Polluted urban water runoff is a significant threat to public health and biodiversity. Changing rainfall patterns causing storm overflows and the discovery of new contaminants are only increasing the problems caused and it is important for urban planners, policy makers and water utilities to work together into order to mitigate the effects of diffuse pollution. One potentially scalable method of mitigation is implementing hybrid Nature Based Solutions (NBS). By identifying and monitoring water pollutants, their sources, and impacts, NBS can be scaled based on social needs, policy, and urban design. The synergies formed, knowledge gained and insights from the three pilot locations will be instrumental in developing hybrid NBS as scalable solutions. 

Communication and dissemination are core activities in the D4RUNOFF project to ensure that the knowledge and the results generated in the project are communicated to the relevant stakeholders in a clear, consistent, and effective manner. 

While dissemination activities focus on knowledge and information transfer towards stakeholders, communication activities focus on public communication and raising awareness.

This first version of the Communication and Dissemination Strategy (D6.1) includes the actions, tools, channels, and messages to be implemented to maximise the reach and impact of D4RUNOFF in the first 18 months of the project. This document will serve as the reference for project partners when communicating and disseminating information about D4RUNOFF. Delivered in M3, it will be updated to track and measure the impact of specific communication activities, metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs). The subsequent versions of the deliverable will be submitted D6.3 at M18 and D6.13 at M42.