Challenge description

This summer, Wuppertal and many other cities in Germany have been hit by heavy rain. Roads were flooded, in many homes and shops the water was many inches high, the roof of a university building and a gas station collapsed. The costs caused by the storm are considerable.

The prevention of floodings and heavy rainfall events and the resulting consequences is a communal task. It serves to protect potentially affected areas such as people, buildings, traffic, the economy, etc. and to avoid costly damages. Municipalities, water management associations and fire departments are also increasingly under pressure, as well as responsible, just like the private sector and local citizens.

Challenge vision

There are numerous information materials for citizens and shops. Yet: many homeowners and also the industry ignore the warnings and continue to refrain from the simplest protective measures, such as backflow prevention devices in house connection lines. After heavy rain or a flood, awareness is naturally the highest among decision-makers, as well as the public, but it decreases soon afterwards, often to the point of ignoring the issues entirely.

Questions to be answered are:

• How can citizens (but also industry) be sensitized and motivated to not only be aware of the topic but also to do something about it?
• What are innovative and creative ways to inform affected population groups?
• How do citizens want to be involved in the planning and implementation of measures in the context of heavy rain
  risk management?

Keywords: Collaboration, Participation, Co-creation, Engagement, Community, Reward Systems, Gaming, Incentives, Crowdbased, Bottom-up, Sustainable Neighborhood Development

The challenge is hosted by Wupperverband.