WaterBattle has been in development in a Dutch-German context since mid-2023. The project idea originated in collaboration between Stichting The Inventables, Grendel Games (NL), Vitens (NL), OOWV (DE) and Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg (DE), with the aim of structurally reducing drinking water (and indirectly energy consumption) on the Wadden Islands.
The participating Wadden Islands of Vlieland, Schiermonnikoog, Borkum and Wangerooge share unique characteristics that make them particularly suitable for cross-border cooperation on drinking water conservation. They are isolated islands with a vulnerable and limited drinking water supply. Schiermonnikoog, Vlieland and Borkum have no permanent connection to the mainland water supply network, which means that drinking water production and transport must be organised entirely locally. This makes the effects of conservation measures immediately visible and measurable.
The islands also have a strong sense of community, high seasonal tourist pressure and a shared status as part of the UNESCO Wadden Sea World Heritage Site. This makes them highly comparable in terms of challenges and potential to serve as a showcase for innovative solutions that can also be applied in other coastal and tourist regions
The choice of these specific islands arose organically from existing collaborations: Schiermonnikoog is involved through the Interreg North Sea Project FREIIA; the experiences gained have been shared with Vlieland, which indicated its willingness to participate actively. Borkum and Wangerooge joined after the presentation of the WaterBattle during the German-Dutch workshop Dealing with climate change on Wadden islands in March 2025 on Borkum.
WaterBattle is aligned with several European and regional policy frameworks:
* EU Water Strategy 2030: direct contribution to the objective of reducing water use in the EU by at least 10% through a combination of education, behavioural change and technological solutions.
* Water Framework Directive (WFD): the project supports sustainable water management in vulnerable areas and contributes to the achievement of ecological objectives.
* EU Adaptation Strategy and Green Deal: WaterBattle contributes to climate adaptation in regions with high environmental pressure, in this case the Wadden Islands.
* EU Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027): the use of a serious game with real-time data in education combines digital literacy with sustainability education.
* Regional sustainability agendas of the provinces of Fryslân and Lower Saxony: direct contribution to the reduction of drinking water and energy consumption, linked to local climate targets.
Do you remember the video where Albert Ruiter from FREIIA explains how this Interreg North Sea-funded initiative brings together communities, smart technology, and creativity to tackle one of our biggest global challenges: water scarcity. ⬇️