Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Africa water, Sanitation Mar- Apr 2015 Vol.10 No.2 | Page 10

NEWS in brief
African Water Association in Bamako
STC, EB, GA: AfWA authorities meet in Bamako
The professionals
of
water
and
sanitation in Africa
met from February
23rd to 27th 2015,
in Bamako, to
hold the very first
Group photo with the Malian Minister of
2015 meetings of
Energy and Water
the African Water
Association. They first held the Scientific and Technical
Council (STC) meeting, which gathered more than 150
participants from 27 countries to think over the issue of
Energy efficiency in the water and sanitation utilities in Africa.
This STC session was followed, on Thursday, by the Executive
Board meeting, and on Friday, by the General Assembly
meeting which adopted the Minutes of the Congress held
in Abidjan, as well as the report of the Comptroller General
relating to the accounts of the Association. The assembly
also amended and adopted several amendments in the
statutes and by-laws of the Association. The meetings held
in Bamako kept their promises; and this success was mainly
due to the effectiveness of the local organizing committee
set up by SOMAGEP and SOMAPEP.
The next AfWA meetings to be held in Angola
Two
representatives
from EPAL Company
attended the meetings
held in Bamako to
bring the good news to
AfWA leaders relating
to the confirmation
for the holding of the
next meetings of the
Association in Angola in July 2015. EPAL Company said
it is confident as regards its capacity to mobilize the subregional water and sanitation operators in order to make this
event a successful one. Its representatives, who were present
in Bamako, discussed with AfWA Secretary General to get
informed on the provisions to be made for the organization
of such an event. Nairobi 2016: The Congress launching ceremony
to take place in March 17th, 2015
The launching ceremony of the Congress scheduled in the
Kenyan capital city from February 24th to 28th 2015 will
take place at the Nairobi Intercontinental Hotel. During
this ceremony scheduled on Tuesday, March 17th, 2015,
the official logo and Internet site of the Congress will
be presented, as well as the members of the organizing
committee.
10

Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene • March - April 2015

Global Highlights

California dought
Individual Water Use Continues To Decline

SACRAMENTO – While much of California has so
far endured an exceptionally dry 2015, the State Water
Resources Control Board announced that the statewide
urban water conservation rate climbed to 22 percent in
December, aided by a very wet end of 2014.
Additionally, total water use by individual Californians
continued to decline in December, another positive
development as the state is threatened by a fourt