The project was created to address the need to humanise the Water Framework Directive and to connect communities to their use of water and to develop greater awareness of natural resources and shifting climate needs.

Working in Castle Ward in Swansea, we facilitated dialogues with local community activists, faith communities, residents, business owners and the local authority within an urban and diverse community, which Owen has been working with for over 10 years.

The anti-consultation took place on St Helens Road, which is an arterial route adjacent to the city centre and is Swansea’s most demographically diverse residential neighbourhood in terms of age, heritage, culture, and language. The street suffers from under investment, especially in environmental improvement and engagement with the adjacent local communities.

“My dream is to capture the water we use at the mosque for watering the garden. I’m just learning through this project about grey water systems, SUDS, and the ideas of recycling water - where I come from we value and look after resources like water carefully and in Wales where it rains so much there must be a better way of achieving a more sustainable system.”

Elly Herminawati,

Swansea Mosque Community Garden

We worked with Gloria Gianbartolomei and Sofia De la Rosa at the Centre for Agroecology and Water Resilience at Coventry University to stress that everyone, wherever they live, has the right to a clean and healthy water environment.

Read our report here.