Cartagena is a historic coastal city facing significant challenges due to climate change, deteriorating water quality, and environmental degradation of its canals and coastal areas. As climate change exacerbates water scarcity and increases the frequency of extreme weather events like storms and floods, sustainable water management becomes essential for adaptation and supporting livelihoods. This coastal zone of Cartagena is known to be impacted by land-based sources of pollution, including continental runoff, industrial effluents and domestic wastewater. Vulnerable communities living near polluted water bodies experience severe poverty, frequent flooding, health hazards from contaminated water, and, at the same time, high poverty levels, social inequalities, and unemployment. Addressing these interconnected issues is crucial for Cartagena, while effective water management can safeguard vulnerable communities, making it a key tool in climate adaptation strategies. The objective of this exploratory study is part of the water combi-track Cartagena ABC is to analyse and identify opportunities for local development and job creation resulting from the application of Dutch sustainable water technologies in Cartagena.