With a view to further fostering knowledge sharing and capacity development opportunities for European water utilities, Aqua Publica Europea (APE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Association of Water Service Companies in the Danube River Catchment Area (IAWD). The Memorandum of Understanding aims to seize potential synergies between the two organisations with the ultimate goal of strengthening the services for their members.

IAWD is an independent, non-profit organisation of water and wastewater utilities, national water utility associations and other stakeholders engaging in the provision of safe and reliable water services for all in the Danube region. They support the water and wastewater utilities directly and through their partners, national water utility associations, to make the utility services sustainable, to represent the utilities’ interests, and be an established and attractive platform for donors covering the entire region.

APE and IAWD thus share common ground, both being non-profit organisations with a strong commitment to promote and support efficient, sustainable high-quality water services and the protection of water resources, and both keenly understanding the value of cooperation, knowledge exchange and mutual support.

Building on this common ground, the Memorandum of Understanding identifies a wide range of opportunities for cooperation, including:

• Communication, especially in joint PR efforts and event promotion
• Targeted cooperation on the occasion of annual events and in organising webinars like IAWD’s DWP KnowNow series or APE’s Water Erasmus' exchanges
• Organisation of joint sessions at a relevant international/European events
• Coordinated advocacy efforts related to EU or international water-related policy-making
• Joint position papers on relevant topics
• Joint project proposals where project calls are relevant to both associations