On May 15, 2024, Aqua Publica Europea, in partnership with WaterLinks, hosted a webinar titled “Resilience in Action: How Water and Sanitation Utilities Cope with Drought.” This webinar was the first in a series aimed at fostering knowledge exchange and dialogue between utilities in Asia and Europe to address common challenges in the water and sanitation sector.
The webinar explored the adverse impacts of extreme weather events, particularly drought, and presented examples of utilities actively adapting to these conditions. With Asia recently experiencing a severe heat wave, the discussion on practical measures and strategies for maintaining the functionality and effectiveness of water utilities during droughts was particularly timely.
Three expert speakers led the event:
Naeeda Crishna Morgado, Senior Infrastructure Specialist from the Asian Development Bank, provided an overview of the climate outlook for Asia and its potential impacts on the water and sanitation sector. She emphasised that climate change is not a future problem, especially for Asia, as its impacts are already being felt. Early action is critical in addressing these impacts, particularly in Asia’s low-income, vulnerable countries, where the costs of inaction would outweigh the costs of mitigation.
Dr. Tanguy Robert, Hydrogeologist at VIVAQUA in Brussels, Belgium, explained the consequences of drought on their operations and outlined viable solutions that VIVAQUA has undertaken to anticipate and manage drought conditions. These measures include optimizing catchments, rehabilitating old and abandoned catchments, and prospecting new catchments.
Elisa Brussolo, Researcher at Società Metropolitana Acque Torino S.p.A. (SMAT) in Turin, Italy, emphasised the need for improved drought monitoring, forecasting, and assessment to enhance preparedness and management practices. SMAT presented a proposed combined index to create an early warning system for water utilities and concerned stakeholders. The development of early warning systems was identified as a key long-term drought mitigation measure and a critical element for the implementation of drought contingency plans.
The event was attended by 219 participants from Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and North America, emphasising the timeliness of the issue and the global commitment to addressing drought-related challenges in the sector.
Presentations and Report
- Naeeda Crishna Morgado - Climate change and development in Asia and the Pacific
- Dr. Tanguy Robert - Our Water Quantity Plan
- Elisa Brussolo - Integrated Urban Water Cycle in a Changing Climate: water crisis management
- Event Report
