International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance

Newsletter n° 18 - June 2006

bRAINstorming

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Dear Rainwater Harvesters,
Please find RWH news and information from across the globe.

• Rain: The Neglected Resource – Embracing Green Water Management Solutions
• New IRHA Member – Rural Africa Water Development Project, Nigeria
• New IRHA Member – International Renewable Resources Institute, Mexico
• New IRHA Member – Fairey Ceramics, United Kingdom
• Rainwater Harvesting in the City and Canton of Geneva
• An Urban Rainwater Harvesting Database for India
• Harvesting the Monsoon
• Lucknowites are discovering the long-term advantages of Rainwater Harvesting
• Better use of water called for in Durban, South Africa
• Swiss Charity “Compassion” uses RWH in Uganda
• New Rainwater Harvesting Legislation and Incentives in France
• Reconquering Water Resources in the Poitou-Charentes Region of France
• Rainwater Recovery in Canada
• Promoting RWH in New York City
• Green Roofs Bloom on Concrete Cityscape
• Britain’s Biggest Homebuilder has created an Eco-village
• International ReSource Award for Sustainable Watershed Management 2007
• Publications and reports
• Events, courses and conferences
• IRHA Membership

____________________________________________________________________________________


Rain: The Neglected Resource – Embracing Green Water Management Solutions

The Stockholm International Water Institute ( www.siwi.org ) has released a primer for central governments in developed and developing countries, sub-sovereign national bodies, universities and research institutes, community organisations, banks and private investors, aid donors, multilateral financial institutions, UN agencies and other international organisations. “Rain: The Neglected Resource” gives several key recommendations.

- Raise awareness of the distinction between blue water in rivers and aquifers and green water in the soil.

- Accept in scientific, management, political and other circles the fundamental fact that there is not enough blue water left to meet competing food, water and environment needs for the future in large regions.

- At the same time realise that proper management of the green water in the soil represents large potential for global food production.

- Analyse the linkages between global trade regimes and different strategies to attain national food security.

- Introduce a green water dimension and incorporate land-use into IWRM and adequate governance activities.

- Further clarify the linkages between global poverty, hunger and shortage of green and/or blue water.

- Raise awareness of the improvements possible in the livelihoods of communities – particularly those in water-scarce regions – through a broadened approach to water.

- Further clarify the linkages between rain fed agriculture and both green and blue water.

You can download this document by M. Falkenmark and J. Rockström at www.swedishwaterhouse.se or at www.siwi.org .


New IRHA Member – Rural Africa Water Development Project (RAWDP)

RAWDP is an environmental and developmental social enterprise that combines profit activities with social goals. As a NGO, RAWDP is involved in the facilitation and development of rural water supply, sanitation, small-scale irrigation practices, research, wastewater management and practice in advocacy for sustainability. RAWDP driving goals are to reduce poverty and improve living conditions and quality of life in poor, remote Nigerian rural communities, where water is often difficult to obtain and of poor quality.

Since its inception in 2002 RAWDP has been: developing water bore-hole schemes in rural communities; treating water for safe delivery; advocating for environmental protection and conservation through workshops, seminars and conferences; doing research on fresh water ecosystems; assisting the government to integrate a principle of people-centered approach (holistic, synergy, sustainability, partnership, good governance) into its policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources.

RAWCP’s CEO, Joachim Obeziako, participated in IRHA’s “Rainwater harvesting and soil and water conservation” workshop in Kenya in 2005 and recently won a World Bank prize for his “Mor-sand filter.” For more information about RAWDP, visit: www.ruralafrwadp.org .


New IRHA Member – International Renewable Resources Institute (IRRI)

Created in April 2003, IRRI-Mexico is a not for profit organization specializing in sustainable resource management and renewable energies. It is currently running an ongoing Biogas project for rural development, as well as several rainwater harvesting installations throughout Mexico. Together with Alliant International University - Mexico, it also offers a number of related courses, training sessions and workshops year round on a variety of environmentally related topics.

IRRI-Mexico also offers support to communities and organizations who wish to improve environmental interaction through education, project consulting and management, research and development and implementation within the fields of developmental technology. With its focus on renewable energy and water management, its projects promote economic, social, and political policies which encourage sustainable development and resource use.

IRRI-Mexico was an important participant on the IRHA stand at the IV World Water Forum, and organizes its own urban “water fair” every year in Mexico City. To know more visit: www.irrimexico.org or contact: info@irrimexico.org .


New IRHA Member – Fairey Ceramics

Fairey Industrial Ceramics Limited (FICL), based in the UK, is the world leader in the production of ceramic drinking water filters under the famous Doulton® and British Berkefeld® brand names. Doulton® water filters have been preventing water-borne disease for more than 175 years. The sub micron filtration rating of FICL ceramics is more than enough to remove pathogenic bacteria (Cholera, Typhoid, Klebsiella, Shigella, E-coli etc.), and cysts (e.g. Cryptosporidium and Giardia) to produce safe drinking water from collected rainwater. Fairey’s filters are simple to use, require no power, and are cleanable to extend their life. They have proven to be highly effective in the most demanding conditions, which is why they are an integral part of many NGO medical packs. For more information visit: http://www.faireyceramics.co.uk/drink.htm .


Rainwater Harvesting in the City and Canton of Geneva

In the City of Geneva, sitting on the edge of Lake Leman, water was considered to be cheap and inexhaustible resource. However the vulnerability of drinking water sources and the extremely high costs of water treatment made the City consider measures to reduce consumption and limit waste, but keep up the high quality of service demanded. Since 1996, the City has installed closed circuits and timers on public fountains and optimized flushes in public toilets. It has cut its water consumption by more than 35% or more than 1 million cubic metres. It will save CHF 3.5 million in 2006.

Now the City is also looking at incorporating rainwater harvesting where this is appropriate, although in Switzerland retro-fitting is very expensive and it takes many years before savings are made. It is in its parks that the City is moving towards a watering system using a combination of harvested rainwater and lake water. The Parc de la Grange and the Parc des Eaux-Vives are always green as when the harvested rainwater runs out, lake water is pumped into the catchment cistern and on to the parks.

Since its establishment IRHA has been in close contact with the Canton of Geneva’s “Domaine de l’Eau” or water department. Although not responsible for supplying the water in taps, Domaine de l’Eau’s mission is to control potentially complex problems posed by protection and integrated water resources management of water. In 2004 Domaine de l’Eau published a series of 6 technical documents on good practices rainwater management on small plots of land. These covered infiltration of rainwater through permeable surfaces, retention and infiltration works, rainwater retention (and biodiversity) ponds, green roofs, and various other rainwater-retention works to reduce stormwater flows. Numerous schools, sports centres and the University Hospital were used as examples.


An Urban Rainwater Harvesting Database for India

India’s Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is looking for help to create a public online database of urban rainwater harvesting systems (URWH) implemented across that country over the past few years. CSE wants to find out how many people are harvesting rain, where and how they are doing it, and what the impact is. If you have an urban rainwater harvesting project in your house, colony, office or institution, if you have helped others to build a system, or if you are involved in protecting a lake or water body, CSE wants to know. Take a few minutes of your time to complete their simple questionnaire, available online at: http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/ , or for more information contact Salah on: salah@cseindia.org .


Harvesting the Monsoon

The Southwest monsoon, crucial to India's economic growth, is likely to be “just below normal” this year, says the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). The rainfall for the country as a whole is likely to be 93% of the Long Period Average (LPA) with a model error of ±5%. The probability of rainfall being deficient (below 90% of the LPA) is only 22%. The four-month season usually begins in early part of June, starting from Kerala in southwest.

The Met Department will issue an update for the above forecasts by the first week of July, which will also include forecast for the July rainfall over the country as a whole and seasonal (June-September) rainfall over the four broad homogeneous regions of India. (The forecast) doesn't say anything about the timing of the rains nor the spatial as well as temporal distribution across the country.

Still, the IMD forecasts are crucial for the economy as (India’s) agriculture is so heavily dependent on monsoon rains. Agriculture contributes to 20% of GDP and provides employment to about 58% of the population. With almost 60% of the cropped area dependent on rains, monsoon continues to have a major bearing on agriculture growth and on GDP as a whole. The only solution is to free agriculture from the clutches of rain-fed growth. One way out is by bringing more and more area under irrigation. Massive investment, both public and private, is needed for this. Another alternative is the adoption of rainwater harvesting techniques. Diversification from water-intensive crops to those that need less water is another way of reducing reliance on the weather gods and achieve self sufficiency. Lastly, a whole host of reforms are the need of the hour to make up for the past neglect of the crucial sector. For the full story by Hemant P. Maradia go to http://www.indiainfoline.com/nevi/rawa.html .


Lucknowites are discovering the long-term advantages of Rainwater Harvesting

People are forever complaining about lack of water in summer. In monsoon it is the deluge caused on the roads and overflowing drains that has them cribbing. But all that excess water goes to waste. What can we do to prevent this wastage of water? The solution lies in rainwater harvesting.

RS Sinha of the Ground Water Board acquainted us with this process. He says, "We channel rainwater into a pit to prevent it from flowing into drains and being wasted. This can be done by way of constructing recharge pits or using the existing dry wells or bore wells. All the rainwater that falls on the roof or the ground surface gets redirected to this pit and over a period of time the ground water level will rise. In Lucknow, RWH is being done in a number of places like the Begum Hazrat Mahal Park, Governor’s House, Awas Vikas Colony, Jal Nigam Colony etc."

Salahuddin Saiphy, a research associate at the Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi, says, "We at CSE, have been involved in RWH for a long time. We have been trying to create an awareness among people about the advantages of this process. Initially, the response was not so good, but now we do get queries about how to set it up a RWH plant. In fact, it is being practised on a large scale in the metros. Now the government has made it mandatory for all the buildings having an area of more than 300m2 to have RWH system."

With awareness about RWH steadily rising, the future generation will surely have a better time than us. For the full article from the Times of India visit: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1610822.cms.


Better use of water called for in Durban, South Africa

Mayor Obed Mlaba of Durban, South Africa, this week applauded a decision to help 60 schools in the Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu (Ink) areas to install rainwater harvesting tanks. Mlaba said that alternative methods to capture rainwater for use in gardens had to be explored. “I am quite certain that running water from drains and streams could also be collected into tanks and used for watering gardens. In India they have ensured that there is a water tank in each province every 5km and captured water is purified and used in gardens,” he said.

However, the mayor criticised communities who waited for government handouts. “Although the municipality has done well in providing feeding points for the needy, the public needs to embark on gardening initiatives so they can farm their own crops as opposed to relying on soup kitchens,” he said. Mlaba pointed to national statistics which indicated that too many people relied on government grants. “In 1994, 2-million people received grants. The number of people receiving them now has risen to 10-million.”

About SAR 6.2-million from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism budget had been channelled into the Ink Greening Project which aims to provide schools and the community with greener environments and food. Exco agreed to provide SAR 800,000 for the Ink Urban Renewal Programme to acquire water tanks for schools. For the full article by Siyabonga Maphumulo visit: http://www.durban.gov.za/eThekwini/Council/council_news/water_tanks/view


Swiss Charity “Compassion” uses RWH in Uganda

More than 1,800 children living in Kisoro, Uganda are sponsored by Compassion. Because the area lies on very hard volcanic ground the villagers cannot dig wells deep enough to get the water they need. They currently draw their water from drainage ditches which are shared with their livestock.

Twice a day, children as young as 6 or 7 (many of whom are AIDS orphans) cover many kilometers (as many as 10!) of mosquito infested country to collect water. In this way, not only do the children miss out on numerous hours of schooling, but the also run the risk of contracting malaria or, by collecting unsafe water, contracting one of many intestinal diseases seen in the village.

By equipping the villages with locally made, prefabricated water tanks, the “Water for Children” project aims to harvest rainwater to provide drinking water for the village. Thanks to this development project the villagers will be able to either build new homes or reinforce the structure of their existing homes so that they can support the weight of their new sheet metal roofs. They will then be able to install a system of gutters to channel rainwater into the tanks. The installation of portable latrines will reduce the transmission of dysentery and other organisms present in water.

The projects goals, through the construction of 120 new homes and the installation of 900 collection tanks and 900 latrines, are to: release the children from their obligation to fetch water and so improve their school attendance; reduce or eliminate the diseases which the children and their families contract; and teach personal and family hygiene practices so as to stop the transmission of pathogens. See: www.compassion.ch .


New Rainwater Harvesting Legislation and Incentives in France

With impending water shortages in certain areas of Europe again this summer (droughts in southern England and in Spain, for example, seem to be almost the norm) governments are realizing that they must give voters an incentive to save water or to provide water for themselves. This reduces the burden of supply on the state or water companies and concurrently reduces the water bill for the user. A rainwater harvesting win-win situation.

At the French Council of Ministers of 26 October 2005, Mrs Nelly Olin, the Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development laid out the Water Scarcity Management Plan. She affirmed that “the harvesting and utilisation of rainwater for specific usages and under certain technical conditions will be promoted.” Public consultations carried out from 2 May to 2 November 2005 allowed for the numerous citizen-stakeholders to be consulted on the question of water management. They expressed their great interest for water saving and water recycling measures and notably rainwater. There is a clear sign that citizens want to see rational water resource use.

Based on the minutes of the French National Assembly, 9 May 2006, the amendment to the Water Bill was based on the arguments below. Rainwater recuperation systems appear to many to be simply a gesture by eco-citizens. However these systems have several advantages:

- reduced consumption of drinking water and rational use of this resource. The use of rainwater for non-consumption and non-hygiene domestic uses makes good sense. We use drinking water for all possible purposes, even for toilet flushes – water taken from the natural environment and then treated. A 4 to 5 person household uses about 200m3 per year of which 60m3 per year of which 60m3 are used by toilet flushes and washing machines.

- harvesting rainwater also permits substantial cost savings at a time when water price increases seem constant and unavoidable (for example, toilets account for 35% of the average water bill). It also permits a quantitative autonomy in case of water use restrictions or cut offs;

- the quality and low mineral content of rainwater are also positive features. Low mineral content is ideal for watering gardens. Low levels of limestone in the water mean that washing-powder use can be halved and fabric softeners can be eliminated;

- rainwater harvesting can also play an important role in the reduction of water flow and the saturation of drainage systems during extreme rain events.

Furthermore, the performance and development of rainwater catchment systems in neighbouring European countries (in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Benelux, several million homes are now equipped with rainwater harvesting systems) demonstrate the technical and sanitation feasibility of these systems.

For these reasons, the present amendment aims to favour rainwater harvesting through a tax credit for private individuals, in the same way as current aids to solar central heating and water heating. This will allow the drawing together of eco-friendly taxation and preservation of our environment.

For an investment of around EUR 5,000 a household could reduce in water bill by 53 %. It simply makes sense to use rainwater for uses other than those connected to food preparation and personal hygiene (washing machine, toilet flush, cleaning floors, outdoor uses).

The Law in brief:

Any work done between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2011 for the installation of a rainwater harvesting system as well as the purchase of the necessary material and equipment will be eligible for a 40% tax credit, up to a maximum of EUR 5,000. Minimum quality and performance criteria will be have to be met and documented.

The amendments to the Law can be found in full, in French on: http://www.aquavalor.fr/pdf/Amendement-mars2006.pdf or read http://www.droitpublic.net/article.php3?id_article=1198 .


Reconquering Water Resources in the Poitou-Charentes Region of France

Under the title “Reconquering Water Resources”, the Poitou-Charentes region is promoting RWH as a part of its environmental programme. This has been brought about due to chronic groundwater pollution and excessive abstraction, especially in spring and summer when there is least water available. The goal of the “Operation 10,000 Cisterns” is to encourage household rainwater use where drinking-quality water is not necessary. Systematically coming to grips with water consumption in the region’s high schools is also a priority. This will be done through using rainwater for toilet flushes and watering school grounds planted with less thirsty plants, through greening roofs and using water efficient technologies. The goal is to reduce annual consumption from 12m3 to 9m3 by the end of 2007. For full information in French, visit: http://www.cr-poitou-charentes.fr/fr/environnement/eau/index3.dml.


Rainwater Recovery in Canada

When one looks at a map of Canada there seem to be thousands of lakes and rivers. Surely it is well provided for in terms of its water resources. The province of Alberta, however, on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains faces droughts. Below is the address of the Honourable Madeleine Plamondon to the Canadian Senate on 16 May 2006 (from Hanard):

“Honourable senators, I would like to draw to your attention a potentially inspiring rainwater recovery initiative being discussed in France as part of proposed water legislation. The purpose of this initiative is to grant a tax credit equal to 40 per cent of the cost of equipment needed to recycle rainwater and use it for facilities that do not require drinking water, such as toilets, washing machines, and outdoor faucets for watering lawns or washing cars.

In France, only 8,000 homes have rainwater recovery systems, compared to 100,000 homes in Germany. It is true that rainwater must be treated for use in washing machines. When it comes out of the eaves trough, it must go through a purification system. A pump then moves the rainwater into a concrete cistern where lime neutralizes its natural acidity. Honourable senators, people have been recovering rainwater since antiquity.

According to calculations, 100 square metres of rooftop in France can collect about 60,000 litres of water per year, which is about half of what a family of four needs. In Canada, every Canadian consumes an average of 335 litres per day, which adds up to more than 122,000 litres per year, or twice the consumption of a family of four in France.

The forecast is for a hot, dry summer. Citizens will be asked to avoid using drinking water where rainwater could be used instead. We do not have to make major investments or install filtration systems to encourage rainwater recovery. We all have a roof. Industries and farm operations, which have big buildings, could use rainwater. Every Canadian must do what he or she can to conserve drinking water for specific uses. Provinces that experience droughts, like Alberta, are making an effort.

A report on storm water use in the city of Calgary shows that for some time urban development has to take into account the use of storm water. Whether it is done on a small scale or by a large city, we all have to make an effort.

Drinking water must become a basic human right in Canada, but using drinking water for other purposes is an individual responsibility.”


Promoting RWH in New York City

In 2002, a drought emergency pushed many community gardens in New York to the brink of extinction. For the first time in 20 years, community gardeners were denied permission to use fire hydrants, the primary source of water for most community gardens. This crisis led to the formation of the Water Resources Group (WRG), an open collaboration of community gardening and environmental organizations. With help from the WRG, RWH systems have now been built as demonstration sites in 20 NYC community gardens.

At community gardens that harvest rainwater, rain is diverted from the gutters of adjacent buildings and is stored in tanks in the gardens. A 1-inch (2.54cm) rainfall on a 1,000-square-foot (93m2) roof produces 600 gallons (2,271 litres) of water. The tanks are mosquito proof, so the standing water does not encourage West Nile virus. Because rainwater is chlorine free, it is better than tap water for plant growth, meaning healthier plants. And it’s free! For more information about RWH in New York City see: http://www.waterresourcesgroup.org/ .


Green Roofs Bloom on Concrete Cityscape

David Leppanen's roof is alive. Already popular in Europe for their environmental benefits and aesthetic pleasures, green roofs are in-demand in the USA. A green roof can help regulate temperature and absorb storm water, which runs off slowly instead of pouring down in buckets and overwhelming sewer systems.

“Green roofs are definitely possible in Hawai'i,” says Honolulu architect Patrick Tozier, who specializes in environmental design and planning. “I see opportunity in urban areas of Hawai'i, retrofitting existing buildings, and places like universities, government buildings and strip malls.”

Green roofs' mitigation of storm water runoff is “very important in Hawai'i,” points out Tozier, as we are susceptible to flooding and have burdened water facilities. Another plus here, he says, is that the elevated gardens “increase the life of roof membranes by protecting them from temperature fluctuations and ultraviolet light.”

The drawback: “It's not cheap, but the expense is worth it,” says Leppanen. “You can't do this in a weekend with plastic bags and dirt and just hope for the best.” High-quality materials are essential - a poorly built green roof can cause structural damage to a home by compressing the roof or leaking. It will increase building costs 20 to 35 percent, but there is a potential to recoup some costs, because the vegetation can act like insulation - cooler in the summertime, and warmer in the wintertime.

For the full story by Michelle Theriault go to:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Jun/04/il/FP606040346.html


Britain’s Biggest Homebuilder has created an Eco-village

Toilets flushed with rainwater, under-floor heating provided by the sun, wind turbines whizzing away on rooftops: it sounds like some eco-idyll half-built into a hillside on a remote Scottish island, but welcome to the redbrick two-storey and double-garage world of Barratt's newest housing development.

Britain's biggest house builder last month opened the doors to its 'Eco-smart show village', seven of its biggest-selling homes stuffed full of cutting-edge renewable technologies. Over the next 18 months, it will be used to test the highly publicised small-scale renewable technologies now coming on to the market - and to see whether consumers will be willing to pay for them.

“There's very little information available about the actual costs and benefits involved in buying and installing them in conventional housing. The show village will enable us to accurately assess those costs and benefits and also find out what homebuyers really think. The challenge for us is to find out which environmental features we can incorporate and continue to keep our homes affordable to buyers.” These will include rainwater recycling and water-efficient toilets.

But the big homebuilders may not have a choice for much longer. Last week, London Mayor Ken Livingstone announced plans to make it a statutory obligation for all big housing developments to incorporate enough onsite renewables to provide 20 per cent of residents' energy needs. And where London leads, others will surely follow.

For the full story by Terry Slavin go to:
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/cash/story/0,,1789793,00.html

International ReSource Award for Sustainable Watershed Management 2007

The International ReSource Award is worth USD 150 000 in total and is granted to one or several projects selected by an international jury. Launched in 2002, the ReSource Award is an internationally recognised prize for leadership in implementing the principles of sustainability in watershed management. It is conferred annually. The prize money is awarded exclusively for project implementation activities, by Swiss Re, one of the biggest re-insurance companies in the world.

NGOs, private, scientific or public institutions and similar bodies are invited to participate in the tender for the International ReSource Award for Sustainable Watershed Management. Projects comprising more than one institution (eg public-private partnerships) are also eligible for the award. Bodies with strong links to the local communities of regions where water sources are located are particularly encouraged to participate. Participants are asked to provide proven track records in sustainability and project planning and/or management in the specific field of water and source management.

Deadline for submission is 31 July 2006. Visit: http://www.swissre/resource


Publications and Reports

The Hand-washing Handbook is a Guide for Developing a Hygiene Promotion Programme to Increase Hand-washing with Soap. It lays out the experiences of the Public-Private Partnership for hand-washing in a practical guidance document. The handbook is designed for staff in governments and development organizations charged with carrying out hand-washing programmes. Decision makers in ministries and funding agencies will also find assistance in designing policies and programmes to improve public health. The handbook outlines a large-scale approach to hand-washing promotion and covers laying the foundation for a national programme, consumer research, programme implementation, and organization. For more information see: http://www.globalhandwashing.org/


Events, Courses and Conferences

A three-week course on “Decentralised Water Supply and Sanitation” offered by the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, will be held in Delft, Netherlands, 10-28 July 2006. The aim is to provide theoretical background & practical expertise in the field of low-cost, decentralised water supply & sanitation alternatives specifically suitable for small towns, peri-urban areas & urban slums, small island communities, tourist resorts etc. Rainwater harvesting (the ultimate decentralised water resource) is one of the topics which will be covered in this course. The target group is mid-career professionals dealing with planning & management aspects of water supply & sanitation infrastructures, working for municipalities, government ministries, & water supply agencies or consulting firms. The cost is EUR 2,040 & the application deadline was 10 June 2006, but try anyway. Contact course coordinator, S.K. Sharma, PhD, on s.sharma@unesco-ihe.org or visit: http://www.unesco-ihe.org/vmp/articles/Short-Courses/SHO-DWSS.html .

The Autonomous University of Queretaro, the International Centre for Demonstration and Training on Rainwater Harvesting and IRCSA are organising the XIIth National Mexican RWH meeting and the IInd Latin America and the Caribbean RWH meeting, in association with the International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance, 26-29 July 2006. IRHA will contribute to the organisation of the regional rainwater harvester’s network and to establishing south-south dialogue to exchange knowledge to introduce RWH in countries in the region and to improve the political impact at national and international levels. This event is a follow-up to the World Water Forum effort positioning RWH in Integrated Water Resources Management plans. The organising committee consists of Professor Dr. Manuel Anaya from the Post-Graduate School, Dr Eusebio Ventura from the Faculty of Engineering and Margarita Pacheco from IRHA Secretariat. For further information contact: anayam@colpos.mx, lluvia@uaq.m or secretariat@irha-h2o.org .

Stockholm’s 2006 World Water Week, 20-26 August, goes under the title of “Building Capacity – Promoting Partnership – Reviewing Implementation”. The World Water Week is a global meeting place for capacity-building, partnership-building and follow-up on the implementation of international processes and programmes in water and development. It includes topical plenary sessions and panel debates, scientific workshops, independently organized seminars and side events, exhibitions and prize ceremonies honouring excellence in the water field. Organised by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), you can contact David Trouba on: dave.trouba@siwi.org or visit http://www.worldwaterweek.org/ for more information.

The “Water Management and Technology Course” is a classroom & hands-on course taking place from 28 August to 1 September 2006. Run by the International Renewable Resources Institute (www.irrimexico.org), it offers a general overview of the situation of water in the world, along with the main technological options for sustainable management. Consisting of a series of combined seminars and field trips, the program gives participants the basics required for proper evaluation and monitoring as well as designing simple treatment systems for different types of water. A Developing Country approach and a focus on appropriate technologies is present throughout the workshop. Themes covered will be: Water classification - official regulations; Sample and analysis techniques; Ecological indicators in lakes and rivers; Filtration and water treatment methods; Rainwater Harvesting systems; and Ecological “Dry” sanitation. Excursions include visits to artificial wetlands, municipal water treatment plants, ecological parks with sustainable water management practices, a rural dry sanitation project and a visit to a rainwater purification and bottling facility. Cost is $4,400 Mexican pesos + tax (about USD 440 + tax). To register, or for more information, please contact Myriam Gómez Rosas on mgomez@alliantmexico.edu, or call +52 55 5264-2187.

A course on “Environmentally Sound Technology in Water Resources Management” organised by the International Association of Science & Technology for Development together with the University of Botswana, will take place in Gaborone, Botswana, 11-13 September 2006. The main themes are water supply & sustainable use; wastewater & storm water management; integrated watershed management; pollution prevention & reduction in industry; & issues in implementing environmentally sound technologies. There will be a special session on "Flood risk management in urban waters". The deadline for papers was 15 March 2006, but try anyway. For more information contact the IASTED Secretariat, Canada, on calgary@iasted.org or visit: http://www.iasted.org/conferences/2006/Botswana/estw.htm .

In the third, free lecture in the series, 13 September 2006, Brock Dolman, Director of the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center’s WATER Institute, will be joined by Dylan Coleman of Wonderwater Rain Catchment Systems to discuss how to harvest rainwater from your roof for use both in your home and in your landscaping. Learn about the components of a roof catchment system and how to evaluate the ecological and economical appropriateness for such a system in your home. In addition, we will look at how people worldwide are utilizing rainwater catchment as an effective means for providing potable water to entire communities. For more information write to: oaec@oaec.org . New College of California, Santa Rosa campus, Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, 15290 Coleman Valley Road, Occidental, CA 95465, (707) 874-1557

The “Water in the City Conference” will take place in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, 17-20 September 2006.

Organized by Capital Regional District Water Services, Canada, this conference will offer a holistic view of the many issues affecting water in urban areas, the interactions between these issues and the need to place them front and centre as we re-think our communities in the 21st century. Broad areas of concern include: putting water ‘front and centre’ as we plan our communities; emerging opportunities for re-use and recycling; clean safe drinking water – a key to community health; a demand management, conservation-based approach to supply; wastewater as resource for a healthy community and a healthy environment; healthy water courses and water features – a ‘quality of life’ asset for communities; and issues of governance, including current strengths and weaknesses as well as new directions and strategies to give water a prominent place in the decision-making process. For more information visit: http://www.waterinthecityvictoria.ca/index.html .

32nd Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC) International Conference on “Sustainable Development of Water Resources, Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation” will Colombo, Sri Lanka, 13-17 November 2006. This conference will provide a global forum for practitioners, policy-makers, academics and researchers from a wide range of disciplines and working in the water and environmental sanitation sectors to meet and share experiences on the conference theme. The topics of this conference are: Water resources; Water supply; Environmental sanitation; Institutional issues; Cross-cutting issues.

Organised by the WEDC of Loughborough University, United Kingdom, you can contact
the Conference Secretariat on: wedc.conf@lboro.ac.uk or
visit http://wedc.lboro.ac.uk/conferences/conference1.php?ID=7

Visit http://www.eng.warwick.ac.uk/DTU/rwh/components6.html for their pages on rainwater harvesting.

All the above events, conferences and courses, plus others from previous newsletters are available on:

http://www.irha-h2o.org/events.html .


IRHA Membership

For more than 3 years IRHA has been increasingly acknowledged as a unifying & influential voice in the field of RWH. It has established relationships with many RWH organisations, NGOs, CSOs, UN agencies, international & government agencies, companies & individuals worldwide.

Please go to http://www.irha-h2o.org & click on the link to membership. You can now join quickly, easily and safely via PayPal with your credit card. With your help IRHA will continue to put RWH on the sustainable development agenda; to exchange ideas & experience; to influence policy at the international, national & local levels; to provide a vehicle for creating partnerships & to promote a globally representative approach, allowing regional & other variety.


Thank you for the continuing positive comments & feedback on the newsletter. Please do not hesitate to send us news, articles & new subscribers.

This newsletter has been sent to:

• over 2,550 individuals & organisations of the IRHA network;
• over 3,500 readers of the International Institute for Sustainable Development - IISD Reporting Services Water-L list (www.iisd.ca);
• over 3,000 readers of International Association Trade Policy IATP (www.itap.org);
• over 500 members of Nepal's NGO Forum (www.ngoforum.np);
• and two very active Yahoo.com rainwater discussion groups

Sponsored by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation


Best regards from the IRHA Secretariat staff