IWA Busan 2012: Global launch for KWR’s Watershare initiative

Director Wim van Vierssen of KWR Watercycle Research Institute (left on photo) and Bjørnar Eikebrokk (right) of SINTEF signed a memorandum of understanding during the IWA world water congress 2012 in Busan, Korea on September 18.

The Dutch and Norwegian research institutes agreed to develop a full partnership for sharing their expertise.

Water-related expertise for external network
The signing of the MoU marked the international launch of the Watershare initiative. KWR Watercycle Research Institute wants to share its water-related knowledge and experiences with other knowledge institute. The institute developed Watershare, a product for use within a external network .

Helping to solve complex water issues
"Watershare offers selected knowledge institutes water-related tools to deal with the increasingly large, complex and often global challenges facing the water sector today”, says Idsart Dijkstra, Division Manager Watershare.

"Think of climate change, water stress, sustainability, environmental protection, urbanisation and infrastructure development."

Building up a toolbox
One of the Watershare tools is the Fresh Keeper, a smart solution for the sustainable supply of fresh water in saline environments.

Another tool is the City Blueprint, a quick scan that shows cities what they’re doing right and what they’re doing wrong when it comes to water, so that they can compare their performance with those of other cities and share solutions.

Sintef
Sintef is the largest independent research organisation in Scandinavia with top expertise in technology, medicine and social sciences. It employs 2.100 people and has clients in 60 different countries. The turnover in 2011 was NOK 2.8 billion of which 16 percent was derived from international contracts.

KWR Watercycle Research Institute
KWR Watercycle Research institute provides its services for the attainment of a well-functioning water cycle through optimal water management; or, expressed in terms of our research themes: Healthy, Sustainable, Advanced and Efficient Water.

KWR is owned by the shareholders of KWR Water Holding, that is, the Dutch water companies. The institute employs 170 people and its turnover reached 17.9 million euro in 2011.

Watershare
Watershare enables knowledge institutes to better serve their end-user clients – such as water companies, utilities, municipalities and waterboards – so that these, in turn, can effectively meet the water needs of the people of their countries.
www.kwrwater.nl/watershare

More information
KWR Watercycle Research Institute
Idsart Dijkstra
Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
+31 30 60 69 650
www.kwrwater.nl