Global water issues came under the spotlight at the 2016 World Water Congress and Exhibition which took place this month in Brisbane, Australia.

“With more than 5000 of the International Water Association’s (IWA) members gathered in one place, this was the right time to advocate for policies, launch tools and spread the awareness needed to move towards a water-wise world,” says Ger Bergkamp, Executive Director, the IWA.

“The 2016 World Water Congress and Exhibition 2016 set into motion distinct call-to-actions that will accelerate progress towards a water-wise world, through collaboration, planning and hard action.”

Several initiatives were launched at the World Water Congress and Exhibition, including:

1. DroughtAction: The world’s first action-oriented agenda dedicated to building water scarcity and drought involving a broad set of actors from around the world. It will be a catalyst to increase international cooperation and partnerships, new ways to align (new) public policies and business objectives and help create investment opportunities.
2. Manual on how service providers and regulators can reach SDG 6: The Manual on the Human Rights to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation for Practitioners shows service providers and regulators how to meet the drinking water, sanitation and wastewater management targets in the Sustainable Development Goals.
3. New global report that shows huge variations in water use around the world: Household consumption of water around the world varies from 28 to 631 litres per day. This is one of the many findings in the 12^th edition of the International Statistics for Water Services 2016. For the first time an interactive statistics portal allows users to graphically compare individual cities’ differences within water abstraction, consumption, tariff structure and regulation of water services.
4. 17 new principles to create water-wise cities: The IWA launched the Principles for Water-Wise Cities to help city leaders ensure that everyone in their cities has access to safe water and sanitation, that their cities are resilient to floods, droughts and the challenges of growing water scarcity, and that water is integrated in city planning to provide increased liveability, efficiencies, and a sense of place for urban communities. The 17 principles are grouped into four categories: regenerative water services, water sensitive urban design, basin connected cities and water-wise communities.

 

New president takes the reigns

Diane d’Arras was announced as the new president of the IWA, taking over the role from Prof. Helmut Kroiss. d’Arras has been an active member of the IWA for many years, and has served on the organisation’s Board for the last six years.

A civil engineer for nearly forty years, d’Arras is becoming president of the world’s largest international association of water professionals at a time of great challenges, changes and opportunities for addressing some of the most critical water issues facing humanity. Solving these challenges is one of d’Arras’s main motivations for working in the water sector, and for serving as IWA president. She is particularly concerned with solving the lack of access to water and sanitation worldwide.

“There is a political momentum around water with the launch of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, which make a powerful commitment to ensure universal access to water and basic sanitation. We must also focus strongly on building water resilience for communities and cities that are increasingly impacted by climate change and water scarcity. Today we have both the political will and the professional solutions. The IWA has a vital role to play in delivering both of these agendas,” says d’Arras.

 

Rand Water wins international award

Winners of the IWA’s Project Innovation Awards were Sydney Water, Zhejiang Kaichuang Environmental Technology Corporation, Mackay Regional Council, and Rand Water for innovating towards a water-wise world.

Rand Water from South Africa won the Project Innovation Award – Grand Award. The utility won the prestigious award for its innovative Water Wise campaign, aimed at informing communities about conserving water resources, and reducing water consumption, during a period of severe drought in South Africa.

“This award is clear recognition by an international panel of judges of the excellence and innovation of the Water Wise education programme. The award will inspire the Water Wise team, part of South Africa’s Rand Water. Rand Water and the Water Wise team are delighted and grateful for the award, which comes at a time when we are experiencing a severe drought in the country,” says Hamanth Kasan, General Manager, Rand Water.

“The water sector is facing unprecedented global challenges. Urgent and innovative action is necessary to ensure a sustainable water future. The drought that is still gripping South Africa is one such challenge. The only way to take better advantage of limited water resources is by changing people’s attitude and their behaviours so that water is used more wisely. Rand Water are innovating how to do this, and are setting a successful example to other water utilities,” adds Bergkamp.