The LIFE Svolta Blu project, funded under the Climate Governance and Information sub-programme of the European Union’s LIFE Programme, was launched to address the growing water crisis in the Vicenza area, intensified by climate change and human pressure.

The initiative proposes an innovative approach: treating water as a resource to be actively safeguarded through a voluntary “Blue Credits” system, designed to incentivize the reduction of water footprints and the implementation of concrete water-saving, reuse, and protection measures.

LIFE Svolta Blu develops and tests a local Blue Credits model that enables public and private actors to:

• measure and reduce their water footprint;
• implement actions capable of generating measurable benefits for water resources;
• participate in a voluntary exchange system based on transparent technical criteria.

The project aims to validate the technical and economic feasibility of the model, strengthening local water resilience and promoting collaboration among citizens, businesses, and public institutions.

Etifor supports Viacqua in the operational development of the Blue Credits system, providing technical assistance and expertise in sustainable water management.

In particular, we support involved stakeholders in:

• quantifying and assessing water footprints according to recognized standards;
• identifying reduction and improvement actions;
• designing interventions capable of generating measurable benefits for water resources;
• contributing to the definition of the technical criteria underlying the credit system.

Through this work, we contribute to the development of an innovative water governance model based on transparency, collaboration, and shared responsibility.