In an effort to address the growing need for sustainable water and sanitation solutions in urban areas, GWOPA (Global Water Operators Partnership Alliance) hosted a side event at the 2nd UN-Habitat Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya. The event, titled “Partnerships for Localising Multilateralism: Implications of the Water Action Agenda on Urban Development,” brought together key stakeholders to discuss the implementation of the Water Action Agenda and its impact on urban development. With increasing urbanisation and the challenges posed by climate change, the event aimed to foster collaboration and strengthen partnerships to ensure safe and affordable access to water and sanitation services. 

The Water Action Agenda, a result of the UN 2023 Water Conference, holds great significance in accelerating progress towards SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities). Access to essential services such as water and sanitation is crucial for achieving safe and affordable housing in urban areas. With urbanisation and climate change adding pressure on existing systems, it is estimated that the demand for water in cities will rise by 50-70% over the next three decades. Localising water and sanitation service delivery through multi-stakeholder partnerships reflects the spirit of multilateralism and presents opportunities for accelerated progress toward SDGs 6 and 11.1. 

The side event witnessed the participation of over 60 individuals, including prominent keynote speakers. The discussions revolved around the importance of collaboration across sectors and the need to strengthen partnerships at the local level. Key emphasis was placed on inclusivity and the availability of financial support to drive sustainable action on water-related issues. Several influential speakers highlighted the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration and inclusive decision-making processes.

Dr. Rose Kaggwa of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation emphasised the need for collaboration across sectors and boundaries, particularly by engaging the youth and allocating adequate budgets.

Ms. Dian Irawati from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, Indonesia, stressed the significance of cross-sectoral action to engage all stakeholders, create innovative solutions, and mobilise effective action. Mr. Arnold Cole of UNICEF’s Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa highlighted the need to strengthen systems, institutions, and governance while emphasising the role of finance as an enabler to achieve SDG 6. 

Enhancing Partnerships through Water Action 

The event shed light on the crucial role played by GWOPA in enhancing partnerships at the local level. Ms. Zainab Mpakiraba, Principal Engineer at the National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Uganda, added that utilities are key actors in the implementation of sustainable solutions. GWOPA’s Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Congress has inspired utilities to take action by addressing their challenges and seeking support from each other. Ms. Rasa Ščeponavičiūtė, Deputy Permanent Representative to UNEP and UN-HABITAT, European Union Delegation to the Republic of Kenya, further stressed the supportive role of GWOPA in providing water services in urban areas, highlighting the importance of UN coordination in this sector. 

The side event hosted by GWOPA at the 2nd UN-Habitat Assembly was an important platform for stakeholders to discuss and collaborate on improving urban development through the Water Action Agenda. The event highlighted the need for strong partnerships, inclusivity, and financial support to address the challenges posed by urbanisation and climate change. By localising water and sanitation service delivery and adopting a multi-stakeholder approach, progress can be accelerated towards achieving SDGs 6 and 11.1.

With GWOPA’s role in enhancing partnerships at the local level, and the commitment and dedication of all stakeholders, there is hope for sustainable water and sanitation solutions in urban areas. As we continue our work, it is crucial to be bolder in our actions, articulate our expectations, and establish robust monitoring mechanisms to ensure accountability. We look forward to sharing more solutions and insights at the upcoming IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition in Kigali, Rwanda on 10-14 December 2023. Registration is opening soon – find out more. 

Urban water inequality is a significant challenge in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, a city of 1.4 million inhabitants, the majority of whom have transitioned from a nomadic lifestyle. The city’s harsh climatic conditions and uneven development exacerbate the issue, particularly in the Gers located on the outskirts, where nomads reside in temporary tent houses. 

Rapid urbanisation and commercialisation in Mongolia have not only affected the pastoral way of life, culture, and tradition but also the environment. The majority of the urban poor in Ulaanbaatar, including former nomads and pastoral communities, live in traditional Ger areas. These areas lack services such as fresh water, wastewater disposal, and central heating systems. In winter, extreme temperatures lead to the use of raw coal, rubber, and even plastic for heating. This, combined with environmental degradation, has caused water problems and social issues, particularly in rapidly growing Ger areas.

Water Inequality and Gender Disparities 

Ger areas suffer from limited access to safe water and sanitation. Most residents rely on unsealed pit latrines and unsafe water sources such as rivers, springs, and hand-dug wells. Women, who are primarily responsible for managing water, face greater risks and challenges, further exacerbated by social class differences. The labour-intensive process of fetching, storing, and managing water negatively impacts their well-being. Inadequate sanitation facilities and expensive private bathhouses pose additional hardships, particularly during menstruation. Water-related practices also increase the risk of violence against women and girls. 

To achieve inclusive urban sanitation, it is crucial to understand the diverse water practices and analyse the associated inequalities. Efforts to address urban water inequality in Ulaanbaatar must acknowledge the diverse challenges and consequences faced by different social groups. A uniform set of solutions cannot adequately address water issues, as they vary across locations. Detailed analysis should consider the embedded gender, class, and socioeconomic dynamics in daily water practices, highlighting the consequences and inequalities related to water and sanitation access. Further research and investments are necessary to promote inclusive, resilient, water-wise, and sanitation-secure cities. 

By promoting inclusive urban sanitation, we can strive towards equitable access to safe water and sanitation for all. Efforts should focus on addressing the challenges faced by the urban poor in Ger areas, particularly women and girls who bear the brunt of water-related responsibilities. Adequate sanitation facilities, improved water supply systems, and targeted interventions can contribute to the wellbeing and empowerment of marginalised communities. With a comprehensive understanding of water practices and a commitment to equality, Ulaanbaatar can build a sustainable and inclusive future.  

I look forward to continuing the discussion on water inequality, gender and sanitation at the upcoming IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition on 10-14 December 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda. The congress has a strong focus on improving urban sanitation, inclusiveness and equality. Discover the programme topics here and save the date! waterdevelopmentcongress.org

Insights provided by Khulan Dorjsuren, Environmental Specialist from Ulaanbaatar Mongolia

In 2015, the world committed to Sustainable Development Goal 6 – the promise that everyone would have safely managed water and sanitation by 2030. This year’s World Water Day acts as a reminder for everyone to take action to secure progress on water and sanitation. This year’s theme of Accelerating Change emphasises the need to speed up efforts towards achieving sustainable water management practices. 

Water is a vital resource for life on earth, and its importance cannot be overemphasised. However, despite its critical role in sustaining life, access to safe and clean water remains a significant challenge for many communities worldwide with 1 in 4 people – 2.2 billion people without access to safely managed drinking water, while 4.2 billion go without safe sanitation services and 3 billion lack basic handwashing facilities. Rapid urbanisation, climate change, and unsustainable water management practices have all contributed to the global water and sanitation crisis. 

To accelerate change and secure progress on water and sanitation, governments, organisations, and individuals must work together to promote sustainable water management practices. This includes investing in infrastructure and technologies that improve access to clean water, reducing water waste and pollution, and promoting water conservation and efficiency. To achieve this, the needs of women and girls, of the vulnerable, marginalised and rural communities must be taken into account in order to deliver access to clean water and safe sanitation. This can be addressed through innovative solutions such as community-led water projects and investment in sustainable water technologies. 

Another critical area that requires attention is the need to reduce water waste and pollution. Agriculture, industry, and households are major contributors to water pollution and waste. Efforts to reduce waste and pollution can be achieved through better water management practices, including wastewater treatment, sustainable agricultural practices, and the use of water-efficient technologies. 

Climate change is also a significant challenge that affects water resources. Extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and hurricanes have become more frequent and intense, resulting in water scarcity and reduced water quality. To accelerate change and address the impacts of climate change, governments and organisations must invest in climate-resilient water infrastructure and promote the use of renewable energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Here’s how we can act and make a difference individually: 

1. Reduce water usage: You can reduce water consumption by taking shorter showers, fixing leaks, and using drought-resistant plants in your garden. 
2. Support water-saving initiatives: You can support water-saving initiatives in your community by volunteering, donating, or advocating for change. 
3. Educate others: Spread awareness about the importance of water and the water crisis by educating your family, friends, and community about the issue. 
4. Make sustainable choices: Make sustainable choices in your daily life by choosing products and services that have been produced with minimal water usage. 
5. Advocate for change: Advocate for change at the local, national, and international level by supporting policies and initiatives that promote sustainable water management practices.

By taking these simple steps, you can play your part in accelerating change and secure progress on water and sanitation.  But water and sanitation are complex sectors and thus also require good governance and cooperation. Here’s how governments can act and make a difference:  

1. Allocate adequate funding 
2. Involve and engage the public  in the planning, implementation, and management of water services 
3. Develop innovative policies and governance mechanisms based on climate resilient and inclusive WASH services 
4. Engage, support and incentivise private sector operators and other stakeholders to take bold and sustainable water action. 

IWA Resources

In addition to these steps, we urge water professionals, institutions, policymakers and wider stakeholders to consult our resources to secure a water wise future. The International Water Association actively promotes a comprehensive and integrated approach to managing water – one that envisages resilient and Water-Wise Cities. We invite you to learn more about our initiatives, particularly the IWA Principles for Water-Wise Cities, the Climate Smart Utilities initiative, and our Inclusive Urban Sanitation initiative – all providing practical inspiring case studies and high-impact stories on urban water and sanitation, and sustainable water management from all over the world. 

World Water Day 2023 and the UN Water Conference  

This World Water Day, IWA will co-host and participate in a wide range of events during the UN Water Conference in New York on 22-24 March 2023.  >> Here you can find the list of activities and events where the International Water Association will participate while at the UN Water Conference in New York on 22-24 March. We look forward to seeing you at one of our events! Together, we can accelerate change to secure progress on water and sanitation. 

Population growth, urbanization and persistent drought are straining water resources in various regions around the world, while pollution and contamination compound these challenges. As this situation intensifies, water technology companies like Xylem are working to advance the conversation on sustainable water supply strategies, including the use of recycled water – or reuse water – to tackle water shortages.

The reality is that water scarcity is an issue facing communities in every corner of the world, but solutions exist to address this challenge. Advanced treatment technologies have demonstrated that wastewater can be purified well beyond drinking water standards and reused safely for both potable and non-potable purposes.

Reusing water can also have numerous economic benefits, reused water is less expensive than generating water through other technologies such as desalination, which means savings for both public utilities and citizens.

Advanced treatment technologies play key role

Advanced technologies are a key part of the foundation to support the development of potable reuse projects. New developments in oxidation-enhanced, biologically active filtration and UV disinfection are helping utilities around the world achieve reuse water quality standards, while delivering optimal performance, reliable operations and substantial energy savings.

Xylem is engaged in initiatives to build support for water reuse throughout the world:

• In California, advanced treatment technologies are helping to combat water shortages due to drought. For example, the Santa Clara Valley Water District is using ultraviolet (UV) light to produce recycled water for use by commercial and industrial customers, and the city of Los Angeles is incorporating UV light and chlorine in a cutting-edge advanced oxidation process to augment dwindling groundwater supplies. Xylem’s ozone and biologically active filtration processes are also being provided to produce high-quality water to supplement surface water supplies in San Diego.
• Using a multi-step disinfection process, Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) in Virginia Beach, Virginia, implemented an innovative water treatment program called SWIFT (Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow). The program puts highly treated water through additional rounds of advanced water treatment to meet strict drinking water quality standards. SWIFT water is then added to the Potomac Aquifer to help slow and potentially reverse the shrinking of land due to withdrawal, help restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay and give the region a sustainable source of groundwater.
• In Saudi Arabia, a sewage treatment plant was expanded to help meet the country’s ambitious target for water reuse. An integrated wastewater treatment system from Xylem helps generate over 52 million gallons per day of treated water per day.

Expanding water reuse practices and customizing water treatment options such as Ozone Oxidation, Biologically Active Filtration, UV Disinfection and Advanced Oxidation Processes are increasingly necessary for water utilities to develop resiliency against local water challenges that range from protecting the environment to securing long-term water supply independence.

Wide-scale adoption

As climate change and continued population growth put even more pressure on already overstretched water resources around the world, water reuse applications are becoming increasingly important.

Accelerating the adoption of reuse technologies requires a combination of smart water policies and public education. As support for public policies to promote the use of recycled water and advancing technologies become more affordable, the treatment and recycling of wastewater for potable and non-potable use will continue to grow. We must spread the word that water reuse is a viable, safe and sustainable solution that will be essential to help solving the world’s future water needs. Ultimately it is the water’s quality that counts, and not the water’s  history.

Water Stewardship: License to operate?

After 200 years of industrialisation where water was used rather thoughtlessly and our natural resources and environment were almost neglected, the winds of change have begun to blow the recent years. Following the United Nation’s SDG 6 that highlights the need for ‘Efficient Water-Use and Sustainable Withdrawal’, investments in industrial water now seem to increase, and the paradigm of ‘Water Stewardship’ is gaining ground.

Water stewardship refers to a use of water that is socially equitable, environmentally sustainable, and economically beneficial. Of special concern is to ensure that large water-consuming industries care about and collectively take responsibility for the way they use and manage water in their production, including the quality of their water discharge and the use of fresh cooling water. And it aligns well with the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility, as many large water-consuming industries have begun to accept and act upon the fact that they are part of a local community as well as a global world of water scarcity.

Water stewards hence “understand their own water use, catchment context and shared risk in terms of water governance, water balance, water quality and important water-related areas; and then use this to engage in meaningful individual and collective actions that benefit people and nature.” (Alliance for Water Stewardship)

Photo: reverse osmosis water treatment

Industrial water reuse
At the moment, we see an increasing interest in industrial water reuse and corporate investments in e.g. wastewater recycling, reducing cooling water, RO (Reverse Osmosis) reject recovery, and harvesting and reusing rainwater.

The Food & Beverage industry is one of the large water-consuming industry sectors taking water stewardship increasingly seriously. A good example of a company incorporating these new solutions is the Carlsberg Group. The brewing industry is highly dependent on water, and thus in much bigger need of rethinking their water consumption. In the past years, the Carlsberg Group has been aiming towards a more sustainable production and with their initiative “Zero Water Waste”, they have an ambition to completely eliminate water waste from their brewing process by 2030. Most importantly, they are actually changing their ways – in 2019, they improved their production by a 12% reduction in water consumption per hl production from 2015 by incorporating treatment and reuse of wastewater whenever possible.

In another heavy water-consuming industry, the textile industry, we see an emerging and much needed focus on the discharge of industrial water, but the progress of the textile industry suffers from the fact that production facilities are primarily located in developing countries. Roadmap to Zero is an initiative founded to diminish the discharge of hazardous chemicals in the apparel and footwear industry, yet their ultimate ambition has now become to achieve “Clean water, clean air, safe workers and safe products.” Their approach is to guide value chains in making safer and more sustainable choices in regard to chemical use and wastewater. Today, ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) has 160 members who contribute to the cause and put cleaner water on the agenda.

The clock is ticking
As a dedicated water ambassador, I am pleased to see that large water-consuming industries around the world have started to take their use and management of water seriously. However, we have a long way to go before water stewardship becomes the new normal, and the clock is ticking. Around 80% of the world’s wastewater is still released into the environment without adequate treatment, and water has become a much scarcer resource than ever before. We all know of the Day Zero drama in Cape Town in 2018, and just recently, BBC reported that several areas in England are at risk of running out of water in 2041.

I am therefore looking forward to discussing the future of large water-consuming industries when we meet in Copenhagen at the IWA #WorldWaterCongress next year: How can we avoid greenwashing in the industries’ attempt to please the public and ensure that industries implement actual changes? How can we help more industries to become water stewards? And how can we create a future where water stewardship becomes a license to operate?

“We cannot solve our problem with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein

We’ve all heard about thinking out of the box… But it’s easier said than done. A few days ago I was pushed outside my box at the event organized by LeMonde Cities, featuring architects and urban planners on the topic of “Can nature humanize our cities?” inspiring cities to change their paradigm and embrace that they are part of nature rather than users of it.

My box is water: urban water systems, water security, and the impacts on water of climate change. From that box, the challenges appear to be:

• performance of treatment,
• how water and wastewater can contribute to the circular economy,
• the need for more robust systems that can operate in a wide range of conditions, and
• the need for resilience to prepare for changes that go beyond the capacity of the systems.

Solutions to these problems can be technology-based or nature-based. Water professionals are increasingly seeking out nature based solutions (NBS), yet get stuck in a technical perspective: using plants to retain stormwater or protect a water catchment upstream of the city. NBS are implemented to the benefit of the water systems with some liveability co-benefits. The mindset remains to use nature rather than think the city as part of nature.

Listening to the perspectives on nature and cities from philosophers, architects, and geographers at the LeMonde City event, I reevaluated my definition of Nature as “the healthy relationship between all living and non-living things”. All living things include people – all urban dwellers are therefore part of nature; non-living things, such as topography, geology, and water flows, form the basis of all built environments, and all together these are the settings for healthy relationships between the living.

The first human settlements were built to respond to the primary need for protection from cold, heat, rain, danger, and were built to ensure water and food security. The location of the settlements was driven by the “non-living things” and the built environment promoted balanced relationships between people and nature, supporting ecosystems living in harmony.

As the settlements grew, a disconnect began to form between humans and nature. Fast forward a few thousand years, and now food is brought in by suppliers, water is delivered by unseen pipes, and waste is taken away by pipes or trucks. Cities have transformed into resource extraction engines, dehumanized and denaturalized in many cases.

With this in mind, if we come back to the challenges from the standpoint of a water professional, I can see opportunities to solve these challenges by thinking of NBS not only as more green, but also as more human. People’s behavior is part of the solution, as it can reduce the pressures on performance, enhance circularity, as well as increase robustness and resilience. Behavior impacts the design parameters of our systems, for example:

• In Morocco, we design water supply for 70 L/pers/day, whereas in many American cities we design for 300 L/pers/day.
• In Europe we design for 60g of BOD₅/pers/day for the organic load in the wastewater, whereas in the US we design for 80g of BOD₅/pers/day (mostly due to the use of garbage disposal in households kitchen sinks); or in Thailand we design for 40g of BOD₅/pers/day as households have on-site septic tanks and only dispose of the grey water and the septic tank overflow in the sewer system. [Note: BOD₅ is an indication of the organic waste concentration in the wastewater]

Behavior also impacts the performance of our systems, for example:

• People dispose of medicine, chemicals, grease and/or wipes in their household drains, creating massive problems in pipes and treatment systems.
• When water security is threatened by drought, people can reduce their consumption to maintain the systems in operation, as we saw in Cape Town in 2018, or in Australia during the Millennium Drought.

Now let’s step out of “the box which created our problems” and rather than just look at how nature (including people) can help solve water problems, let’s look at what nature needs to recover its balance. Can we enter a virtuous circle where water contributes to a healthier Nature, which in turn solves water issues, but also social issues, pollution issues, and many more?  Can water be a tool, an entry door, to recreate emotional connections between people and make them part of nature again?

Sofia De Meyer, Founder of Opaline and thought leader in circular economy, shared “we cannot protect something well if we are not emotionally connected to it.” Visible water in urban public spaces, communication on where water comes from and how much is left in the reserves, or water quality in bathing areas, are all ways to recreate the emotional connection to nature so that our society takes an active role in protecting our planet.

Photo credit: India Today

It’s about people recovering their position within nature, so that the primal balances are recovered, and not only for effective water management, but also for many other societal challenges. Nature for cities or cities for nature? The answer is both, so that we achieve “Nature Cities”, cities with a built environment that foster healthy relationships between people, plants, animals and their surroundings.

I encourage water professionals to meet urban planners and architects and work together in embracing water in cities. I look forward to this opportunity at the Urban Future Global Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, on 1-3 April 2020.

top-photo: Singapore Nature City. Photo Credit National Geographic.

The urbanisation trend is an undeniable fact worldwide in large and small cities all over the globe.

Water supply and sanitation are two of the most fundamental pillars for the sustainability of city inhabitants. Many cities in Central Asia are facing the same urbanisation trend situation by exerting high pressure on water supply and wastewater services (WWS).

In the case of Kazakhstan, water supply and wastewater services (WWS) systems also currently face major challenges on the continuous and uninterrupted provision of services. Rapid urbanisation, aged infrastructure, water scarcity, and poor water quality are some of the challenges to be currently addressed. 

Furthermore, Kazakhstan, with a total area of just over 2.72 million km² and nearly 18m population, is the 9^th largest country in the world where remote settlements are frequent. Kazakhstan also has a highly continental climate with extreme weather conditions in northern parts while transboundary rivers provide nearly 60% of water intake in the country. The remoteness of cities, the experienced weather extremes and the dependence on water supply coming from other countries, bring some additional difficulties on the operation of WWS in the country.

According to the International Benchmarking Network for Water and Sanitation Utilities (IBNET) the coverage of drinking water supply in Kazakhstan reached 90% in the early 2000’s dropped in the last decade but has showed however an upward trend in the last 3-4 years. The situation is less satisfactory in wastewater services where the coverage seems to be just over 60% for the last decade as presented in Fig.1.

Water and Sewerage Coverage in Kazakhstan for the period 2000-2016

In this regard, we believe that urban water management requires an exhaustive economic analysis, in cities like Kazakhstan, where people’s demands are growing so fast there is no time to plan them carefully.  For this reason, the Graduate School of Public Policy (GSPP) of Nazarbayev University located in Nur-Sultan (previously named Astana), the capital city of Kazakhstan, asked the expertise of the Specialist Group (SG) on Statistics and Economics of the International Water Association (IWA) on urban water management issues with the main focus on economic aspects. We think that the organisation of workshops and meetings that involve people from several countries with similar or even different experiences in water management is very helpful, since we can all learn from their expertise.

Therefore, the SG of IWA, together with the GSPP participated in the organisation of two workshop sessions: the first one dealt with water policy challenges in urban water management, where IWA experts offered their expertise on the economic dimensions of urban water management outlining the main issues encountered by WWS authorities in Europe; the second devoted to the lessons learnt on urban water management in Europe and Asia. It consisted of a session about the economic and technological advancements on WWS, followed by a Roundtable Discussion composed by the IWA experts and some representatives from ministries of Kazakhstan and the World Bank. The Roundtable Discussion included experiences from IWA experts making similarities with Central Asian context and providing policy recommendations for improving the economic efficiency of urban water management in the region.

From our point of view, the event was a great success not only because more than 100 participants with keen interest to learn from IWA experts on WWS issues worldwide attended the event, but also due to the interesting debates generated regarding water regulation and water management policies abroad in order to obtain an efficient system. In conclusion, our point is that we need to learn what has been done before and then establish a criterion for an efficient water management plan adapted to the social and institutional characteristics of the country.

 Using storm water solutions to create a better city. Examples from Copenhagen

Last month Copenhagen was the host of the C40 Mayors summit. Here more than 1000 mayors, city planners etc. from the world’s most ambitious green cities met to discuss how to tackle climate change. It was my experience that urban water management and climate adaptation in particular was an increasing concern for a lot of the cities. At the City of Copenhagen, we look forward to continuing the discussions during the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition in October next year because we have seen first-hand what a difference it makes, when you combine the need for storm water solutions with urban development.

Very often when we talk about storm water projects, we have the image of huge technical solutions in mind. Huge underground retention basins, large underground pipes removing the storm water (very often mixed with black sewage water) have in many cities been the solutions to combat the increased amounts of rain that climate change will and is bringing to cities.

In Copenhagen we have chosen a different approach. Our citywide cloudburst management plan has been developed with a majority of the projects being surface solutions, basically creating a new infrastructure for retention and transport of storm water. It is cheaper than the traditional solutions, and it also gives us the opportunity to create multifunctional solutions that will improve the city by adding more green areas, more nature and more multifunctional space to be used when it is not raining. And the projects that we have implemented so far demonstrate this quite clearly as illustrated in these examples:

Tåsinge Square – transformation of a neighbourhood

This was the first project that was finished. It is located in the Northeastern part of Copenhagen in the so-called Climate Neighbourhood. This neighbourhood was selected to demonstrate the cloudburst projects in the city also as part of a neighbourhood regeneration project. Tåsinge Square was a little green triangle surrounded by roads with parking. There was no social life, no cafés and the square was basically only used for walking dogs.

Photo: State of Green

The project was designed in close collaboration with the local community. Their focus was mainly on how you could transform the square into a small green park with more room for social activities. So the design of the project was not only focused on how to transform the square into a retention area, but also on how to actually create space for the local community.

The solution was a division of the new park into a retention area receiving storm water from surrounding buildings and roads, and a little paved square and a lot of green surrounding it. Closing of one of the streets also gave more space and a clear connection between the buildings and the new park.

Photo: State of Green

And the result was amazing. Of course, the storm water retention works – it has been tried and tested in a number of events since the opening of the park in 2014. But more importantly, the design of the park and square has become a new meeting place for the local community. On sunny days people are filling the square, drinking coffee from one of the two new cafés and just enjoying the place. It is used for flea-markets, Christmas markets and other social events in the neighbourhood.

Scandiagade – from derelict street to green activities

In the southern part of Copenhagen we find Scandiagade. It is located in one of the poorer neighbourhoods in Copenhagen – between the new harbour developments and social housing estates. The street was cut off some time in the 1970’s as part of removing traffic going through the neighbourhood and since then the street has been a dead-end – with nice trees, but nothing else. It was not a place to go walk at night, as it was dark and isolated.

Photo: Øystein Leonardsen

But the city needed the area for retention of storm water from the surrounding streets. And the local residents in the social housing estates needed a safe, inviting green space with room for activities. After a long process of working with the local residents the design ended up as eight sunken gardens that serve a dual purpose. When it is dry, it allows the residents to grow vegetables, explore different kinds of biotopes representing some of the nature in the neighbourhood or just hang out. And when heavy rain hits the neighbourhood, the gardens collect storm water from the street.

Photo: Øystein Leonardsen

And the result is amazing – it has really transformed the street and the life on the street. Before you would rarely meet anybody there. Now there are always people there, and from being a dead-end it is now a center for activities.

Conclusions:

Climate change really challenges cities with for example huge amounts of rain. But with clever design and a focus on local communities, social life and biodiversity it can also help transform our cities to green liveable places with room for water and for people and nature. And the best part is that it is cheaper than digging big holes in the ground. And the solutions from Copenhagen can easily be applied in other cities. Currently New York City is working on their own version of the Climate Neighbourhood. What’s not to like?

Photo: Øystein Leonardsen

Today many cities around the world have been facing great change pressures of increasing demands due to population growth, urbanization, influx of displaced people, climate change with hydrological extremes such as floods and droughts. All of these have put a great pressure on our socio economic development, increased vulnerability of our water resources and influenced the way we manage water today. As a result many people suffer from unsafe or intermittent water supply in their daily lives!

Water is an essential element of life as well as a cross cutting element of sustainable development. It is key to food, energy and health security as well as poverty eradication, and therefore it is not surprising that water is covered under the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), either directly or indirectly, which makes me believe that if we fail to achieve SDG number 6 on water, we fail in all the other SDGs. Simply put: No Water, No future.

Adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have shaped and calibrated to express the needs and aspirations of the world to provide universal, equitable, safe, and affordable water and sanitation services (WSS) by 2030, along with other improvements in the way water is managed as a resource.

SDG 6 comprises eight ambitious targets rolled into one, and these targets go far beyond the challenge of meeting the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target for water by addressing the entire water cycle affecting the availability and quality of those services. The SDG6 sets the bar higher by shifting from infrastructure delivery and access to basic WSS in the MDG period into comprehensive, sustainable, and safely managed WSS.

At a global level, the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target for water was achieved by 2010 and 2.6 billion people gained access to improved water but these services do not necessarily provide safe water. Despite this worldwide effort, 660 million people still lack access to clean water (WHO/UNICEF 2015). Due to aspirations of SDG 6, the figures have grown up, some 3 in 10 people worldwide, or 2.1 billion, lack access to safe, readily available water at home (WHO/UNICEF 2017)

Due to limited and mismanaged resources, water supply is intermittent in many cities around the world that aggravate the challenge to achieve SDG6. The scale of IWS is growing: nowadays 1.2 billion people have access to water infrastructure but do not receive continuous water supply. The condition where water is provided for a limited period is called Intermittent Water Supplies (IWS).  The numerous problems associated with management and operation of distribution networks under IWS put us in a vicious cycle of water management (https://www.thesourcemagazine.org/beyond-urban-water-security-the-vulnerability-of-intermittent-water-supplies/), increase the level of non revenue water andcause inequity within the country that can be a significant factor in exacerbating poverty SDG1.

“If we continue to follow a business‐as‐usual pathway with the same water governance under intermittent water supply, many countries have a long way to go to achieve the SDG6 by 2030”.

(WHO 2012) estimated that the economic cost of poor WSS in developing countries amounted to  about $260 billion per year through a range of different impacts—from poor health to environmental degradation—which equates to 1.5 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP) In some very poor countries, this figure may rise to 10 percent of GDP.

The need to solve systemic problems of IWS is extremely urgent not only because of the growing complexity of today’s challenges, but also because such problems require new mindsets, approaches, collective actions, large monetary and resource investments with multi-generational consequences. Transitioning toward secure and continuous water supply is the only way that these trends will be reversed and get the SDG6 back on track.

According to Bambos Charalambous, the Chair of IWS SG at the International Water Association (IWA) “The status quo is not enough; we need to shift IWS to 24/7; it is easy to turn 24/7 supply to IWS but it takes years to get back the continuous supply”.

On this note, as management committee member of IWS SG at IWA, I am happy to invite you to the 1st IWS conference that will take place in, Kampala, Uganda, the pearl of Africa from the 7th to the 9th of April, 2019. The IWS conference aims to advance the knowledge and share experiences on Intermittent Water Supply (IWS) and to frame the problem within its technical, institutional, financial and social contexts.  It will provide an opportunity for water researchers, engineers and experts from academia, industry, governments and water utilities to exchange experiences, and knowhow on how to improve conditions under IWS and on how to develop methodologies to improve and transition to continuous.

Submission for abstracts is open until 18^thNovember 2018.

Please send your abstract committee@iws2019.org.

References:

• WHO (World Health Organization). 2012. “Global Costs and Benefits of Drinking-Water Supply and Sanitation Interventions to Reach the MDG Target and Universal Coverage.” Analytical report, WHO/HSE/WSH/12.01, WHO, Geneva
• WHO/UNICEF (World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s  Fund). 2015. Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water: 2015 Update and MDG Assessment. Geneva
• WHO/UNICEF (World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s  Fund). 2017. Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: 2017 Update and SDG Baselines. Geneva