World Water Day 2014: National celebration in the Netherlands takes inspiration from energy sector
On March 20, Wetsus/WaterCampus Leeuwarden will host the Dutch national celebration of International World Water Day.
The Dutch water sector and the energy sector join forces to increase the affordability and financial viability of water and sanitation services.
The international theme of World Water Day 2014 is Water and Energy. The official worldwide celebration takes place In Tokyo on 22 March.
Ben Knapen of the European Investment Bank will speak on the affordability of public goods.Inspiration from energy sector
Affordability and bankability of global public goods, such as energy and water, are a prerequisite for sustainable growth. The energy sector successfully attracts financing from institutional, concessional and ‘green’ private investors.
Meanwhile, water services are not yet perceived as affordable or financial viable to many, including the poorest.
The fact that the energy sector outperforms the water sector in this regard and the lessons to be learned from this are the central themes of the event.
Ben Knapen of the European Investment Bank and former Dutch State Secretary of Development Cooperation will open the event with a key note speech.
Last year the global celebration of World Water Day took place in the Hague, the Netherlands.Potential synergy with energy sector
One of the workshops explores the way forward to supply cost effective sustainable sanitation solutions for the world.
The central question is: What potential for synergy is there with the energy sector and can energy production provide economic value for sanitation?
Various business cases will be discussed for energy and nutrient recovery from sewage and sanitation solutions, exploring what improvements are necessary.
For instance with respect to innovation, financing or marketing of the products.
These cases include the Energy and Resource Factory initiative by the Dutch waterboards, the decentral feacal sludge processing plant Safi Sana in Ghana and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Reinventing The Toilet Challenge.
The main Dutch event is co-organized by WaterCampus Leeuwarden (Wetsus, CEW, Water Alliance), Vitens Evides International, Aqua for All and the Netherlands Water Partnership.
More information
www.wereld-water-dag.nl
and
www.unwater.org/worldwaterday