IWA Water and Development Congress

The Water and Development Congress & Exhibition on Sustainable solutions for emerging economies will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka from December 1 – 5, 2019. The event will bring together water science and research with the public and private sectors, financial institutions and policy makers, to drive water cooperation and water solutions that can be applied globally.

The International Water Association  (IWA) Development Congress features a mix of workshops, seminars, plenary sessions, side events, award ceremonies, poster sessions and an exhibition programme. The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) together with CGIAR Research Programme on Land, Water and Ecosystems (WLE) will be contributing in the following sessions and exhibition booth during the event. 

Monday, 2 December

Afternoon Plenary Session Keynote Speaker - Rural, regional and remote business models and rural-urban linkages

17:15-18:00,  Main Conference and Concert Hall

Pay Drechsel, Strategic Program Leader - Managing Rural-Urban Linkages, IWMI

Business Forum 01 - Digital Innovations for Water Systems

12:15 – 13:00

Priyanie Amarasinghe, Infrastructure & Ecosystems, Water, Food & Ecosystems, IWMI / Simon Langan, IWMI Country Representative, Sri Lanka

Workshop Session on Integrated Water Resource Management - Sustainable Implementation and Scaling-up Of Fecal Sludge Management Models In Developing Countries

13:30-15:00, Lotus Room

Chair: Andreas Ulrich and Josiane Nikiema, IWMI

IWMI/WLE Presenters - Avinandan Taron, Nilanthi Jayathilake, Pay Drechsel - Advisor, Research Quality, Water, Growth & Inclusion – WGI. IWMI

With limited financial resources, municipalities and policy makers are increasingly incentivized to consider alternative viable options, including market based approaches that can lead to achieving sustainable wastewater and fecal sludge management which also include resource recovery and reuse. Successful implementation of such models however require well-formulated cross-sectoral partnerships, efficient low-maintenance technologies, supporting policy instruments and financing arrangements. Informed by case studies, this workshop will explore:

a) Innovative models for fecal sludge management

b) Appropriate technical options that meet demand, capacities and budget limitations

c) Enabling environment such as laws, regulations and effective institutions

d) Financing mechanisms that leverage both public and private capital

Tuesday 3, December

Presentation on Drinking Water Treatment and Supply - Off-grid water treatment technologies: Characterizing Rural Households' Drinking Water Quality, Historical Behaviour and Experience With CKDu In Sri Lanka

15:30-17:00, Cinema Hall

Soumya Balasubramanya, Economics, Water, Growth & Inclusion, IWMI