Dear IWA members and colleagues from partner organisations,

IWA is supporting the Global Thematic Consultation on Water in relation to the formulation of the proposed target related to 'wastewater management and water quality'. The other two discussion streams related to a) water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and b) water resource management.

The specific aims of this sub-consultation which will take place over the next 5 weeks are to :

1) Stimulate a wide range of global discussions with citizens, governments, civil society, academia, private sector, UN agencies among others on wastewater management and water quality related priority issues that need to be reflected in the future post-2015 goals and targets.

2) Analyse and share experiences from the present MDGs including those on water and sanitation and bring out evidence on progress and drawbacks from their implementation as well as evidence to support the necessary inclusion of wastewater management in the future development agenda.

3) Examine policy options and responses for wastewater management at local, national and international level and how these options might be deployed to inform the post-2015 agenda.

4)Suggest practical approaches to the formulation of objectives, measures, and monitoring processes for inclusion in future goals

The sub-consultation will take place around the following topics :

Week 1 - 14-20th Jan : Wastewater in an urbanizing world (led by UN-Habitat)

Week 2 - 21-27th Jan : Impact of wastewater on oceans - The nitrogen and phosphorous challenge (led by UNEP)

Week 3 - 28th Jan -3rd Feb : Wastewater reuse - development and innovation (led by IWA)

Week 4 - 4th -10th Feb : Collecting and treating urban water after use (led by Aquafed)

Week 5- 11 - 17th Feb : Economic opportunities in wastewater (Led by Aquafed/OECD)

I would encourage some discussion between members of different working groups to have some preliminary discussion on the SusSanA forum before the lead of the WG makes a contribution in behalf of the WG. I envisage that this would be more likely to have more influence into the consultation than many submissions as individuals.

Sign up, contribute to the discussion and have your voice heard at :
www.worldwewant2015.org/water/wastewater

Jonathan Parkinson

IWA Urban Sanitation Initiative Co-ordinator and Lead of SuSanA WG on Finance and Econonics

Dear all,

So far there has been very little contribution to the consultation in relation to the definition of the proposed Sustainable Development Goal on Water and the Targets on :

a) water, sanitation and hygiene
b) water resources management, and
c) wastewater and water quality.

As a member of the UN-Water Wastewater and Water Quality Task Force, IWA is particularly keen for your contribution to the wastewater / water quality sub-consultation. This is an opportunity for any organisation or individual representing any constituency that has concerns about the quality of the aquatic environment to contribute to a discussion about the formulation of the global target which would contribute towards the development agenda for the next 15 years.

The overarching questions that we would like to address are the following :

* What should be the scope of the target in terms of the types of problem related to poor wastewater management?

* What are your aspirations with respect to improvement and how should these be reflected in the target ?

* What are some realistic, but ambitious, targets that could be achieved by 2030 to improve wastewater collection, treatment, and reuse?

* How should we monitor progress towards achievement of these targets and who should be accountable ?

The outcome of the different discussions will be summarized into policy recommendatations presented, first to a High-level Panel on WRM and Wastewater at the end of February and later to a High-Level Panel on Post-2015 Development at the end of March.

The final outcome of the 11 Thematic Consultation, where Water is one, will be presented by the Secretary-General to the General Assembly in September.

We look forward to your contributions to this global debate.

best wishes,

Jonathan

Dr. Jonathan Parkinson
Programmes Manager

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Dear Jonathan

Thank you for your questions to encourage the discussion.
I hope there will be some reactions from other working group leads soon.

Some members of WG1 have expressed the possibility of submitting a common statement for Capacity Development. We will share a proposal for this when we are ready.

I guess what blocks contribution is the difficulty to understand where to place ones' comments within the option of currently open discussions. (As far as I understand – there is "free room" for discussion, is there?)

For instance, for the topic of capacity development, where would you post a suggestion for a target/indicator?

Does IWA have a draft target-indicator framework ready to share, that could be commented?

Best wishes

Dorothee

Dear Dorothee,

I think is a good idea to work on a common statement. The proposal can be worked on using the SuSanA WG space and then you submit the agreed statement to the Worldwewant website.

It is a good question that you raise. I gave send a message asking what happens in the instance where someone wants to make a contribution what does not immediately fall within one of the defined topics/questions. I hope to get a response back to you on this within the next day.

Regarding a draft target-indicator framework to comment on, if there was one then it would come from UN-Water Wastewater and Water Quality Task Force. I have been representing IWA at the meetings and there has been some discussion on this. The nearest there is a consultants report who was asked to consider the issues in order to assist the Task Force consider the different possibilities. I will ask when the report is to be made available.

However, although the report has some suggestions it is not a draft target-indicator framework, it would be good to hear from SuSanA members with their suggestions about how this should be best formulated.

We need target proposals that are clear and not too technical (as they should be adopted and adhered to by Governments) but also based on a sound monitoring system that would have relevance for national reporting (similar to the way MDG global targets are reported).

best regards,

Jonathan

Dear Dorothee et al,

I would like to bring to your attention this paper entitled "Global database on municipal wastewater production, collection, treatment, discharge and direct use in agriculture" produced by FAO / Aquastat at the end of last year.

www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/catalogues...y_paper_20121130.pdf

It is a succinct presentation of the issues from a global perspective and the authors neatly puts forwards some proposals for indicators. We can refer to this and use as the basis for discussion.

For instance, the authors refer to the fact that most existing wastewater and sanitation databases (I would have to look into these into more detail) use on sanitation coverage or pollutants loads, whereas the proposed framework uses volumes.

I would have thought that this would be fine if the primary objective was related to water resources. But the argument is less convincing if we also consider the need to reuse nutrients and recover energy embedded into the organic matter.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the paper and the proposed indicators in relation to the above comments.

Best regards,

Jonathan Parkinson - IWA

Dear Jonathan et al..,

As a member of Working Group 1, Capacity Building / Development, I started up the discussion within our working group as I felt it would be more useful to make a statement as a working group. Then I read here that Dorothee got the same message from other members as well, so via email I sent out a few lines. We received some input from other members which I tried to incorporate in the text. I only just now saw the post with the paper by FAO, so this is not incorporated. I would say that is ok; we can consider this message as one from a capacity building point of view, and base another statement on the document.

Here goes the starting of the statement of the WG Cap Building, based on the working group mission (susana.org/lang-en/working-groups/wg01/4...81-wg-1-introduction):



For the post 2015 agenda we want to stress the importance of further capacity building at all levels. Not only are there still many sanitary engineers necessary to provide the 2.6 billion affected with proper sanitation; also users need to be informed on the need for sanitation, governments need to have the tools to highlight the importance of sanitation and to stimulate good initiatives to enhance improved sanitation. Local governments, planners and the private sector need technical and managerial capacities in order to implement sustainable sanitation. Furthermore, university curricula need to be developed further to enhance professional capacity in sustainable sanitation.

The Susana platform in general and the Working Group in particular aims to contribute to this need by:
- further developing the global network to strategically accelerate and influence the capacity development process in the sanitation sector.
- further collecting, combining and sharing available resources from within the network
- continue supporting curricula development initiatives aiming at enhancing the ability of academics and professionals across disciplines to contribute to the mainstreaming and up-scaling of sustainable sanitation
- keep on functioning as a focal point and networking opportunity for anyone or any organisation which seeks to become active in capacity development for sustainable sanitation
- further using open-source approaches for sharing of course materials and optimising the use of the opportunities offered nowadays by the internet for capacity development.

The Working Group wants to stress on the post 2015 agenda the following:
1 - to introduce at all levels with all key stakeholders the need for gathering information, in the concept of Life Long Learning - never stop informing yourself. Once there is a need, the discussion with the information suppliers (researchers, practitioners and others bound in learning alliances such as Susana) will follow
2 – When looking into new technologies or different applications of existing ones, talking to knowledge networks can give any company, organisation and government looking for a sanitation solution a substantial head start. This should therefore be strongly encouraged, and the existence of the networks should be widely promoted so that people know where to turn to. IWA could play a strong role as intermediary.
3 - to keep focusing on sanitation provision as a chain, not on a sanitation interface solely. Closely related to that is the strong recommendation to focus on waste as a resource.

More additions may / should still follow; consider it a statement-in-progress.

Best regards, Mariska
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. ir. Mariska Ronteltap
Lecturer Sanitary Engineering
UNESCO-IHE, Dept. of Environmental Engineering and Water Treatment
Westvest 7, 2611 AX Delft
Office: +31 15 215 1767
Cell: +31 61617 3363
www.unesco-ihe.org
m.ronteltap@unesco-ihe.org
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Dear Mariska,

Many thanks for contributions from Working Group 1.

I concur with the opinion of the group that there is a need for a concerted and sustained effort towards capacity building. I think that SuSanA, IWA (a member of SuSanA), WSSCC SanCoP, UNESCO-IHE, CapNet etc all need to play a role. We won't have time during this post-2015 consultation but it would be good if SuSanA WG1 could take a lead role in helping to bring this together. I would be happy to work with you on this.

At IWA we have been doing some interesting work looking at Human Resource Capacity Gaps in various countries in Africa and Asia. The next logical step - which is raised in various country reports - is to be looking for opportunities to reduce these gaps and focus on strengthening human resources in the water and sanitation sector.

In relation to the more immediate focus on the post-2015 "water" targets (which includes "wastewater/water quality" which includes residual sludges from all types of sanitation - a tenuous link I know but for the sake of the politicians, this is where it sits), I would encourage the group to also consider how the target should be formulated and what indicators should be used for monitoring progress towards these targets.

Next week we hope to stimulate some discussion focusing specifically on waste as a resource and I expect the SuSanA community will be particularly interested to participate in this discussion.

best regards,

Jonathan

Dear Mariska and all

I have been reworking the statement a little bit to frame it within the context of SuSanA:

The Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA) is a network of organisations that share a common vision on sustainable sanitation. Since 2007, SuSanA has served as a platform for exchange, coordination and policy dialogue and a catalyst for sustainable sanitation. Working Group 1 concentrates on capacity development, which has been widely recognised as a prerequisite for the achievement of the MDGs.

For the post 2015 agenda this Working Groups want to stress the importance of further capacity building at all levels.

Sanitation protects and promotes human health by maintaining a clean environment and breaking the cycle of disease. Sustainable sanitation is far more than toilet availability. Toilets are part of a system that should be economically viable, socially acceptable, and technically and institutionally appropriate. Moreover, sustainable sanitation should also protect the environment and natural resources. This definition results in five key criteria for sustainable sanitation (SuSanA, 2008): a) protection of human health; b) protection of the environment and natural resources (including water resources, ecosystems, fuel wood etc.); c) viable technologies and operations; d) financial and economic sustainability; and e) socio-cultural acceptability and institutional appropriateness.

In the field of sustainable sanitation, capacity development is particularly important due to system complexity and the various sectors and authority levels involved: Governments and decision makers need to be aware of the importance of sanitation and the benefits of sustainable sanitation in order to show leadership and allocate the resources necessary. Leadership involves coordinating different governmental and non-governmental institutions to create an enabling environment across sectors - health, infrastructure, water, environment, agriculture, and education. Institutions and organisations, local governments, planners and the private sector need technical and managerial capacities in order to implement sustainable sanitation within allocated resources. At the same time, the civil society needs to show a demand for sustainable sanitation to ensure that sanitation is put on the local political agenda and to activate the private sector to respond to this demand.

The Susana platform in general and the Working Group 1 on Capacity Development in particular aims to contribute to this need by:
- further developing the global network to strategically accelerate and influence the capacity development process in the sanitation sector.
- further collecting, combining and sharing available resources from within the network
- continue supporting curricula development initiatives aiming at enhancing the ability of academics and professionals across disciplines to contribute to the mainstreaming and up-scaling of sustainable sanitation
- keep on functioning as a focal point and networking opportunity for anyone or any organisation which seeks to become active in capacity development for sustainable sanitation
- further using open-source approaches for sharing of course materials and optimising the use of the opportunities offered nowadays by the internet for capacity development.

The Working Group wants to stress on the post 2015 agenda the following:
1 – to adopt to sanitation a multi-disciplinary and trans-sectroal approach with attention to the various social, political and institutional, environmental, technical and financial dimensions.
2 1 - to introduce at all levels with all key stakeholders the need for gathering information, in the concept of Life Long Learning - never stop informing yourself. Once there is a need, the discussion with the information suppliers (researchers, practitioners and others bound in learning alliances such as Susana) will follow
3 – When looking into new technologies or different applications of existing ones, talking to knowledge networks can give any company, organisation and government looking for a sanitation solution a substantial head start. This should therefore be strongly encouraged, and the existence of the networks should be widely promoted so that people know where to turn to. IWA could play a strong role as intermediary.
4 to keep focusing on sanitation provision as a chain, not on a sanitation interface solely – from the user interface, collection, treatment, reuse and safe disposal of sanitation products.. Closely related to that is the strong recommendation to focus on waste as a resource.

Dear Jonathan

How did IWA measure the gaps for the study on Human Resource Capacity Gaps? Could you involve the people that have been working on this in our discussion?
I am sure they would have valuable inputs on how to define targets and indicators in regards to progress measurement in capacity development.

Cheers, Dorothee

Dorothee:
Below are the comments I emailed to you re: the draft statement.
Thanks for taking the initiative to draft a post-2015 agenda. I would like to comment on #2 in your stress points. New technologies are not in themselves solutions, but there can never be enough time spent on innovation and technology advancement. I would eliminate the preamble to this point. Second, the agenda should contain a focus on models for scale up and capacity building across the sanitation sector. Unless we can nurture and realize multiple sustainable successful models for going to scale with existing sustainable technologies, our efforts will be like winking at a pretty woman in the dark - the intention will never be realized.
Otherwise the draft is looking good.
You had asked me to clarify the statement on models.
By 'models' here I perhaps should have said 'approaches'. We should be seeking to identify and share approaches for going to scale with successful sustainable technologies. A technology- a device- a toilet- is not successful until it has impacted a significant number of people. Developed world approaches to scale-up and capacity building may not work in the developing world. For example, the big production facility cranking out toilets, setting up distribution everywhere, etc. may be less effective in the developing world than an on-site manufacturable version of the technology that can empower local entrepreneurs at the village level in many communities to build and maintain the systems.
Does this make sense?
P.S.: I have a little bias here as this is the model GSAP is taking in scaling up its Microflush toilet.

Hi Dorothee, certainly I think there is a strong case for capacity building however the targets are formulated. I had some involvement in the methodology about a year ago but since then not much. I think best to contact my colleague Kirsten de Vette. Her contact details are at www.iwahq.org/1s3/development/hr-capacity-gaps-study.html. best regards. Jonathan

Dear all,

In the coming week (28th January – 1st February), the on-line sub-consultation on “Wastewater reuse - development, innovation” which forms part of a wider discussion about the post-2015 Development Goal on “Water” and the proposed target on “Wastewater management and water quality”.

This is an opportunity for you to contribute towards the formulation of the global target which will influence all of our different lines of work in the water and sanitation sector for the next 15 years and beyond.

The contributions to the sub-consultation will be summarized into policy recommendations presented, first to a High-level Panel on Water Resource Management and Wastewater at the end of February and later to a High-Level Panel on Post-2015 Development at the end of March.

The final outcome of the thematic Consultation will be presented by the Secretary-General to the UN General Assembly in September.

The questions that are being put forward to the international community next week are as follows :

1. What are the main benefits of wastewater reuse?
2. What kinds of wastewater should be reused and for what purpose?
3. What needs to be done to ensure that wastewater is safe for reuse?
4. What are the main obstacles for the adoption and replication of resource recovery and reuse practices and how to overcome these obstacles?
5. What examples of good practice in wastewater reuse at scale are you aware of?
6. How should we define international target for wastewater reuse and how to measure progress towards achieving this target?

The most important question is probably the last one but there idea is that we also have a broader discussion about issues relating to the target.

You will find the discussion, which commences on Monday at: www.worldwewant2015.org/water/wastewater

Fifteen minutes of your time next week to submit your responses to one or more of these questions would demonstrate to political community that wastewater reuse (aka productive sanitation) is an important area that needs to be represented in the global discussion of the international goal for water.

I realize that that the link between sludge to wastewater to water is tenuous and "sanitation" is not referred to directly as it falls into the discussions about a) WASH and b) wastewater. It is my understanding that the 3 water targets of a) WASH b) water resource management and c) wastewater management and water quality were defined at the Rio+20 summit.

I look forward to your contributions next week. If you prefer to send in your contribution to the SuSanA forum then this should be OK. We can then send a posting to the Worldwewant discussion with a link to SuSanA so that people can track the discussion amongst the SuSanA community.

best regards,

Jonathan

Jonathan Parkinson PhD.
Programme Manager – Urban Sanitation Initiative

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