Rete delle scuole per l'acqua (Schools for Water Network)
Schools for Water Network is an environmental education and community engagement project developed in Alta Langa, Piedmont, in response to the severe water crisis affecting the area since 2021. The project involved 250 primary and lower secondary school students and 35 teachers from the Istituto Comprensivo Bossolasco-Murazzano, in the province of Cuneo. It combined water literacy, climate change education and concrete local action to promote responsible water use and long-term adaptation to drought.
The project included educational workshops on drought, extreme weather events and water footprint, designed for different age groups and combining theory with hands-on activities. Students and teachers explored why drought has become a critical issue in Piedmont and how individual and collective behaviours can help protect water resources. Through games, quizzes and participatory activities, the project encouraged students to reflect on their daily water use and co-design practical strategies for water saving, reuse and more sustainable consumption.
In parallel, rainwater harvesting tanks were installed in school buildings to irrigate school gardens, turning the project into a practical example of local climate adaptation. The initiative also led to the co-creation of a Water Saving Manual, developed by young people for young people, and a Schools for Water Manifesto to be shared more widely across Italy. Results were presented during a final public event held on World Water Day, involving students, teachers and local authorities.
The participants were from primary and lower secondary school students, teachers, school staff and the wider local community. In total, the project involved 250 students and 35 teachers from the Istituto Comprensivo Bossolasco-Murazzano in Cuneo province.
Aim
The aim of the project is to increase awareness, knowledge and action on water scarcity and sustainable water use among school communities living in a territory severely affected by drought. Starting from the local context of Alta Langa, the project seeks to help students and teachers understand the links between climate change, extreme events and water availability, while supporting the adoption of practical adaptation measures at school and at home.
More specifically, the project aims to turn schools into local hubs for water resilience by combining education, participation and concrete infrastructure. Through workshops, collaborative learning and the installation of rainwater collection systems for school gardens, students are encouraged not only to learn about the water crisis, but also to contribute to solutions. The project also aims to generate replicable good practices that can inspire other schools and communities facing similar challenges.
The project used a participatory, school-based methodology combining climate and water education, practical workshops and local adaptation measures. Activities included classroom and outdoor laboratories on drought, extreme weather events and water footprint; collaborative exercises and games tailored to different age groups; the co-design of everyday water-saving actions; installation of rainwater harvesting tanks in school buildings; and a final dissemination event on World Water Day. The process actively involved students, teachers and local stakeholders.
Participation & Audience
Target group: Primary and lower secondary school students, teachers, school staff and the wider local community.
How to participate
Schools can participate by joining the Schools for Water Network and adopting the project’s educational and practical approach to water stewardship. Participation can include involving students and teachers in workshops on drought, extreme weather events and water footprint, promoting water-saving actions in everyday school life, and replicating local adaptation measures such as rainwater harvesting for school gardens.
The project also invites schools and school leaders to engage with and endorse the Schools for Water Manifesto, and to use the Water Saving Manual developed by students as a tool for awareness-raising and replication.
Insights and Highlights
The project successfully engaged 250 primary and lower secondary school students and 35 teachers from the Istituto Comprensivo Bossolasco-Murazzano in a participatory educational pathway on drought, climate change and responsible water use. Through workshops on extreme weather events and water footprint, students and teachers deepened their understanding of the local water crisis and explored practical ways to reduce water consumption in daily life. A key achievement was the combination of awareness-raising and concrete local action. Rainwater harvesting tanks were installed in school buildings to support the irrigation of school gardens, providing a tangible example of local climate adaptation and water reuse. This helped transform the project from a purely educational initiative into a practical experience of water stewardship within the school environment. The project also generated lasting educational and dissemination outputs. Students co-developed ideas and actions that were collected in the Water Saving Manual, while the Schools for Water Manifesto was created to encourage replication and wider mobilisation among schools in Piedmont and beyond. Results were shared publicly during a final event held on World Water Day, involving students, teachers and local authorities.
One of the main challenges was addressing a complex and large-scale issue such as drought in a way that was meaningful and accessible for children and school communities. The project responded by adopting age-appropriate, participatory and practical learning methods, combining theoretical content with games, quizzes and hands-on activities tailored to different age groups. This made the topic easier to understand and helped connect global climate issues with everyday behaviours and local realities. Another challenge was moving from awareness to action. Rather than limiting the project to information sharing, the initiative included practical adaptation measures such as the installation of rainwater collection tanks and the co-design of water-saving actions by students themselves. This helped ensure that learning was linked to visible and concrete change in the school setting. A further challenge was ensuring that the project could have an impact beyond the immediate participants. This was addressed through the creation of dissemination tools such as the Water Saving Manual and the Schools for Water Manifesto, which were designed to support replication and encourage other schools to adopt similar practices.
A particularly interesting aspect of the project is the way it combines climate education, behavioural change and practical water adaptation within schools. Students were not only informed about drought and water scarcity, but were actively involved in imagining and developing solutions, making the project strongly participatory and action-oriented. Another highlight is the installation of rainwater harvesting tanks for irrigating school gardens. This provided a concrete and visible example of local adaptation to water scarcity, helping school communities connect abstract environmental issues with everyday practices and infrastructure. The co-creation of the Water Saving Manual and the Schools for Water Manifesto is also a distinctive feature. These outputs extend the life of the project beyond its original timeframe and support its transferability to other schools and territories facing increasing drought risk.
Coordinator
Source International
Non-governmental
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