The Urban Water Agenda 2030 process acknowledges the essential role of cities in water resources management. It is an initiative to encourage, support and enable local governments and their water utilities to take voluntary action for complementing Member States' efforts to meet EU water policy.

In 2017, ICLEI and EUROCITIES were contracted by DG Environment of the European Commission to develop a strategy for the Urban Water Agenda 2030 for stimulating political commitment and tangible action to foster sustainable urban water management among local governments and their water utilities across the European Union. This was done, amongst others, by forming a core group of 25 cities coming from 18 different countries and conducting a wide consultation process.

It is foreseen to roll out the UWA2030 strategy from 2019 on.