New Water Policy and Practice Volume 1, Number 2 - Spring 2015 | Page 86

Highlights of Some International Water Meetings in 2014 and 2015

During the Week, several prizes were awarded for excellence in water-related issues.
The Stockholm Industry Water Award was awarded to eThekwini Water and Sanitation,
serving the Durban metropolitan area, for its transformative and inclusive approach
to providing water and sanitation. Hayley Todesco from Canada received the 2014
Stockholm Junior Water Prize for inventing a method that uses sand filters to treat
contaminated water and recover water for reuse. The prestigious Stockholm Water
Prize was awarded to Professor John Briscoe of South Africa, for his unparalleled
contributions to global and local water management, inspired by an unwavering
commitment to improving the lives of people on the ground.
Further information is available at: http://www.worldwaterweek.org/
9th IWA World Water Congress Lisbon 2014: 21-26 September 2014, Lisbon, Portugal

T

he International Water Association’s World Water Congress was held in Lisbon
from 21 - 26 September 2014. It was the largest water industry event ever held in
Portugal with more than 5500 water professionals from 106 countries participating.
They could attend 10 keynote speeches, 6 forums, 47 workshops, 90 technical sessions,
850 presentations, 44 business forums and 29 specialist groups meetings and 6 technical
tours. The exhibition included 206 companies and organizations.
Further information is available at: http://www.ersar.pt/website_en/ViewContent.
aspx?Name=WWC_IWA_Lisbon_2014
1st International Water Regulators' Forum

T

he Portuguese Water and Waste Services Regulation Authority (ERSAR)
coordinated the 1st International Water Regulators Forum as part of the 9th IWA
World Water Congress. The 1st International Water Regulators Forum was the first
global event bringing together water services regulators to discuss the current status
of regulatory frameworks and future trends in their development which will have
great impact on water services provision. The Forum established a new set of guiding
principles for sound public policies and regulation for water services, imbedded in
the ‘Lisbon Charter’, which were adopted by the International Water Association.
According to the IWA, the principles promise to deliver a vital stimulus for the water
sector to innovate, and offer a visionary and practical pathway for delivering improved
water and sanitation services. Critically, the principles are universal, equally adaptable
in any water utility anywhere in the world. The 2nd International Water Regulators
Forum will be held in held in London, UK, on 8-9 September 2015.
More information on the Lisbon Charter is available at http://www.iwa-network.org/
downloads/1428787191-Lisbon_Regulators_Charter.pdf.

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