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2007: Inter-American Water Day (IAWD) 15° Anniversary
Inter-American Water Day (IAWD) (1)
First Saturday of October: October 6th/2007
IAWD 2007 Motto (2):
"Water: A scarce resource – Do not pollute it!"
According to recent progress reports toward compliance with the Millennium Development Goals in 2015, Latin American and Caribbean countries (LAC) could be able to reduce 50% of their deficit in access to improving sources of potable water and improving sanitation systems, in agreement with their commitment to comply with Goal 10, Objective Seven, Millennium Declaration, with regard to service coverage, except for some extremely poor LAC countries, especially within the sanitation area in rural and peripheral communities, situated in average and large cities, where more considerable effort will be necessary to carry out.
Furthermore, the service access does not guarantee their safety or quality. Water quality monitoring differs in LAC countries, and indicators obtained globally by JMP (WHO/UNICEF) are not currently measuring that quality.
A population of approximately 554 million inhabitants is estimated in LAC. A total of 53 million persons (3) from this estimate do not access to an improving source of potable water. Two thirds of them are rural populations. On the other hand, 127 million people cannot access to an improving sanitation system, and over half of them are situated in rural populations. According to several records of 2000 Evaluation of Water and Sanitation (4), only 14% of urban populations served with sanitary sewerage, treated their effluents in accordance with the LAC Region level. Although, important investments for wastewater treatment works are presently being executed. Countries such as Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and Uruguay have increased their treatment coverage in the last years. However, due to the population growth, this increase is not enough and the effluents discharged without treatment to the surface water, are still polluting potential sources for water consumption, as well as diminishing the aquatic ecosystems.
This lack of wastewater treatment constitutes a health hazard, because most waterborne diseases are related to the lack of potable water, due to the use of polluted water and because of poor knowledge in hygiene. The deficient handling of water resource, including wastewater discharges, together with the limitations in infrastructure of water treatment for health consumption, damage the water quality supplied to the users.
The dissemination and use throughout the Region of the new WHO Guidelines for Wastewater and Excreta Handling, published in 2006 (http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/wastewater/gsuww/en/index.html), as well as the application of Water Safety Plans described in the WHO Drinking Water Guidelines:
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/gdwq3rev/es/index.html, are convenient tools to be used throughout the countries to improve the protection of water and sanitation quality sources.
“Due to the present crisis regarding sanitation, specially related to wastewater treatment, the United Nations has declared 2008 as ´International Year of Sanitation´ to promote a major boost to reach the goals.”
(1) The Inter-American Water Day is a regional initiative, carried out together with the Inter-American Association of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (AIDIS), the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Organization of the American States (OAS), Pan-American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP/ORPALC).
(2) Motto suggested by consensus between SDE/CEPIS-BS and AIDIS/AmSa (Environments for life). We are working in a coordinated proposal to develop a long-term strategy for the definition of the IAWD topics for a five-year period, in agreement with the Water International Decade: “Water for Life 2005-2015” and the Millennium
Development Goals 2000-2015 that will be consulted with the countries.
(3) Middle Term Evaluation of the Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) for Water Supply and Sanitation (Target 10 of MDG 7) of WHO and UNICEF – WHO/UNICEF, 2006.
(4) Global Evaluation for Water Supply and Sanitation PAHO/WHO/UNICEF, 2000.
Due to the global scarcity of drinking water source, which becomes more unpredictable because of the climatic changes affecting the planet by means of droughts, floods and other seriously damaging climatic phenomena, as well as its gradual destruction and its increasing pollution, a planning and a more convenient integrated arrangement of water resource is a very pressing matter. This plan should formulate effective and feasible strategies to manage risks and to reduce vulnerabilities. All of these should constitute a focal point of national policies, highlighting local initiatives with community participation. Also, it is necessary to acknowledge the multi sector characteristic of water resources progress within the context of socio-economical development. Besides, currently we should strive even more to protect our water sources and reduce the pollution to avoid its scarcity.
| Visit the Web Page historic of the Initiative, located in: http://www.bvsde.paho.org/bvsadiaa/diaa.html of the Pan American Center for Sanitary Engineering and Environmental Sciences / Basic Sanitation Unit (CEPIS-BS/SDE/PAHO). There you will find reference material from previous years to support and to promote the initiative. Also, you will appreciate in that Web Page other details that can be useful for your current endeavors. |
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Scholarship AIDIS and UNAM
Institute of Engineering grants the scholarship to the
Mónica Colombian Liliana Salazar Peláez
The Master Mónica Liliana Salazar Peláez, indicated by ACODAL, Colombian Chapter of AIDIS, was the winner of Inter-American Beca of Environmental Engineering IIUNAM - AIDIS. Mónica is engineer toilet by the University of Antioch, Colombia and teacher in hydric resources and environmental cleaning by the Federal University of Grande River of the South, Brazil.
According to Sergio Manuel Alcocer, Diretor de Ingeniería, the Institute of the Independent National University of Mexico feels enormously pleased in being able to offer the opportunity of which distinguished professional young people of the environmental engineering of the Américas they can make an academic stay with ours sanctioned group of investigators.
The scholarship is an agreement between Universidade and AIDIS and the project is directed the students of posgrado graduation or in the Sanitation engineering, that is attending the last year of studies, or recently titled. In the next months the scholarship holder will have to develop the works of investigation in the integral time in the facilities of the Institute of Engineering of the National Independent University of Mexico, according to a plan of work presented/displayed before.
Inter-American AIDIS congratulates the winner and Colombian Capítulo (ACODAL).
For more iinformation: http://eventos.iingen.unam.mx/aidis/
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Scholarship AIDIS and UNAM
Agreement benefices students of Sanitary and Ambient Engineering
The Inter-American Association of Sanitary Engineering and Ambiental (AIDIS) and the Independent University of Mexico (UNAM) had firmed an agreement for the creation of the “Inter-American Scholarship of the Institute in Ambient Engineering”.
The project is directed the students of graduation or after - graduation in Sanitary Engineering, that is attending a course the last year or recently titleholders. The students must be resident of a country member of AIDIS, with exception of Mexico.
The scholarship holder will have to develop works of research in integral time in the installations of the Institute of Engineering of the Independent National University of Mexico, in accordance with a plan of work presented previously.
- To participate reads the complete regulation
- Access also the registration fiche
Check the stated periods:
- Registrations delivers of the documentation: up to 31 of May of 2007
- Notification of the winner of the stock market: 30 of June of 2007
- Beginning of the stock market: 1º of August of 2007
- Ending of the stock market: 31 of January of 2008 |
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IDRC and AIDIS close partnership for projects in
Solid residue administration
Project experiences will be shared for the development of the regions
The Interamerican Sanitary and Engineering Association will hold a pilot project to create an electronic web in the molds of a regional “clearing house” for integrated administration of solid residues in cities of LatinAmerica and the Caribbean. The project was approved by the IRDC which will assist in the financial and technical aspects.
The objective of the program is to involve the municipalities through the creation and widespread of knowledge related to integrated administration of solid residues and the mechanism of clean development (MDL) in Latin America and the Caribbean.
This way, an electronic document will be created for public and technical institutions to generate knowledge; share the best practices in the administration of solid residues with the aim of subsidizing governments, specialists and strengthening the ties of the International Research Development Center (IRDC) with other countries and institutions.
The technical aspects of the project will be monitored by Walter Ubal, main specialist of the program and Pillar Tello, technical Director of residues in AIDIS (DIRSA-AIDIS). The legal aspects will be under the responsibilityof Luiz Augusto de Lima Pontes, AIDIS executive Director.
“This is another significant advance in the administration of knowledge adn fruit of an International event held in 205 which gathered specialists to present and propose alternatives related to solid residues and which led to the publication of the project and now this partnership will bring gains to all countries connected to the Association” he explains.
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AIDIS will participate in the V Brazilian regulatory congress
Event will approach the role of regulatory agencies and the
benefits of service supplies in the public sector
From the 6th to 9th May 2007, the V Brazilian Regulatory Congress will be held in the city of Recife, in Pernambuco, Brazil.
The objective of the V Brazilian Regulatory Congress is to bring together all interested in the area to exchange experiences, seek incentive for studies and to formulate new alternatives for the development and improvement of delegated public supplied services.
At the occasion, the Interamerican Sanitary and Engineering Association will be represented by Carlos Rosito, elected President and Alex Chechilnitzky, ex- President and representative of AIDIS Chile who will participate in the panel “ Performance indicators for the improvement of sanitation services” on May 9th at 9:00.
In total more than 200 works regarding sanitation, electricity, piped gas, petroleum, transports, among other will be presented, prompting technical qualifications, understanding on the regulatory agencies and their contributions to civil society.
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AIDIS contributes with Sabesp and JICA to reduce water loses
At the end of March, SABESP signed a partnership of cooperation with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the reduction of water waste in the areas attended by the company in the State of Sao Paulo. The partnership which will last 3 years, establishes and exchange of experiences and technology and foresee actions for the control and prevention of leakage as well as improvements in water connectors. In total, R$5 milliom will be invested, being 3.2 million from JICA and the surmounting from SABESP.
The program approval was conditioned to the exchange of information and experiences between the institutions and countries. In this sense, the Sanitary and environmental engineering association has a fundamental role for enlacing 32 countries in the American continent and actively participating in agreements and technical co operations of this type.
For Masahiro Kobayashi, the General coordinator for the technical co operation of Japan in Brazil, the main objective of the project is not only transference of technology from Japan to Brazil, but also transference of a new culture of water optimization, for companies and consumers. “The choice of SABESP happened because we are sure and trust that all those involved directly and indirectly will work towards and strive for the success of this project. That SABESP will repass this knowledge to all of Brazil and countries that have demand”, he concluded.
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AIDIS launches publication on Solid residues.
 From the 16th to 18th of November 2005, AIDIS promoted the International Seminar on Integrated Administration of Urban solid Residues in Latin America and the Caribbean, at the Public Health University in São Paulo, Brazil. Approximately 92 people took part in the event to learn about 10 experiences of integrated and sustainable administration of residues, being 8 developed in Latin America and the Caribbean and the other 2 in Italy and Canada. After the event, a publication was developed with the validated contents of the presentations as well as the information raised from the bibliography of the sector, especially from the informative published by the Panamerican Health Organization.
The book recently launched presented great contributions to the sector by gathering experiences, proposing solutions and alternatives to one of the greatest concerns in big cities nowadays. The projects in Latin America were presented by: Chile, emphasizing the need of sanitary disposal areas; Londrina (Brazil) which exposed public administration with selective collecting and aspects of citizenship; Porto Alegre (brazil) regarding selective collecting administration; Vitoria (Brazil) which reported public administration with the privatization of services and selective collecting; Cuenca (Ecuador) on public administration with community participation; Usulatan (El Salvador) with integrated administration of municipal residues made by microcompanies and the Dominican Republic which also approached public administration with community participation. The International cases involved Vancouver (Canada) with the integrated administration of solid residues and Italy, regarding Urban solid residues administration with recycling and energy and biomass recovery.
The text elaboration was under the responsibility of Wanda Risso Guinther, as AIDIS consultant and Elisabeth Grimberg, Coordinator of the Polis Institute and consultant for the International Development Research Center (IDRC). Walter Ubal, main Specialist of the urban and environment poverty program from the International Development Research Center (IDRC) contributed in the editorial coordination along with the two coordinators. The technical revision was made by Pillar Tello, Director of the solid residues division in AIDIS- DIRSA and the general coordination of Augusto de Lima Pontes AIDIS Executive Director.
Click here to visualize the book.
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