles. Successful implementation strengthens a city’s value to corporate responsibility. In return, Amsterdam can learn a lot from the challenges of other cities..  a win-win for everyone!

Amsterdam and Buenos Aires: a long lasting water partnership

In 2016, the City of Amsterdam and Buenos Aires signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which they agreed to cooperate in the field of water, waste and urban development. Early 2017, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Waternet, the Amsterdam water cycle company and Aguas y Saneamientos Argentinos (AySA), the water service provider of metropolitan Buenos Aires. In the context of these agreements, the City of Amsterdam, Waternet and AEB, the Amsterdam waste-to-energy company, organized the ‘Masterclass Amsterdam – Buenos Aires: Amsterdam Approach & Metropolitan Solutions’ in 2017. Participants represented the key governmental actors of urban development and water –and waste management in Buenos Aires. The primary motive of the Masterclass was to show best practices of the Amsterdam Integrated Approach and to further explore the possibilities of implementing this approach in Buenos Aires.

Under the name ‘Amsterdam-Buenos Aires Platform’- abbreviated as ‘AMS-BUE Platform’, the participants signed a Letter of Intent in which they confirmed their commitment to cooperate in the field of integral approach of water, urban planning and solid waste. The AMS-BUE Platform strives for an integrated dialogue between governments, communities, academia and other institutions, and the development of strategies for sustainable urban development processes. Based on ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ initiatives that can combine large-scale hydraulic engineering projects with small-scale initiatives. 

Fig 1: The Masterclass of the AMS-BUE Platform (Amsterdam, 2017)

Urban problems

Many rivers in and around Buenos Aires suffer from poor water quality, due to untreated domestic wastewater discharges, industrial effluents and illegal waste dumps. The Argentine government, water authorities and province recognize subsequent problems, such as the lack of beneficial use of water, potential public health problems and obstruction of further economic development in the catchment areas. The Rio Reconquista is one of the most polluted rivers in Argentina, its basin hosting more than 3 million people and 10.000 industries. One of the tributaries, the Morón stream, highly contributes to the pollution load of the main river. To ensure the future production of drinking water, the availability of surface water of sufficient water quality is paramount. Non-renewable groundwater resources will not be sufficient to provide the population with drinking water in the future. Therefore, a strategy is needed to improve and protect the surface water quality. Not only based on technical solutions for water pollution control, but also based on an integrated approach of water, solid waste management and urban development.

Fig 2: poor water quality and solid waste are huge challenges the Morón Stream is facing

Towards an integrated approach in the municipalities of Morón and Hurlingham

Early 2019, is was time for action. The project “Towards an integrated approach of water, solid waste management & urban development, developing a framework for pilot area of the municipalities of Morón and Hurlingham” came about, funded by the Partners for Water (RVO) program. The aim of the project is to improve the quality of live, livability and ecology in Buenos Aires, by demonstrating the Amsterdam Integrated Approach in the pilot area of the Morón stream, right on the border between the municipalities of Morón and Hurlingham. Moreover, a Vision for the Morón was shaped in a long-term perspective that is built on all the existing initiatives in the municipalities of Morón and Hurlingham:

In April 2019, World Waternet and the City of Amsterdam facilitated a ‘Scenario Planning Workshop’ to achieve this vision with AMS-BUE Platform. The Platform experienced, through a process of working and developing together, how to improve the quality of live, livability and ecology based on an integrated approach step-by-step. They gained experience in cooperation in terms of an integrated approach of water, solid waste and urban development, on a small scale through scenario planning, a tool for applied gaming for sustainable adaptive urban development.

Fig 3: Hernán Maldonado (Morón) is describing the main urban development issues of the Municipality of Morón

The result of that workshop is an integrated framework with a wide variety of projects and measures to livability and ecology in the Morón stream. Examples are the setup a solid waste recycling plant, the expansion of the sewerage network, an ecological reserve and nature friendly shores. In short, projects and measures that are linked to water, solid waste management and urban development! On 11 June, the projects and measures were presented to several presidents and directors of the participating organizations, the Dutch ambassador and Argentina's Secretary of State for Infrastructure and Water at the Palacio de las Aguas Corrientes (Water Palace) in Buenos Aires. The AMS-BUE Platform also developed a road map, a strategic plan that defines the planning and the milestones needed to implement the proposed projects and measures. In this context, World Waternet is now working on a proposal for enforcement and control of industrial wastewater discharges for the Morón Stream and other parts of the Rio Reconquista.

Fig 4: Map of the pilot area of the Morón stream, including the proposed projects and measures for an Integrated Approach

As a pioneer, it is never easy to pave the way in making a structural change in our thinking and behavior. So the motto is: Think big, act small, and start somewhere! In the short term, the AMS-BUE Platform will begin with the implementation of one small-scale measure, and build up from there. And then who knows, in 2040 the Morón stream might be the place to be for creative economy, recreation, culture and education!