On 11–12 July 2026, the third and final session of the Lviv Agglomeration citizens’ assembly on the topic “How can we preserve and use our water resources sustainably?” took place in Lviv, Ukraine.

Organised with the comprehensive support of the Council of Europe project “Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine’s recovery”, this citizens’ assembly was the first in Ukraine to be held at metropolitan level — within an agglomeration bringing together 13 communities.

Over the course of three sessions, 13 experts in the fields of water resources management, environmental protection, local development and inter-municipal co-operation contributed to the work of the citizens’ assembly. In addition, representatives of all 13 communities of the Lviv Agglomeration delivered presentations, sharing different perspectives on the topic, practical experience and insights that helped participants better understand the challenges related to water resources management and possible approaches to addressing them.

The work of the assembly was structured as a gradual process, moving from learning and deliberation to the joint development of recommendations. During the first session, held on 13–14 June 2026, participants explored the topic and different perspectives on it. During the second session, held on 27–28 June 2026, they identified key problems, formulated initial ideas and began developing recommendations. During the final session, the proposed solutions were detailed according to a common structure, assessed for practical feasibility, discussed with experts and representatives of local authorities, and refined ahead of the final vote.

As a result, participants developed 19 recommendations for local authorities. The recommendations cover several key areas, including the development of joint tools for water resources management at the agglomeration level, such as a digital platform for information-sharing and interaction; awareness-raising among residents on responsible water use, wastewater management and environmental safety; support for households in connecting to sewerage systems, installing septic tanks and modernising treatment facilities; the introduction of rainwater collection and reuse practices; the elimination of illegal dumpsites; and stronger monitoring of violations in the field of local amenities and environmental safety.

Among the proposed solutions are the “Water without Myths” information and awareness-raising campaign, the annual agglomeration-wide “Water Community of the Year” competition, demonstration projects on rainwater collection in communities, and financial support programmes for residents.

The final recommendations were presented to representatives of the Lviv Agglomeration and its member communities. Feedback on the recommendations and possible first steps was provided, in particular, by Roman Kizyma, Executive Director of the Lviv Agglomeration Association; Oleh Serniak, Mayor of Pustomyty; Oleh Volskyi, Mayor of Zhovkva; Bohdan Stakhiv, Deputy Head of the Kulykiv Settlement Council; and Nataliia Podvirna, Head of the Social Protection Department of the Davydiv Village Council.

“I was impressed by the amount of information provided on the use of water resources and the causes of water pollution. At the beginning, there were many scattered and unformed thoughts, while by the end there was a clear understanding of the problem and concrete ideas for solutions. I greatly enjoyed taking part in this event and having the opportunity to express my opinion,” shared one participant of the citizens’ assembly.

“The assembly was organised at a high level. My impressions are only positive: new acquaintances, new thoughts, new solutions and hope for improving life in our agglomeration. I look forward to seeing how things develop further,” added another participant.

A comprehensive report on the Lviv Agglomeration citizens’ assembly will be prepared and presented shortly. It will include an analysis of the overall process and a detailed description of the recommendations developed by the participants.

In 2026, the Council of Europe project “Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine’s recovery” also provided comprehensive expert and methodological support for the organisation and implementation of citizens’ assemblies in the Rivne community and Kyiv’s Obolon district.

The preparation and implementation of the citizens’ assembly take place within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026 and the project “Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine’s recovery”, implemented by the Council of Europe Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.