Seeds of Innovation in a Water-Scarce World
Welcome back to the WASH Digest. The Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) space remains ever-dynamic, continually evolving around the diverse challenges and opportunities of our times. Last month, stakeholders, thinkers and innovators gathered together in Stockholm for World Water Week, to work towards a water secure world. The forum buzzed with discussions on driving change and promoting innovation to tackle today's water issues.
But while many celebrated progress and planned for the future, wildfires swept across Maui, and now the area faces a variety of issues including potential water shortages. These devastating events reiterate the urgency of making every community around the world water secure.
In our second edition, we bring to you the following mix of critical issues, solutions, deliberations and trends in water and sanitation:
Maui Wildfires: Water Safety at Risk
The recent Maui Wildfires have left a devastating impact not only on the local communities but also on the island's water safety. Amidst the turmoil, concerns arise about the potential contamination of water sources.
Ash from the fires can introduce hazardous substances into both the air and water supply. Residents are advised to be cautious and consider using filtration systems for drinking water.
Beyond the immediate fire damage, infrastructure and homes in the region face potential risks from water contamination. Toxic compounds from burnt materials may leach into the ground, affecting plumbing systems. Residents are now urged to use water filters to ensure safe drinking.
Contaminated water is a growing concern across the world including the first world countries. Innovations in filtration technology are essential to ensure water safety at homes and combat this growing public health emergency.
Highlights from World Water Week 2023
Last month, industry leaders and stakeholders from across the globe, attended the World Water Week at SIWI - Stockholm International Water Institute . The theme of the event this year was Seeds of Change: Innovative Solutions for a Water-Wise World, focusing on topics such as water innovations financing, promoting collective action for water stewardship and implementing nature-based solutions to strengthen urban climate resilience.
At the conference, the emphasis was on actionable solutions, underpinned by intergenerational dialogues, trust, and inclusivity. Innovation was redefined to encompass governance, finance, culture, and values, with gender diversity at the core. There was a deep recognition of Indigenous Peoples' wisdom, underscoring the importance of values like reciprocity in innovation, and acknowledging the diversity within Indigenous cultures.
A comprehensive source-to-sea approach highlighted the interconnectedness of freshwater, coasts, and oceans, advocating for stronger management to address pollution and ensure inclusive growth. This interconnected theme was reinforced by calls to urgently update water governance in light of global challenges.
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DIY Revolution in Plumbing: Consumers Take Charge
The DIY (Do It Yourself) movement isn't just about crafting and home décor anymore. A growing trend has seen homeowners donning the plumber's hat, driven by a combination of cost savings, personalized solutions and easy-to-access guides and information.
With the surge in online tutorials and user-friendly tools, the modern homeowner is better equipped to handle minor plumbing tasks. Many DIY enthusiasts are driven by a desire for eco-friendly solutions, and by taking matters into their own hands, they can better ensure that sustainable materials and processes are used in their own homes. A DIY approach also has the potential to offer significant savings to consumers.
Brands, including LIXIL , GROHE and American Standard Brands , recognize this trend and are developing products catering to the DIY consumer, merging ease-of-use with advanced technology.
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Head of Legal, Ethics & Compliance
1yIt is important that such a company as LIXIL is actively taking part to this #WorldWaterWeek in Stockholm (hope to meet with you there next year), and more broadly being so active and pro-active in supporting innovations and sustainability. Provide solutions everywhere and for everyone, is what we also ambition to do with WeCo - Toilet with our off-grid innovative Water Recycling Eco Toilets for developed and emerging countries in need of our technologies. For that we are making them scalable, reliable and affordable for everyone, including communities and cities having strong issues with sanitation because of the water-scarcity, the lack of sewerage, sanitation plants, that cause so many deaths and many other social and economic issues.
Thanks to Marcella Hansch, Martin Visbeck, and World Water Week for inspiring us this week. 💙