Wastewater is generally taken to mean runoff from domestic, agricultural or industrial processes that is contaminated in some way, and unfit for human consumption number of people need to be served such as in towns or cities. In WaterAid’ s work, we generally use technologies that are low cost, appropriate to the local area and are relatively easy to maintain – including gravity-fed water schemes, hand-dug wells, handpumps, protected spring sources and rainwater harvesting. We promote household filtration, exploring business models that enhance product availability on local markets. Solar and diesel-powered pumped schemes are also used where appropriate. We work to strengthen ownership of services and promote good water management practices. We promote the use of water retention structures to encourage soil water infiltration and groundwater recharge. Catchment protection is also encouraged. Other technical innovations including pre-paid water dispensing machines in East African urban slums, simplified sewer systems and the Gulper pit-emptying pump are important means of addressing water and sanitation challenges, but they work best if they are developed in response to residents’ needs and led by local water and sanitation authorities, and fit within broader plans. Finally, we focus on strengthening in-country institutions so they can manage the services better. This requires attention to planning, monitoring, financing, service delivery, post implementation support and asset management, as well as choosing appropriate technologies.
THE MACRO LEVEL OF THE WORLD’ S WATER TECHNOLOGY GineersNow: Where are we today? What is the current situation of clean water and wastewater( locally or globally) and what are the latest water technologies today? Vincent: Water supply is not solely a technical problem – it cannot be solved with a new silver bullet technology. The technology for making water supplies available has been around for the last 100 years. It is largely a management problem whereby the skills, human resources, finances and political willingness do not always exist to extend services to the unserved, manage existing services and manage water resources. That being said, big advancements have been made in large scale coastal desalination, not just in technology but also in management arrangements which means the cost of desalination has fallen dramatically, to as low as $ 0.5 per cubic meter in some places. This is still more expensive than conventional treatment but it enables wealthy, water-stressed nation-states to bring more water into the equation, allowing them to avoid difficult, political water management and allocation decisions. However, desalination is not an option for many developing countries as it remains expensive and energy-intensive.
GineersNow: Where is water tech heading 20 years from now? Are we on the right track? Are we delayed? Are we progressing? Vincent: Again, the issue is not a technical problem – the focus needs to be on management, financing and governance of efficient, effective institutions.
Wealthy nations with very little renewable fresh water and high institutional capacity for management, such as Singapore, can invest in coastal desalination, interbasin water transfers, wastewater reuse, food imports, tariff adjustments to regulate demand, and cutting the amount of water allocated to‘ thirsty’ agricultural practices. However when it comes to lowincome countries, the innovations required cannot be transposed from someone’ s garden shed in the UK, but rather developed in the countries facing water supply problems, in government instutions and in utilities and service providers. Particularly in remote rural settings, we need innovation in how services are managed and financed. A breakdown might leave a community without water for weeks if there is no system to ensure it’ s fixed in a timely way.
THE MICRO LEVEL GineersNow: What are the initiatives / projects that you are doing( or have done) that will provide clean water to developing world countries? What are the future innovations that you or your company is pursuing? Vincent: WaterAid focuses mainly on developing groundwater, which is less drought-prone than surface sources, can be developed close to where people live, is usually of good quality and is generally cost-effective, requiring less treatment than surface sources of water. Manually-operated handpumps can be used where groundwater levels are up to 50m below the surface, which is the case for about 85 % of Africa’ s population. Motorized pumping is generally required at greater depths or where a large
Wastewater is generally taken to mean runoff from domestic, agricultural or industrial processes that is contaminated in some way, and unfit for human consumption number of people need to be served such as in towns or cities. In WaterAid’ s work, we generally use technologies that are low cost, appropriate to the local area and are relatively easy to maintain – including gravity-fed water schemes, hand-dug wells, handpumps, protected spring sources and rainwater harvesting. We promote household filtration, exploring business models that enhance product availability on local markets. Solar and diesel-powered pumped schemes are also used where appropriate. We work to strengthen ownership of services and promote good water management practices. We promote the use of water retention structures to encourage soil water infiltration and groundwater recharge. Catchment protection is also encouraged. Other technical innovations including pre-paid water dispensing machines in East African urban slums, simplified sewer systems and the Gulper pit-emptying pump are important means of addressing water and sanitation challenges, but they work best if they are developed in response to residents’ needs and led by local water and sanitation authorities, and fit within broader plans. Finally, we focus on strengthening in-country institutions so they can manage the services better. This requires attention to planning, monitoring, financing, service delivery, post implementation support and asset management, as well as choosing appropriate technologies.
GineersNow: What impact have you delivered( social, economic and environmental)? Do you have metrics or statistics of your accomplishments? Vincent: 2015 marked the final year of our 2009-15 Global Strategy, which focused on promoting the right to safe water and supporting governments in developing their capacity to achieve this. During this period, we reached a total of 9.6 million people with safe water. We now work across 37 countries to promote and secure poor people’ s rights to clean water
SEPTEMBER 2016 Clean Water Technologies
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