IWA is excited to launch the call for ‘Expressions of Interest’ to host its Water and Development Congress & Exhibition 2025.

Expressions of Interest are welcome from IWA Governing Members and Strategic Partners in low- and middle-income countries and must be submitted to the IWA Secretariat before 9 February 2024.

The IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition has a track record of gathering over 3,000 leading water sector practitioners, researchers, and policy makers to focus on the needs of low- and middle-income countries. The Congress provides a unique opportunity to bring together water professionals from around the world, to network with water sector leaders, and to highlight and share knowledge on the latest trends in best practice and innovative technologies.

As for all our flagship events, IWA’s approach for selecting the venue for the Water and Development Congress & Exhibition has always been one of regional rotation. This aims to ensure that each Water and Development Congress & Exhibition is hosted in a different region to the preceding one. The 2023 Congress was held on 10-14 December in Kigali, Rwanda.

Bidders must be a Governing Member of IWA in good standing or an organisation with a previous or existing agreement (for example an MoU) with IWA. The open call is expected to generate a strong pool of high-quality proposals to select from and ensure that the selected candidate is able to deliver a highly successful event.

Expressions of Interest must be submitted to the IWA Secretariat before 9 February 2024. Download the Expression of Interest template here. Please send submissions to the following email: Kizito.Masinde@iwahq.org

IWA is introducing a revised membership fee structure for Individual members. This will see the Individual fee structure change from being a two-tier structure to a four-tier structure.

The new structure in summary

IWA’s current structure has different fees for ‘high income’ and ‘low income’ countries. Membership is based on country of residence. The two-tier approach provides some reflection of local economic circumstances. The new four-tier system will have different fees for ‘high income’, ‘upper-middle income’, ‘lower-middle income’, and ‘low income’ countries. This will allow better alignment of fees with the economic status of each individual’s country of membership.

The new structure will be implemented seamlessly thanks to IWA’s membership platform, Connect Plus, which will apply the relevant fees automatically during joining or renewal on the platform.

Alignment with the World Bank’s classification

IWA’s current two-tier fee structure is an adaptation of the widely-recognised country income classifications of the World Bank (its Gross National Income database).

IWA’s ‘high income’ countries match those of the World Bank’s ‘High Income Country’ classification. IWA’s ‘low income’ countries include all other countries. This ‘low income’ category groups together the countries in the three remaining World Bank classifications: Upper Middle Income Countries, Lower Middle Income Countries, and Low Income Countries.

Under the new IWA fee structure, IWA’s four tiers will match the four World Bank groupings. This will ensure greater clarity and transparency with respect to a country’s placement in a tier.

Motivation for introducing the new structure

The revised structure is fairer both to members and to IWA and provides a more rational approach to charging of fees. Analysis of various indexes related to living standards and human development indicates against continuing to group the LIC, LMIC and UMIC in a single group, given the differences between these three groups. Furthermore, the difference between HIC and UMIC is not significantly different when compared with the differences that exist between LIC and LMIC and between LMIC and UMIC, which also indicates against continuing to include UMIC in our low income grouping.

Powered by IWA’s Connect Plus platform

The move to the improved structure has been enabled by IWA’s powerful new Connect Plus membership platform (www.iwaconnectplus.org). Thanks to the technology behind Connect Plus, implementation of four tiers has become a practical option for the first time. Countries will automatically be reclassified in Connect Plus as needed, should they move up or down in the GNI classification. The new fee structure is due to be rolled out in late January.

Full details of the fees and country classifications will be released shortly.

Last week saw the International Water Association reach a new landmark in the shape of its most successful Water Development Congress & Exhibition to date.

Held on 10-14 December 2023 at Rwanda’s iconic Kigali Convention Centre, it was a resounding success, gathering almost 3000 water and development professionals, organisations, visitors, and companies, primarily from low- and middle-income countries.

The Congress set a benchmark for IWA’s growing presence and support for the sector in Africa. As IWA President Tom Mollenkopf  noted in the closing ceremony: “Africa – comprised of 54 countries and home to over 1.2 billion people – is a critical part of who IWA is and where its future lies. This Congress has been another critical step along the path of meaningful and multi-dimensional engagement, of sharing and learning, of genuine dialogue.”

The week’s theme was ‘Water, sanitation, and Climate Resilience – keys to a water-wise future’. This was evident across the extensive programme, from keynotes and technical sessions through to the 40+ workshops and the special programme features.

G Mathi Vathanan, Principal Secretary from the Government of Odisha in India, set the tone as keynote speaker in the Opening Ceremony, sharing insights into how his state transitioned its intermittent water systems to 24/7. Key messages were that urban poor should be the priority in this transition and that success came from active involvement of women water teams (Jal Sathis).

Sanitation was also high on the agenda, especially at the High-Level Summit on Sanitation, which convened an influential audience focused on policy. Climate-related highlights included the second edition of IWA’s Climate Smart Utilities recognition programme.

The success of the event was founded on support from local, regional and global partners, especially our hosts – the Government of Rwanda and utility WASAC Group. This support was evident in the Opening Ceremony, with contributions from Honourable Dr Jimmy Gasore, Minister of Infrastructure, Professor Omar Munyaneza, WASAC Group CEO, Dr Silver Mugisha, President of the African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA), and a video message from Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Secretary of UN-Habitat.

The week included announcement of the winners of the prestigious Water and Development Awards 2023: Dr Veena Srinivasan for Research, and Dr Doulaye Kone for Practice.

With total congress participation of around 3000, delegates came from 85 countries, and there were well over 100 exhibitors. The event provided an outstanding platform focusing on low- and middle-income countries. IWA Executive Director Kala Vairavamoorthy adds: “The IWA team put on a fantastic event, and we are grateful to our partners for their support.” The staff at IWA thank all the participants for making this memorable event the resounding success it was.

The International Water Association (IWA) is delighted to announce the winners of the inaugural Inclusive Urban Sanitation Champions programme, revealed in Kigali during the closing ceremony of the Water and Development Congress & Exhibition on 14 December 2023.

This prestigious initiative aims to recognise excellence, leadership, and innovation in the sanitation sector. It responds to the need for encouraging and recognising contributions of sector players towards achieving SDG 6.2 in low- and middle-income countries. In particular, the sanitation champions serve to highlight the significance of inclusive, sustainable sanitation practices that go beyond traditional infrastructure development and recognise those who focus on inclusion, service delivery, and diverse technology solutions.

The first edition of the Inclusive Urban Sanitation Champions received an overwhelming response, with a total of 106 submissions from 21 countries. An esteemed 13-member expert jury meticulously evaluated the submissions, recognising the outstanding efforts and initiatives that contribute to the advancement of sustainable and inclusive sanitation practices.

The programme features seven distinct categories, each spotlighting excellence and innovation in urban sanitation service provision. The selected IWA Inclusive Urban Sanitation Champions for 2023 are:

1. IUS Champion for Service Delivery:
   1. Containment Systems: Fresh Life, Kenya
   2. Emptying and Transport Systems: Kampala Capital City Authority, Uganda
   3. Treatment Systems: Abdullah Al-Muyeed, Bangladesh
   4. Disposal and Reuse: Sinnar Municipal Council, Maharashtra, India
2. IUS Champion for Communication: Tamil Nadu Urban Sanitation Support Programme, India
3. IUS Champion for Youth Engagement: Global Sanitation Graduate School
4. IUS Champion for Policy and Regulation: Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company, Zambia

Announcing the winners in Kigali, Roshan Shrestha, Deputy Director of Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, congratulated the winners and commended all nominees for their dedication to transforming the sanitation landscape.

For more information about our work on sanitation, please visit the Inclusive Urban Sanitation Initiative.

Good news! There is still time to submit your paper for the next IWA LET conference on 24-28 June 2024 in Essen, Germany. Join us at the premier international event for cutting-edge innovations in water and wastewater management. This edition is themed around Closing the water cycle through efficient and innovative technologies. This is a dynamic subject and one for which LET is ideally-placed to provide leadership. Do not miss this opportunity to participate. Download the call for papers and find out more!

Why Submit?

Submitting a paper for LET 2024 gives you an opportunity to present your work to a global audience with the possibility of publication in a leading international peer-reviewed journal. The technical programme will consist of platform presentations, posters, workshops and panel discussions. All outline papers selected for presentation will be available online and accessible to all conference delegates.

Full papers from a selection of presentations will also be considered for publication in one of the IWA Publishing journals. Selected posters will be on display for the duration of the conference. We invite you to submit outline papers on the respective topics, to be submitted via our conference website: iwa-let.org/programme-2024

Outline papers will be accepted for oral or poster presentations. The submission deadline for outline papers is 5 January 2024. Submissions will be peer-reviewed and authors will be notified.

Water & Wastewater Themes

The programme will provide a unique platform for water professionals to present and share their recent findings and insights. There are several hot topics related to water and wastewater advancements.

Joint Water and Wastewater Themes
Closing the water cycle
Micro-contaminant monitoring and removal

Water Themes
Developments in Digitalisation
Membranes, hybrid systems and new materials
Advancements in Desalination

Wastewater Themes
Resource Recovery and Sludge Treatment
Carbon and energy neutrality and greenhouse gas emissions
Innovative processes

Important Dates

30 November 2023: Deadline for plenary lecture proposal
15 December 2023: Deadline for outline paper (max. 2 x A4 pages) submission
05 January 2024: Extended deadline for outline paper submission
31 January 2024: Notification of acceptance for authors
31 January 2024: Advanced technical programme announced
1 March 2024: Deadline for Workshop proposal

Templates

Outline papers shall be limited to a maximum of two A4 pages (including figures and tables). The outline paper has to contain adequate information to allow for a sound review. To submit your outline paper please use the IWA template available here: iwa-let.org/programme-2024

We are pleased to share the results of the second edition of the IWA Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Programme. The 2023 Recognition Programme aims to raise awareness of the steps being taken by water and sanitation utilities operating in challenging conditions to respond to climate change. This initiative seeks to recognise ambitious and innovative utilities in low- and middle-income countries that are leading the way towards a low carbon water and sanitation sector, embracing the shift needed to adapt to and mitigate climate change. The 2023 edition is proudly supported by AfWASA.

The application window for the recognition programme closed in October 2023 with a total of 35 applications received from 18 low- and middle-income countries,* highlighting a broad outreach of the initiative. The applications represent a diverse array of utilities facing common yet unique challenges and solutions.

Following a robust review, 20 applications in total are being recognised as Climate Smart, based on the framework defined by IWA (i.e., the application submitted has been regarded sound and worth to be shared with the IWA community by majority of the jury). Out of these 20 applications, 10 were considered outstanding by the jury, as the actions presented are inspiring and ambitious considering their local context. One application has been given a special recognition for the outstanding climate smart actions in collaboration with utilities in the Ganges basin. Each application was reviewed by three different expert, independent jury members.

The results of the 2023 Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Programme are:

1. Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos, Argentina (outstanding recognition)
2. Baguio Water District, Philippines
3. Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, India
4. Bayawan Water District, Philippines
5. Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, India (outstanding recognition)
6. Ekurhuleni Water Care Company, South Africa
7. Eswatini Water Service Corporation, Eswatini
8. Ghana Water, Ghana (outstanding recognition)
9. Guma Valley Water Company, Sierra Leone
10. Karad Municipal Council, India (outstanding recognition)
11. Khulna Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, Bangladesh
12. Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company, Kenya (outstanding recognition)
13. Maynilad Water Services, Philippines (outstanding recognition)
14. Musoma Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority, Tanzania
15. Nakuru Rural Water and Sanitation Company, Kenya (outstanding recognition)
16. Namibia Water Corporation, Namibia (outstanding recognition)
17. National Mission for Clean Ganga under Ministry of Jal Shakti, India (special recognition)
18. National Water Supply & Drainage Board, Sri Lanka (outstanding recognition)
19. Obras Sanitarias Mar del Plata, Argentina (outstanding recognition)
20. Water Corporation of Odisha, India

A unique recognition opportunity

The second edition of the initiative improved its offering and recognition opportunities as an incentive to broaden participation and raise awareness of the mitigation, adaptation, and leadership potential for utilities. The most inspiring applications were invited to attend the Congress, with IWA generously sponsoring the travel costs for a utility representative from each selected utility to join the event and connect with the international utility community that gathered for a Climate Smart Utilities workshop on 13 December, but also at the Utility Leaders Forum on 12 December. These sessions offered opportunities to deliver presentations to an international audience, share knowledge, and navigate the complex challenges faced by utilities today. All the 20 selected utilities were unveiled and their actions recognised during the workshop on Climate Smart Utilities. The most inspiring utilities present at the event also received their certificates during the closing ceremony at the IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition on 14 December 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda.

The recognition programme will be back soon! Stay tuned for more opportunities targeted for utilities. We invite you to engage with our Climate Smart Utilities initiative: visit this page, follow us on LinkedIn, and join IWA Connect Plus.

*Argentina, Bangladesh, China, Eswatini, Ghana, India, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Namibia, Nigeria, Philippines, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Zimbabwe.

The International Water Association (IWA) is delighted to launch the “Young Water Professionals Chapter of the Year” initiative to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contributions of the IWA Young Water Professionals (YWPs) Community and the YWP Country Chapters around the world.

This initiative aims to acknowledge the exceptional achievements and impactful contributions of the IWA YWP Chapters worldwide in advancing the mission and vision of the IWA within their regions.

The primary objective is to celebrate the exceptional initiatives of YWP Chapters and their role in shaping the future of the water sector globally. This recognition seeks to motivate and inspire YWP Chapters to strive for excellence and contribute significantly to the water community.

The Chapter of the Year will be selected following an evaluation process based on the comprehensive yearly reports submitted by the IWA YWP Chapters. These reports will be scrutinised for their quality, content, innovation, collaboration, impact, and alignment with IWA’s Strategic Goals. The evaluation will be led by the IWA YWP Steering Committee and its Chapter Coordination sub-committee, and supported by the IWA Secretariat.

The highlight of this initiative will be the honour ceremony, which will be integrated into the IWA Emerging Water Leaders (EWL) Forum. This ceremony offers a platform to showcase the outstanding work of the winning YWP Chapter through a presentation, aiming to inspire others and foster unity and pride within the YWP community.

Benefits and Recognition

• The winning YWP Chapter will receive a prestigious honour and presentation opportunity during the Emerging Water Leaders Forum, to highlight their dedication and accomplishments.
• The success of the winning Chapter will be showcased on IWA’s official platforms, including the website, social media, and newsletters.
• The honour is designed to motivate other YWP Chapters to excel and make a positive impact on the water sector.

Implementation

The announcement for annual reports and applications will be made at the beginning of each year in January. Chapters will have one month to submit their reports (until February). The inaugural edition was officially announced during the EWL Forum in Kigali in December 2023, and the first edition of this initiative will be celebrated during the next Emerging Water Leaders Forum in Toronto, in 2024. The details of the recognition initiative will be outlined with the call for reports and applications opening later in January 2024.

If you have any questions regarding this opportunity, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Isabela Espindola, IWA Membership Engagement Senior Officer.

In the cover image, left to right: Tom Mollenkopf (IWA President) Dr Doulaye Kone, (Winner for Practice), Dr Veena Srinivasan (Winner for Research), Kala Vairavamoorthy (IWA Executive Director).

IWA is pleased to announce that the winners of the prestigious IWA Water and Development Awards 2023 were officially unveiled during the Opening Ceremony of the IWA Water and Development Congress on 10 December in Kigali, Rwanda.

This year’s recipients of the IWA Water and Development Awards are Dr Veena Srinivasan for Research, and Dr Doulaye Kone for Practice.

The awards recognise excellence, leadership and innovation in the water sector, and aim to encourage the sustainable management of water in low- and middle-income countries. The awards are judged by a diverse panel of experts and are awarded in recognition of outstanding contributions to research or practice that have led to demonstrable impact in low- and middle-income countries.

In deciding to recognise the achievements of Dr Veena Srinivasan, the judges noted that she demonstrated bravery and passion in her quest to follow an emerging but much-needed knowledge path in socio-hydrology, but also through advocacy for research and the establishment of WELL Labs in Bengaluru, India.

Upon receiving the award, Dr Srinivasan expressed her gratitude saying: “Being nominated for this award is such an honour and I’m very grateful. I am proud that my work has been recognised for laying the foundations of socio-hydrology as a discipline. My focus on analysing data and triangulation across datasets represents a significant departure from traditional water resources management methods and has raised awareness on what kind of science is needed to solve India’s water crisis.”

Presenting the award for practice to Doulaye, the judges highlighted that his career was instrumental in kicking off a paradigm shift across the water and sanitation sector. His vision has catalysed technological innovations in non-sewered sanitation through the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge, and brought new ways of approaching the sustainability of faecal sludge management at scale. Some of Doulaye’s pioneering work has influenced policy and strategies in the sector, such as the importance of linking market approaches with service provision.

Doulaye further highlighted the impact of the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge to spur circular innovation in toilet and sanitation technology, adding that: “I convinced the Gates Foundation to initiate the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge to generate innovative solutions that can protect against human waste-borne pathogens and deliver a truly 21st century inclusive sanitation solution that reach the poorest communities. This type of climate-resilient sanitation innovation, when combined with proper infrastructure and national action, will enhance public health, foster better gender equality outcomes, and reduce communities’ dependence on water amidst a changing world.”

About the Winners

Dr Veena Srinivasan is a water expert with 20 years of experience. She specialises in inter-sectoral water allocation, impacts of multiple stressors on water resources and sustainable water management policy and practice. In 2023, she set up Water, Environment, Land and Livelihoods (WELL) Labs, a research and innovation centre. It works with governments, businesses, multilateral institutions and civil society groups to co-create science-backed solutions that simultaneously create livelihoods and conserve the environment. Veena received her PhD from Stanford University and is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. She has won several awards for her work, including the 2015 Jim Dooge Award from the European Geophysical Union, the 2012 Water Resources Research Editor’s Choice Award from the American Geophysical Union. She chairs the Strategic Advisory Group for the Integrated Monitoring Initiative for UN SDG6 and was the Prins Claus Chair at Utrecht University, the Netherlands from 2018 to 2020.

Dr Doulaye Kone supports the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s effort to provide access to safe sanitation to 2.5 billion people currently without it. He is disrupting the decades long status-quo in the developing world sanitation sector by reinventing the toilet and reimagining faecal sludge management business as a sustainable utility service. He is responsible for the Transformative Technologies, Product Development and Commercialization portfolio, and for shaping the Foundation efforts in birthing a new sanitation industry to equitably serve the majority of poor communities in developing countries. Doulaye has more than 20 years’ experience as a sanitation and water specialist, development professional and lead scientist. Doulaye holds a Ph.D., and MAS in Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, MSc. and BSc in Physics and Chemistry and a certificate in Strategy from the Harvard Business School.

About the Awards

The IWA Water and Development Awards recognise excellence, leadership and innovation in the water sector, with a particular focus on encouraging contributions to the sustainable management of water in low- and middle-income countries. The awards are judged by a panel of experts and are awarded in recognition of outstanding contributions to research or practice that have led to demonstrable impact in low- and middle-income countries. The awards are presented every two years at the IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition, although the previous awards were presented at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition held in Copenhagen in 2022. The awards are open to individuals (IWA member or non-member) or organisations active in the sector. Eligible individuals/organisations can be drawn from practice, academia/science, consultancy, equipment manufacturers, NGOs and civil society, international organisations or government. There are two categories of the awards, covering practice and research.

The call for nominations for the 2023 edition closed on 18 June 2023 at 23:59 BST (London time). The 2023 winners were announced and received their awards during the opening ceremony at the IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition, on 10 December 2023 at the Kigali Convention Centre.

Find out more: https://iwa-network.org/awards/

Judging Panels

The International Water Association (IWA) is delighted to present the final keynote speaker’s lineup for the Water and Development Congress & Exhibition in Kigali, Rwanda on 10-14 December 2023.  Each day the programme will feature keynote plenary sessions, followed by panel discussions.

Delegates will be welcomed by an enlightening keynote during the opening ceremony on 10 December to be delivered by Mathi Vathanan, from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Government of Odisha, India.  His decentralised strategy with community partnership model for water supply has been recognised globally due to impressive achievements in Odisha.

Other inspiring keynote speakers are due to take on the plenaries at the Congress during the rest of the week to share their insights on water, sanitation, and climate resilience as crucial components of sustainable development. The lineup includes three prominent individuals from the African water sector: Dr Jennifer Molwantwa, CEO of the Water Research Commission in South Africa, Dr Silver Mugisha, Managing Director of the National Water and Sanitation Corporation in Uganda, and Osward M. Chanda of the African Development Bank. More international high-profile individuals from academia and industry are also expected: Prof. Jiuhui Qu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Tsinghua University in China, Deepa Karthykeyan of Athena Infonomics, Hasin Jahan​ of WaterAid Bangladesh, and Marina Batalini De Macedo, of the Federal University of Itajubá in Brazil.

For more details on the speakers and plenaries please visit: waterdevelopmentcongress.org/keynotes

Announcing the keynote plenary sessions, IWA Executive Director Kala Vairavamoorthy expressed his excitement, saying, “We’re excited to host a range of accomplished speakers, each bringing unique perspectives and impressive expertise to the Congress. They’ll share their vast experience and forward-thinking ideas to help us broaden water and sanitation access in the most sustainable way possible.

We anticipate their speeches will enlighten and engage delegates and the next generation of water professionals looking to make a positive impact for a water-wise future.”

The week will feature a series of key programme features, most of which are by invitation-only, creating forums for key segments and interests in the sector. The event includes a wide range of technical sessions and workshops, a new SanitAction Innovators Expo, the presentation of the prestigious IWA Water and Development Awards, networking opportunities, and much more.

For more information please visit: waterdevelopmentcongress.org

As part of IWA’s mission to empower Young Water Professionals to contribute to sustainable water management, a new IWA Young Water Professionals (IWA YWP) chapter has officially been established in France this year. This IWA YWP French Chapter will be the country’s go-to network boosting connections for YWPs and a platform to support equal opportunities and quality career development.  

The IWA YWP French Chapter is a voluntary network open to all water and waste management professionals aged 35 or below who are enthusiastic, dedicated, and passionate about water-related issues. Here, Gabriel Capson Tojo, Chair of the chapter, presents some key points about the chapter. 

Q: What was the motivation for setting up an IWA YWP Chapter in France? 

GCT: France hosts many renowned research centres, such as the Laboratory of Environmental Technology (National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment; INRAE), the Toulouse Biotechnology Institute, and the National School for Water and Environmental Engineering, and world-leading companies in the water and waste sectors, such as SUEZ and VEOLIA. Moreover, there are many senior experts affiliated with the International Water Association (IWA) in the country. As such, France offers excellent opportunities for those willing to pursue a career in water and waste management. 

Within this context, there is a growing need to establish a dedicated network for Young Water Professionals (YWPs) in the country. Together with IWA’s Governing Member in France, the French Scientific and Technical Association for Water and the Environment (ASTEE)1, we have identified an ideal opportunity to merge their existing active network for young professionals in wastewater and solid waste and create a joint IWA-ASTEE YWP Chapter in France.  

Q: How will the chapter contribute to the empowerment of YWPs in France? 

GCT: The chapter will provide a unique opportunity for YWPs to expand their network, making use of opportunities offered by IWA and ASTEE. In addition, building up such a professional network will foster the acquisition of new skills and knowledge sharing, favouring both YWPs and the water and waste sector as a whole. After all, YWPs are the future leaders of the water and waste industry. Other than the aforementioned benefits, the creation of this chapter will also allow to:  

• Actively identify and discuss challenges and opportunities in the sector 
• Present a platform to share working experiences and job opportunities 
• Bring closer industry and academia, as YWPs from both sectors will be part of the chapter 

Q: What are your aims and objectives, and what activities do you plan to do? 

GCT : The IWA-ASTEE YWP French Chapter will focus on two main themes: professional networking & mentoring for young professionals, and knowledge sharing & interdisciplinary cooperation, especially between solid waste engineering and water-related fields, and also between industry and academia. The YWP French Chapter will undertake the following activities: 

• Promote the activity of the Chapter through social media and IWA Connect Plus, via the monthly ASTEE newsletter, and by posting our activities on official IWA/ASTEE channels. 
• Organise YWP events in IWA/ASTEE conferences where YWPs will meet and organise workshops and seminars on water and waste topics. We will also consider organising stand-alone YWP conferences when the time is right. 
• Organise regular national networking events, including seminars, guest lectures, and visits to companies, utilities, universities, and research centres. 
• Organise mentoring meetings with experienced water and waste professionals to provide guidance. The meetings will be open for everyone interested, not just chapter members. 
• Organise webinars regularly or contribute to existing ASTEE and IWA webinars to present results from both academia and industry. 

Meet the founding members! 

Gabriel CAPSON TOJO, Chair 

Current affiliation: Researcher at Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology – National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) 

Gabriel is a chemical and environmental engineer (University of Santiago de Compostela and Ghent University) working around the concepts of circular economy and resource recovery. Gabriel holds a PhD in process engineering (Montpellier University 2017). Since 2022, he has been a researcher at INRAE, where he works mostly on anaerobic digestion and fermentation, resource recovery from wastewater (mostly using purple phototrophic bacteria) and biogas conversion. His main working interests include biological and chemical processes for resource recovery, involving process engineering, modelling, integration, and fundamental science. 

Adeline CLIFFORD, Vice-Chair 

Current affiliation: ASTEE 

Adeline is a project manager at the French Scientific and Technical Association for Water and the Environment (ASTEE). She oversees the activities of 20 multi-stakeholder working groups in the water and wastewater fields and edits scientific and technical publications on various topics pertaining to these domains. She also coordinates ASTEE’s European and International Affairs committee as well as the association’s young professionals’ group. Adeline holds a BA in Geography and a M.Sc. in Integrated Water Resources Management from McGill University (Canada). 

Sidonie DURIEUX, Secretary 

Current affiliation: IFB environment 

Sidonie comes from Annecy, France. She graduated as a chemical engineer from EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland) in 2014. During her studies she did an exchange with the National University of Singapore for one year, and took part in the organisation of the Balélec festival, the biggest student festival in Europe. After that, Sidonie took a year off, as a physics and chemistry teacher in a high school. She started her PhD in September 2018 studying the carbon valorisation from granulated sludge. Sidonie finished her PhD thesis in September 2022, and became a project engineer at IFB environment in January 2023. 

Chloé MEYER, Deputy Secretary 

Current affiliation: Bluefield Research 

Chloé is a senior research director at Bluefield Research. Her work focuses on supporting company strategies through water market intelligence, particularly in the municipal sector. Previously, she was a project officer in the UNESCO Division of Water Sciences and worked on water resources governance and transboundary cooperation in the Mediterranean region. Chloé holds a BA in History and an MA in Geography and Water Management from Paris Nanterre University. 

Catalina SUAREZ, International Outreach and Relations Coordinator 

Current affiliation: University of Pau and the Adour Region 

Catalina is a PhD candidate at the University of Pau and the Adour Region, working in collaboration with TotalEnergies. Her research focuses on microplastic contamination related to the anaerobic digestion process of bio-waste. She received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the National University of Colombia and M.S. in Bioprocess Engineering from the University of Lorraine. She is passionate about environmentally friendly engineering solutions for the welfare of agricultural regions. 

Pablo UGALDE SALAS, Webinar Coordinator 

Current affiliation: INRIA Centre at the University of Bordeaux 

Pablo is an applied mathematician who has dedicated his academic career to the study and modelling of microbial communities. He has worked in a broad range of ecosystems ranging from bioreactors to larger engineered ecosystems as well as the human gut. Pablo is interested in the integration of omics data in already existing models describing microbial ecosystems. He also likes combining elements from different disciplines, namely, bioprocesses, systems biology, bioenergetics, microbial ecology, and mathematics. 

Eloïse LENORMAND, Communication Officer 

Current affiliation: DEEP Laboratory, INSA Lyon 

Éloïse is mainly interested in Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in urban areas, particularly in the frame of preserving water resources and adapting cities to climate change. Éloïse has a multidisciplinary engineering background, holding a hydraulic engineering degree, an MBA and a PhD in process engineering from the the National School for Water and Environmental Engineering (ENGEES) at the University of Strasbourg. She has mainly worked with constructed wetlands for wastewater and stormwater management in France, Cambodia and Colombia. Her doctoral work was multidisciplinary, combining hydraulics in open systems and porous media, urban hydrology, micropollutants analysis, soil analysis, botany, plant ecology and ecological engineering in a pilot site. She is now focusing on hydrological-hydraulic modelling to create a decision-making tool aiming at implementing wisely urban NbS for stormwater management. 

Felipe GUILAYN, Industry-Academia Nexus Officer 

Current affiliation: SUEZ International Water and Environmental Research Centre (CIRSEE) 

Felipe is an Environmental and Sanitary Engineer (Brazil, 2015) and holds a PhD degree in Process Engineering (France, 2019). Felipe’s work has been almost fully oriented towards anaerobic digestion and digestate valorisation. As an R&D project manager and Head of Department at the CIRSEE, Felipe performs business-oriented research that addresses the needs and ambitions of SUEZ’s clients and its 40,000+ employees worldwide. Felipe’s work takes maximum advantage of his operational and plant design background in assessing the cost and performance of promising technologies. Felipe is a young scientific researcher (with a H-index of 7) and he continues to contribute both as publisher and reviewer for recognised journals and conferences in the waste(water) management and biotechnology domains. 

Assia MOKSSIT, Events Coordinator 

Current affiliation: SUEZ Technical Distribution Center 

Assia is a Moroccan-French engineer holding a PhD in Hydraulic Engineering from the École des Ponts ParisTech. She has an extensive background in water and environmental engineering, with a double Master’s degree in the field. Currently, she holds the position of research engineer at SUEZ’s Technical Distribution Centre, where she leads innovation projects dedicated to improving water network performance and management. Her research primarily centres around enhancing the resilience of intermittent water supply networks. As a management committee member for two IWA Specialist Groups (Water Loss, and Intermittent Water Supply), Assia plays an integral role in the expertise centre, maintaining close contact with academics, operational experts, and regulatory representatives within the water sector to drive practical advancements and solutions. 

Noah PEYSSON, Deputy Events Coordinator 

Current affiliation: National School for Water and Environmental Engineering (ENGEES) at the University of Strasbourg 

With an international and multidisciplinary education in business and sustainability, Noah graduated with a Master’s thesis on the topic of environmental and social issues in the supply chains of activated carbon. Commissioned by the Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority HSY, the largest Finnish water utility, the results have been presented at the 2022 IWA World Water Congress in Copenhagen. After graduation, Noah worked at the Euro-Mediteranean Water Information System (SEMIDE/EMWIS) on a European research project on Nature-based Solutions for water scarcity in the Mediterranean region (HYDROUSA). He recently started a new Master’s degree in geography at the University of Strasbourg. He is committed to acquire more scientific knowledge to consciously preserve the Earth’s most precious resources. He advocates for a cultural shift in local, national, and international water and agricultural policies. 

Noé KINET, Professional Development Officer 

Current affiliation: nextProtein 

Since 2010, Noé has worked in the USA, Brazil and France mainly in the biotechnology and agriculture sectors. Throughout his career, Noé has worked with a wide range of stakeholders, such as SUEZ and local network operators, managing digitalisation efforts and supporting with water quality data and pipes diagnostics to better understand the real condition of drinking water distribution networks. Today Noé works as a strategy and business development manager for nextProtein, an international company that raises insects from food waste to produce feed for farmers. Food waste is used to raise black soldier flies and produce insect meals and oils mainly for aquaculture and feed industries.