World Water Day: water and cities

22/03/2011

Energy was still running high during the afternoon sessions of World Water Day 2011, with over 100 participants joining together to listen and engage with the panelists of the Water and Cities Debate.

Prof Kalanithy Vairavamoorthy, Scientific Director of SWITCH (Sustainable Water Management Improves Tomorrow’s Cities Health); Ms Margaret Pageler, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability’s Executive Committee Member; Dr. Ania Grobicki, Executive Secretary, Global Water Partnership (GWP); Mr Benedito Braga, President of the International Forum Committee for the 6th World Water Forum;  Mr Chan Yoon Kum, Deputy Chief Executive, PUB Singapore and Ms Margaret Catley Carlson, United Nations Secretary General Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB) were among the panelists for this penultimate session.

The session opened with Mr Chan Yoon Kum, outlining the innovative solutions that Singapore is currently employing in order to supply water and sanitation to its citizens. Since 2002 Singapore has introduced two initiatives. The first is increasing the reclamation of used water, this ‘new water’ as it is often referred now accounts for 30% of Singapore’s daily water needs. In the second initiative, Singapore is currently utilizing desalination to provide an additional 10% of the water they require. Singapore also actively engages its citizens by regularly promoting the integral role water plays within society, under the slogan ‘Water for All, conserve water and enjoy’. Yoon Kum attributed their success in achieving their water targets to the country’s strong leadership and vision.

Prof. Vairavamoorthy stated that developing regions where cities were growing, had a real opportunity to plan infrastructure in a sustainable manner. He called for a paradigm shift within the sector. Saying future urban leaders should be trained to look at development that has already taken place, and utilize the lessons learnt from that in order not to repeat past mistakes. He called for a focus on growing medium sized cities, and the need to redesign our institutions and how we manage water to reshape future development. These emerging cities will act as models and provide the opportunity to showcase new and innovative solutions, he said.

Margaret Pageler, once again highlighted the integral role that organizations such as ICLEI and the World Water Council play in mobilizing local authorities. The Istanbul Water Consensus (IWC) was the local response to ministerial declarations and has been a key instrument in building political will. “To get things done we need to mobilize local governments who in turn will mobilize their citizens,” she said. In addition Pageler reinforced Alderman Justus statements during an earlier sessions that there is a need to value water, as if we do not value water we will not conserve it.

Mr Benedito Braga, reiterated that the green growth agenda needs financing. He said that we although have the technologies and the models, we need the buy in and attention of the politicians to procure the necessary funding.

The panelist’s closing statements called for the following:

• Innovative technologies and solutions
• Political will at local, regional and national level
• Technical skill
• Increased investment in water
• Raised awareness of the water sector by strengthening the role of the media
• We should be innovative and instrumental in designing the systems, rather than plumbers arriving to face ready shaped systems
• A paradigm shift in training and planning
• Celebrate successes within the water sector
• Publicize case studies and good practice to make these widely accessible
• We should not forget the magic of water and the joy it can bring to people
• Action takes someone with determination which is a commodity that we really need;  we must promote and encourage local champions
• We need to value water

Read more on the World Water Day 2011 events that took place on 22 March here »

Read about the closing of the event here»