Over the past few years, we’ve seen a surge of young professionals eager to shape the future of water. The YWP Steering Committee, elected by the IWA YWP Community every two years, has been part of our decision-making structure since the 2000s. IWA now has more than 50 active YWP Country Chapters worldwide – from China to South Africa, Brazil to the UK, and, recently, new chapters in Ireland, Mali and Burkina Faso. Each chapter is driven by IWA YWP members who are determined to influence water governance, management, innovation and sustainability – locally and internationally. 

It’s hard not to be inspired by the level of commitment our YWPs demonstrate. Whether organising national conferences, hosting technical workshops, participating in global dialogues or designing community-led initiatives, these young leaders are redefining what it means to be a water professional today. 

In June, I had the pleasure of hearing about the 3rd IWA YWP Canada Conference, which brought together more than 200 participants, including professionals, academics and students. It featured panels, technical sessions and a global hackathon, where five international teams presented innovative solutions to water challenges in their home countries. This type of collaboration and innovation is exactly what our sector needs and is something IWA’s YWPs are uniquely equipped to deliver.  

Take, for example, the Iberoamerican IWA YWP Chapters. This growing coalition of Spanish-speaking YWP chapters emerged from a simple, yet persistent, challenge: the lack of technical content available in their native language. Their solution? A dynamic series of Spanish-language webinars, co-organised across countries, bridging linguistic and geographic divides to deliver relevant and inclusive knowledge to their peers. When empowered, YWPs don’t just participate – they lead, create and solve. 

Alongside our growing chapter network, IWA has launched flagship programmes to nurture young leadership in the sector. The IWA & Grundfos Youth Action for SDG 6 Fellowship supports exceptional young professionals working on water and sanitation, amplifying youth voices in global policy dialogues. Meanwhile, the IWA LeaP leadership programme for YWPs brings together early-career professionals from across the world for a year-long journey focused on leadership development, strategic thinking and personal growth. Both programmes are part of IWA’s commitment to equip young leaders with the tools and platforms to influence global water governance. 

Looking ahead, I am especially excited about the Emerging Water Leaders Forum at the IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition in Bangkok, in December – an initiative that will bring together young professionals from across the globe to engage in a powerful learning and networking experience. The Forum is an event led by YWPs for YWPs. Meanwhile, planning is well under way for the 2026 IWA European YWP Conference in Milan, Italy, where we anticipate another milestone gathering for our YWP community. 

IWA believes that the YWP Community is a strategic asset, integral to our Association’s Strategic and Operational Plans. We cannot talk about the future of water without the voices, ideas and leadership of young professionals at the table. 

As President, I am committed to ensuring that YWPs remain front and centre in our journey. That means not only recognising their contributions, but also actively creating the platforms, opportunities and support systems they need to thrive. The future belongs to those who prepare for it today. 

To our YWPs – thank you. Your work reminds us that the future of water is not something distant. It’s already here – and it’s in good hands. 

Hamanth Kasan, President, IWA 

The post Young Water Professionals: The energy and future of IWA appeared first on The Source.

The first face-to-face meeting of the newly established Board was held in Kampala, Uganda, in February. While there had been many online meetings last year to address various matters, the Uganda meeting was scheduled immediately prior to the African Water and Sanitation Association’s (AfWASA’s) biennial international congress and exhibition in Kampala, in order to facilitate participation at the African regional event. 

The Board meeting was an unprecedented success, with free-flowing engagement by all Board members resulting in a very productive learning experience during the induction of the Directors and unanimous decision-making outcomes for the Association. 

Some key decisions were taken after rigorous engagement. Preparations for executing our new five-year strategy were approved after consideration of an operational readiness assessment and operational plan – with a clear roadmap and milestones. The 2025 budget, aligned to the new strategy, was welcomed and approved. 

In addition, two exciting new initiatives were approved. Two task groups, each led by a Board member, have been working on important new schemes – one on water utilities and another on sanitation. The two groups were commended for their work and recommendations – both expected to lead to a new IWA event – which were approved unanimously.  

Alongside other regular but important business, two new country memberships were approved, meaning we are happy to now be able to include Thailand and Indonesia as part of the IWA General Assembly. We welcome them to the IWA family and look forward to them joining the IWA General Assembly Meeting in the UK this September. We are proud that our total number of General Assembly members now runs to 70 countries.  

An important takeaway for me from this meeting was that, during the first six months of the new Board, the Board, management and staff have demonstrated strong capability and commitment to leading our Association and delivering the new strategy for the benefit of all members, partners and stakeholders. 

During our time in Kampala, the Board was hosted by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC). IWA leaders delivered keynote addresses at the conference, emphasising innovation, digitalisation, utility leadership for sustainable finance, and water security. The conference also featured discussions on scaling up Citywide Inclusive Sanitation across Africa, with IWA showcasing its commitment to advancing water and sanitation solutions on the African continent by working with AfWASA and the newly launched African Water and Sanitation Academy (AWASA). 

At the AfWASA event, IWA demonstrated excellence, relevance and resonance with its international and African members. While IWA is a global association, its ability to embrace a diversity of members, appreciate their needs, and add value to help overcome regional challenges is critical – inspiring change and impact for our members across the globe. Our members have long requested support at regional level and from our Specialist Groups. Efforts to advance on both fronts form important parts of our new Strategic Plan. 

On behalf of IWA, we are grateful to our hosts, Uganda, NWSC, AfWASA and our own Senior Vice President from Uganda, Dr Rose Kaggwa, for making the Ugandan experience both memorable and impactful. 

The hospitality received in Uganda, the opportunity for IWA to contribute to the AfWASA event, and the energy and enthusiasm from the Board members and management combined to form an amazing example of the leading role that our association must play with regional associations and Specialist Groups across the globe, inspiring change and impact through excellence, relevance and resonance. 

Hamanth Kasan, President, IWA 

The post Excellence, relevance and resonance appeared first on The Source.

The Utility Leaders Forum, in Toronto, Canada, in August 2024, provided a unique opportunity for utility leaders to exchange views, network, and access insights in a setting designed by utility leaders for utility leaders. The forum was an overwhelming success and focused on three key topics: building water security and resilience; utility breakthroughs on climate adaptation; and utilities working to improve the circular economy.

I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate the forum’s organising committee for its commitment and dedication in delivering a valuable event, and providing a great opportunity for engagement, networking and collaboration. This is the hallmark of our globally respected IWA brand. Utility leaders in Toronto also had the opportunity to express their views on their needs and expectations of IWA. Sincere thanks and appreciation to all delegates who shared their thoughts, which will form the foundation of new offerings from IWA to satisfy the needs of all utility members.

Water utilities face many challenges, while customer and consumer expectations are increasing. Customers and consumers expect utilities to be properly governed, managed, and staffed with the best expertise for them to rise to the challenges and impacts of climate change – and any other risks to sustainable service delivery. Therefore, utilities are expected to mitigate all conceivable risks to satisfy customers’ needs.

To this end, utilities need to embrace digitalisation, mobilise innovative technology, review planning and strategic asset management, drive efficiencies, and reduce the carbon footprint of their operations. The circular economy is a socio-economic paradigm to which water utilities must adapt if ambitions to achieve global climate goals are to be achieved. The water sector needs to play a leading role through increased reuse and recycling, and the creation of new products for the market.

Water scarcity is not a new phenomenon for large parts of the world. Through the decades, water utilities have adapted successfully with access only to minimal resources. Climate change and population increases have created additional challenges for sustainable water and sanitation provision. During the past decade, countries such as the Netherlands and the UK have experienced unprecedented water scarcity and are now engaging in innovative projects to address this risk. Many leading utilities are focused on proactive interventions to assure water security by reducing leaks, recycling water for reuse, transforming waste into value added products, and adopting technologies such as water efficient sanitation systems.

The role of IWA is to inspire change and create impact by ensuring water utilities have access to the latest knowledge and technologies, by sharing information to the benefit of utilities and their stakeholders. Utility leaders need to interact, connect and engage with their peers and colleagues across the globe to gain access to best practices that will empower them to improve their utilities.

IWA recognises the leading role it needs to play as a membership organisation for utility members, and is in the process of reviewing and improving to enhance value propositions and services for utilities. This is an exciting time for IWA and water utilities. I am confident that, together, we can build resilient and sustainable water utilities that will inspire the confidence of customers and consumers across the world.

Hamanth Kasan, President, IWA

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Born and raised in South Africa, I have been a member since I was a PhD student, some 26 years ago. At the time, membership for students was free and my first experience of IWA was through the journal Water Research, which is still the premier publication for water-related research globally.

My PhD mentor challenged me to publish my findings in this prestigious journal. After doing so successfully, and attending my first Biennial Conference to present a paper in Brighton, England, I was very impressed by the global expertise at the event and the willingness of members to help and share knowledge, technologies and best practices. Attending this event convinced me that IWA was the foremost global association for water professionals seeking excellence. Hence, I have been a loyal member ever since.

As I progressed towards establishing a centre of research excellence focused on water and wastewater at Durban University of Technology, my relationship with IWA grew – publications, conference presentations and attendance, both for myself and students of the centre. I also engaged with the South African and the Eastern and Southern African branches of IWA and served as chairperson of each.

After enjoyable years in academia, I was appointed General Manager at Rand Water, the largest water utility in Africa. During my 22 years there, I was fortunate to engage more with IWA, at the Governing Assembly (GA), Strategic Council, Board and as Vice President.

Over this time, it is my honour to have worked with every past President of our association.

These experiences have been invaluable in shaping my approach as I now step into that role myself.

As I look ahead, I note that IWA’s membership has been growing and changing. The countries with most members are China, followed by India. We have 68 Governing Members. Our membership of around 10,000 spans more than 140 countries.

Meanwhile, the recent Toronto World Water Congress & Exhibition was attended by 7000 people, with 2700 conference registrations and over 900 presenters in more than 200 sessions. It was remarkable to interact with so many enthusiastic members from across the world. The conference was a huge success and sincere thanks go to the Programme and Organising Committees for making Toronto memorable for all.

Also significant in Toronto was the adoption by the IWA GA of the text for a new revised five-year IWA strategic plan, details of which will be shared soon. This exciting strategy coincides with my term as President and I am eagerly looking forward to working with all Members, stakeholders, Board, GA, Strategic Council, YWPs, management and staff as we navigate to our next level of impact.

The GA also elected Dr Rose Kaggwa from Uganda and Dr Mohmad Asari from Malaysia as Senior Vice President and Vice President, respectively. Congratulations to both, and I look forward to working with them.

The meeting also had the highest ever number of vice presidential candidates – five in total. This level of interest is unprecedented and demonstrates strong enthusiasm from top calibre members to volunteer their services. Thank you for your interest and commitment; I know that you will continue to make our association better.

In addition, the GA endorsed appointment of four new Board Members. Each brings relevant world class expertise: Prof Blanca Jimenez from Mexico, Jabulile Mashwama from Eswatini, William Fernandes from Canada, and Dr Doulaye Kone from the US. Welcome! I look forward to working with you and all the Board members.

We have an exciting journey ahead, especially executing our new strategy. I am hugely grateful to be able to serve at this time. •

Hamanth Kasan, President, IWA

The post Our exciting journey ahead appeared first on The Source.

For me, the occasion of the Congress brings mixed emotions. There is inevitably a little sadness, as the conclusion of the Toronto Congress will also signal the end of my time as IWA President. But there is also the chance to reflect on the privilege and pleasure of serving in this position over the past three and a half years; there is the occasion to welcome renewal, as my successor, Dr Hamanth Kasan, takes on the Presidency; and there is reason to celebrate the advances that IWA continues to make in delivering a world in which water is sustainably managed for the benefit of all.

All of us within IWA can be proud of our achievement over recent years. In addition to the World Water Congress, our Water and Development Congress – held in alternate years – has grown in stature and impact, with the 2023 iteration in Kigali, Rwanda, contributing to a deepening of our engagement in Africa and the Global South generally, expanding networks and sharing knowledge. This has also been a key part of a conscious step towards ensuring sanitation figures visibly in the IWA agenda. IWA’s outreach and relevance is also reflected in the growth in Governing Membership in Latin America, South Asia and across Africa.

We have continued to deliver our core offerings – a combination of services to, and opportunities for, our members – while ensuring that we continue to evolve. Our strategic step moving IWA Publishing journals to Open Access has allowed greater access to published works and raised the profile of our journals. Through the generosity of Past President Glen Daigger and his wife Patty, we have launched our IWA LeaP leadership programme for Young Water Professionals. This complements our highly successful Youth Action for SDG 6 Fellowship, delivered in partnership with Grundfos.

At our 2022 World Congress in Copenhagen, there were too many outstanding elements for me to list here. However, I was especially pleased to provide a platform for recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ interests in water and to commence exploring their unique insights into water resource management. We are still in the early stages of raising the profile of First Peoples, but we are committed to the journey.

A core objective of the past few years has been to ensure that IWA is strongly member led and member focused in its work. Underpinning this outward facing activity are some unseen, but critical business fundamentals. Because, while our Association is ‘not for profit’, IWA will not survive unless it is financially strong and well governed. I am happy to say that IWA is both these things. In this regard, I thank my dedicated Board colleagues and a highly disciplined staff led by our CEO and Executive Director, Kala Vairavamoorthy.

I am sometimes asked why I volunteer my time as President. I suspect my answer is the same as many IWA members would give: there is a sense of achievement, of doing something worthwhile; there is the chance to learn and develop, to become a better water practitioner; and there is friendship and wonderful connections to water peers worldwide. As Mark Twain said: “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

My final reflection is on the role of the President. We are often encouraged to consider the power – the influence – that can emanate from an individual. It is true that great leaders set an exciting vision and inspire. However, little can be achieved without the contributions of the many. The intellect, the resources and the effort of a group is ultimately what drives change and moves us forward. This is the power of IWA. IWA’s continued success is the success of the many. And for that, I thank you all.

Tom Mollenkopf, President, IWA

(Tom Mollenkopf’s term as President of IWA ended at the closure of the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition 2024, 11-15 August. He handed over to Prof Hamanth Kasan.)

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Thousands of leading water professionals and companies will convene at WWCE on 11-15 August for the gathering of thought-leaders, decision-makers, researchers and business leaders – from both within and outside the water sector – seeking solutions to the world’s most pressing water challenges.

Extensive programme

Eveline Volcke, Programme Committee co-chair, says: “With our 24-member programme committee, we have put together what we hope delegates will experience as a very exciting programme of technical sessions, workshops and poster presentations.”

WWCE will provide showcase the latest innovations and experiences in the sector, focusing on six themes.

“In total, there are over 100 technical sessions with oral presentations and poster pitches, as well as over 70 workshops,” says Volcke. “Some themes will have more technical sessions and some more workshops, depending on their nature. There are a lot of workshops under the utility management theme, involving a high degree of audience interaction around pressing issues such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, and data management.

“Besides the technical sessions and the workshops, we have hundreds of posters which allow delegates to get a good overview of a subject and absorb a lot of information in a short time.

“I really hope delegates will take this conference as an opportunity to deepen their knowledge, as well as to broaden their horizons, and build their network with other water professionals from around the globe.”

Keynotes from world-leading gamechangers

A particular highlight of the programme will be the line-up of keynote speakers. This is to include Peter Gleick, leading scientist, innovator, and communicator on water and climate issues. Co-founder of the Pacific Institute in Oakland, California, USA, in 1987 – one of the world’s most innovative, independent, non-governmental research centres, creating and advancing solutions to the world’s most pressing water challenges – Gleick has expert knowledge of the intersection of hydrology, climatology, and policy. His work has redefined water from the realm of engineers to the world of social justice, sustainability, human rights, and integrated thinking.

Keynotes and panel discussions will cover topical themes such as resilience and climate adaptation, water utility digitalisation, emerging concerns such as antimicrobial resistance, and sanitation and regulation.

The excellent keynote speaker line-up is to include Saroj Kumar Jha, Global Director for the World Bank Group’s Water Global Practice, Batsirai Majuru of the WHO’s Water, Sanitation, Hygiene & Health unit, Ong Tze-Ch’in, Chief Executive PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, and Meike van Ginneken, Water Envoy for the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Depth and diversity

The programme spans a diverse range of water-related topics. Key highlights of WWCE providing extra depth will be the agenda-setting Forums, taking a deep dive into the critical themes of groundwater, industrial water, utility leadership, regulation, and the activities of Young Water Professionals.

This year’s Forum programme includes:

• Utility Leaders Forum: This two-day event for water utility leaders focuses on solutions for water scarcity, climate adaptation, and improving the circular economy through interactive dialogue and case studies.
• International Water Regulators Forum: An invitation-only meeting of global water regulators to address regulatory challenges and explore interlinkages between regulation, science, policy, and practice.
• Emerging Water Leaders Forum: An invitation-only platform for young water professionals to connect, share experiences, and gain insights on addressing climate change and water scarcity for a sustainable and resilient water future.
• Groundwater Forum: Organized by the Danish Water Forum and Canadian Host Country Committee, this forum explores the complexities of groundwater-based water supply through expert discussions and knowledge exchange.
• Industrial Water Forum: Under the theme of ‘Corporate water strategy: How industry overcomes challenges when investing in water efficiency’, this Forum aims to engage, inspire and share knowledge on the topic of corporate water strategy across industrial and regulatory sectors.

Alongside these Forums, there are also a number of cross-cutting and other sessions. These include: The Technology Roadmap for Net-Zero Urban Wastewater; Water 2050: Charting a Course to the Future of Water – AWWA; and sessions on enhancing urban sanitation, Climate Smart Utilities, and utility-regulator collaboration for efficient and resilient services.

These forums and sessions complement the extensive programme provide by the many technical sessions and workshops, as well as poster presentations, which are assigned to the six core programme themes. These core themes are:

• Water utility management – paying particular attention to digital applications, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, ambitions for net zero, climate resilience, and asset management.
• Wastewater treatment and recovery – exploring biological processes, such as activated sludge and biofilm processes, as well as physicochemical and electrochemical processes. Target components discussed will include the classic nutrients, micropollutants, microplastics and PFAS. In addition to examining municipal wastewater treatment, attention will also be paid to industrial wastewater, biosolids management, and water reclamation for non-potable reuse.
• Drinking water and potable reuse – providing a special focus on emerging contaminants, pathogen detection, and disinfection, as well as leakage management and regulation, covering on-premises water quality and potable water reuse.
• City-scale planning and operations – considering the challenges and advances in sewer management, stormwater management, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the use of decision support tools, nature-based solutions, and dedicated urban design.
• Communities, communications and partnerships – focusing on capacity building, strengthening collaborations, transferring good practices, and enabling digital transformation.
• Water resources and large-scale management – covering groundwater, surface water and sea water, and giving focus not only to the monitoring and protection of water quality and quantity, but also the drive to meet the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Access practical solutions

WWCE will once again feature a dedicated global Exhibition. This provides an outstanding opportunity to access latest solutions from around the world and to make contacts to build partnerships and collaborations.

This year’s Exhibition will feature country pavilions showcasing offerings from locations such as Netherlands, Denmark, China, Japan, Malaysia, India, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, and possibly more, as well as from Canada and the US. There will also be an Innovation Pavilion, led by Isle Utilities.

Toronto will of course also offer opportunities to connect with our sponsors, especially the Principal sponsors Xylem and Grundfos and Platinum sponsor, the City of Toronto.

Latest details of Exhibitors and Sponsors are available on the event website.

Practical solutions will be very much on display in the Business Forum programme. This will provide a series of sessions in open theatres in the Exhibition area, where sponsors and exhibitors present their innovations and projects that contribute to shaping our water future.

Practical solutions will also be celebrated in the 2024 edition of IWA’s Project Innovation Awards. The awards recognise and promote excellence and innovation in water management, research and technology. Outstanding entries from around the world have been judged and the winners will be revealed and celebrated at the IWA PIA Gala Event taking place on the evening of Tuesday 13 August.

Also with a practical focus, there will once again be an IWA Operations Challenge, held in the Exhibition area at the Congress venue. The IWA Operations Challenge allows utilities to showcase the diverse skills and competencies of their operations and maintenance personnel, testing the practical skills of the utility teams. Teams of four members will compete in four events spanning maintenance, laboratory skills, collection systems, and process simulation. The local host for the Operations Challenge is the Water Environment Association of Ontario (WEAO).

City of multi-cultural wealth

If all of the above were not enough, the venue itself has much to offer visitors. Toronto is a vibrant, multi-cultural city, as William Fernandes, director of water treatment and supply with the City of Toronto explains.

“Toronto is famously known as the world in one city,” he says. “So, for a world congress, it makes sense to bring the world of water and wastewater to a city as diverse as Toronto.”

It is estimated that people from around 150 different countries live in Toronto, giving the city a rich and diverse culture. WWCE 2024 will provide a fantastic opportunity for people to see the great things that are happening in the world of water, whilst experiencing the many tourist opportunities Toronto – and more widely Canada – have to offer.

“We want to showcase all the good stuff that we are doing in water and wastewater, and also showcase what tourism we have to offer,” says Fernandes.

“Toronto is a rapidly growing city and so we have faced the challenges that other cities around the world are experiencing,” he says.

Following water and wastewater challenges in the 1990s, Toronto developed a water masterplan and is now in the process of wet weather master planning to reduce the amount of storm sewer overflows going to the city’s stunning lake and waterfront.

“All this is helping the city become greener and more beautiful,” says Fernandes.

“Visitors can expect to find a city that fulfils all of their expectations. I can guarantee it will provide more than people expect – in terms of culture, in terms of food, in terms of the conference, and in terms of the technical tour programme. These will cover everything from energy recovery to green streets – all of the kinds of progressive things that we are doing in the city. There is something for everyone.

“The location of the conference centre is right downtown. You will find entertainment all around you. You can walk to the aquarium, you can walk to the SkyDome, there is all kinds of amazing food around. I haven’t seen too many places that have so much going on in such a small space.”

A global opportunity

With the eyes of the water world turning this August to Canada, WWCE 2024 provides the perfect opportunity to draw on the experiences of global leaders and innovators in the sector, says Peter Vanrolleghem, Congress President and Canada Research Chair in water quality modelling at Université Laval, Canada.

“Congress is a really effective way to increase your knowledge because you can pick up so many different things. It’s a place where you can meet friends and captains of industry. Strategically, it’s a very important event that brings together a large group of researchers that you can talk to in person.”

“Having the world come here will enable people to talk about their experiences and share and spread the word about development across the globe, creating new links and networking opportunities,” he says.

More information

To secure your place at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition 2024, register at: worldwatercongress.org

Free Exhibition-only visitor registration is open at: https://visitors.iwa-exhibitions.com/

The post Shaping our water future – IWA’s World Water Congress & Exhibition comes to Toronto appeared first on The Source.

As water professionals, we tend to respond with a list of environmental factors and demographic issues: climate change, water scarcity, eutrophication of water bodies, pollution and water quality. And our solutions centre on engineering and technical approaches – anything from dams, desalination and treatment plants, through to pipes, hand pumps and latrines.

But, in doing so, we miss the point that the intractable issues in water are often around economics and politics. This is because politics is the forum for making decisions in groups or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. And the politics of water can be highly emotional.

The clearest examples of politics in water can be seen in water-related conflicts. The Pacific Institute’s Water Conflict Chronology lists violence over water going back around 4,500 years, categorised in three areas.

First, water may be a trigger or root cause of conflict, where there is a dispute over the control of water or water systems, or where economic or physical access to water, or scarcity of water, triggers violence. Second, water may be used as a weapon of conflict, where water resources, or water systems, are used as a tool in a violent conflict. Finally, water resources or water systems may be intentional or incidental casualties or targets of violence.

“we must engage if we want to avoid the wrong remedies”

Conflict over access to water more often stops short of violence, but the social and economic disruption can still be serious and destabilising. In otherwise developed and harmonious settings, we can see highly charged debates or legal wrangling over water rights. In the Murray-Darling Basin (Australia’s largest interconnected system of rivers, spanning around one million square kilometres) conflict has reigned for decades over the allocation of scarce water resources. It is a complex contest between four states, among differing uses (such as irrigated agriculture, urban consumption and environmental needs), and even between farmers (upstream vs downstream.)

In the USA, around the end of the 1800s, Mark Twain is reputed to have said: ‘Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over.’ We are probably all familiar with the stresses in the Colorado basin between states, and internationally with Mexico. But water tensions also occur right across the southern USA. Indeed, since the 1990s, Georgia, Alabama and Florida have disputed use of water in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin.

We can also see such disputes around the world, not least in the Middle East (the Euphrates, Tigris and Jordan rivers), in Africa (the Nile), in Central Asia (the Aral Sea), and even in South Asia and South East Asia.

This presents a daunting challenge, but as scientists, engineers, regulators, and managers, we have an important role to play. First, we can offer solutions that will at least mitigate the stress points, even if we cannot solve them. Further, we can inform public officials and elected representatives so that they can make better decisions. Our professional expertise also covers governance, where we can drive the adoption of effective institutions, regulatory structures, and pricing frameworks. Finally, we can adopt leadership roles in our communities and organisations.

It has been said that politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies. Much as we may want to ignore politics, we are not powerless, and tackling the world’s water challenges means we must engage if we want to avoid the wrong remedies.

Tom Mollenkopf, President, IWA

The post The politics of water appeared first on The Source.

“The Congress was another critical step along the path of meaningful and multidimensional engagement”

The stage was set well by Mathi Vathanan, from Odisha, India – our first keynote speaker – with a compelling account of tackling some of the most fundamental urban water needs through leadership, commitment, and innovation. More outstanding stories followed in our plenary sessions and across the many streams that gave a platform to critical work across water and sanitation.
This last point is critical, because, while we are the International Water Association, we are representative of the entire water cycle, and fully appreciate the fundamental role of sanitation and hygiene. The opportunity presented by the event to devote time and continue to build our content, networks and programmes on themes such as inclusive urban sanitation and non-sewered sanitation was therefore invaluable.
What also excited me was the strength of key forums, such as those for international water regulators, utility leaders, and emerging water leaders. These are global platforms, but with immense support and engagement from the African continent, as well as from Asia and Latin America. The conversations in these forums are demonstrable proof that the answers to many global challenges lie in the Global South. They are proof also that, as IWA’s Executive Director, Kala Vairavamoorthy, has said, Africa can leapfrog conventional approaches with its solutions, rather than merely importing them.
Key partnerships and relationships were strengthened, with the African Water and Sanitation Association, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization and UN bodies, WaterAid, and more. With our ever-expanding membership in the region, and the generous contributions of these partners, our impact can only accelerate.
IWA has an enviable reputation for its biennial World Congress and its many specialist events. The success of the Water and Development Congress in Rwanda has further cemented this event series in our global calendar. It complements our other events and provides a unique forum for practitioners and policymakers to explore key water and development solutions. And it truly demonstrates our diversity – a vital source of IWA’s relevance and, as such, something to be celebrated. Vive la difference!

Tom Mollenkopf, President, IWA

The post Vive la différence appeared first on The Source.

Another great enabler closely linked to culture is governance. Good governance provides the framework and structure for ethical, effective and efficient action, and while it alone cannot guarantee success, its absence will surely put an organisation at risk.

As IWA President, I am proud of the strong governance structures and culture that underpin our Association. We are pluralistic and genuinely global in character, boasting 62 Governing Members and a presence in 140 countries. The organisation is committed to inclusivity and a merit-based approach. Its leaders, including the President, are elected by the Governing Assembly with the principal goal that they will serve IWA’s best interests and the whole spectrum of IWA’s membership.

Recently, our key constituent bodies met in Bordeaux, France: The Board, its committees, the Strategic Council, and the Governing Assembly. Each of them represents a different part of the governance fabric and engages the various constituencies that make up IWA. An important part of the Governing Assembly was the election of the next IWA President. This took place following a highly transparent and public process that saw high levels of engagement from the Governing Members (our national committees).

I want to take this opportunity to thank each of the candidates for their enthusiasm, commitment and vision, as presented to the Governing Members in a series of online forums and in person. I congratulate Dr Hamanth Kasan, from South Africa, on his election as incoming President. Hamanth now joins the Board as President-elect and will succeed me at the conclusion of the 2024 World Water Congress and Exhibition next August, in Toronto, Canada. I offer best wishes also to Professor Enrique Cabrera who, while unsuccessful on this occasion, remains a leading IWA exponent.

As in many global contests, the candidates may come from different backgrounds or geographies. Once elected, however, IWA officers represent IWA in its entirety.

The IWA Board is proud of the work that has been done over many years, supported by the Governing Members. We are now more globally representative of the regions, languages, cultures and segments that make up the world’s water constituency. IWA does not represent one sector or geography. I can assure you that the Board and I are committed to maintaining that course, broadening and deepening our engagement with all our members, and actively reaching out to those who are not yet part of the IWA family.

With these foundations, we have every reason to be optimistic about our future success.

Tom Mollenkopf, President, IWA

The post Foundations for success appeared first on The Source.

Bottom-up, meanwhile, means something rather different – it is one half of the top-down/bottom-up jargon used widely across management, information technology and any number of realms. Nevertheless, I also associate bottom-up with celebration.  

I see bottom-up as a reference to one half of what I consider to be the yin and yang of IWA. Readers will be familiar with the Chinese philosophical concept that describes opposite but interconnected forces. In IWA’s case, I describe those forces – the essence of our association – as being ‘bottom-up’ and ‘top-down’. 

‘Top-down’ signifies the strategic direction that is set by the Board, with input from IWA’s Strategic Council and its Governing Members. It includes our centrally set agendas and programmes (for example, the Digital Water Programme or Basins of the Future), global intergovernmental and NGO engagement, and major events such as our biennial World Water Congress. 

‘Bottom-up’ is where IWA is truly member-led, where the unique interests and specialist capabilities of the membership can offer leadership, grow professionally and initiate change. One of the principal mechanisms for this bottom-up engagement is the more than 50 IWA Specialist Groups. They cover a wide range of subjects and provide for like-minded IWA members to network and share knowledge. Specialist Groups have their own programme of conferences and other meetings, and regular newsletters. Supported by the IWA Secretariat and through online tools, they facilitate interaction among individual members and create opportunities to generate ideas and pursue partnerships. 

The Health Related Water Microbiology Specialist Group is arguably one of the most successful and active in IWA. In June this year, I was pleased to join its WaterMicro23 Conference in Darwin, Australia. The event was a very successful collaboration between the SG Management Committee, a dedicated Programme Committee and the local Australian Host Committee. The event was a resounding success, with 250-plus delegates from 34 countries participating over six days (including pre- and post-workshops). What was truly remarkable, however, was the level of engagement: a strong scientific programme; great spirit of collegiality; commitment to growing knowledge; and many opportunities to forge friendships in a full social programme.  

For me, WaterMicro23 is an embodiment of the power and joy of IWA. I commend all those involved in this event, and the many other SG conferences and activities that take place every year. 

I encourage all IWA members to not only sign on for Specialist Groups that align with their interests, but to go further: submit a conference paper, nominate for a position on a Management Committee, or volunteer to help organise an event. If WaterMicro23 is any indication – and I know it is – stepping forward will reward one many times over. 

The American comedian Groucho Marx once said: “The problem with doing nothing is that you never know when you’re finished.” Our active members certainly can’t be accused of doing nothing – they are the engine of our bottom-up activity. While, sometimes, the work seems not to finish, they will always have the satisfaction of what they have achieved – and that deserves a toast. Bottoms up! 

Tom Mollenkopf, President, IWA 

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