Topic outline

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    Reducing Water Loss

    Water efficiency, and particularly drinking water loss, is a widespread issue which has significant financial and environmental repercussions. However, awareness regarding the scope of the problem and available solutions is lacking. UNW-DPC actively participates in the efforts to increase the understanding of this crucial issue. In the following sections supporting material is provided to foster the learning process on reducing water loss.

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    Regional Workshop on “Capacity Development, Water Operators’ Partnerships and Financing for Non-revenue Water Management”

    7-9 July 2014, Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan

    Co-organized by: Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA)/UN-Habitat, the UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC), and the Ministry of Energy and Water of the Republic of Tajikistan.

    Countries: Armenia, Georgia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan.

    Participating Organizations: European Bank For Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Oxfam, The World Bank, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),  and WaterLinks.

    The workshop aims at sharing knowledge and experiences on Non-revenue water (NRW) management and water loss reduction in water supply operations in the region. The workshop will also allow to discuss implementation capacity needs for NRW management programs in participating countries, and assess the opportunity for Water Operators Partnerships to support such programs. In this regard, the workshop aims at shaping a regional response to address these challenges, mobilizing the resources of interested countries and relevant international and regional actors.

    Click here to download the summary report

    Workshop Agenda Pre-proceedings of the
    Regional Workshop
     

    Country Report

    Armenia Report Presentation
    Georgia Report Presentation
    Islamic Republic of Iran Report Presentation
    Kyrgyzstan Report
    Pakistan Report Presentation
    Tajikistan Report Presentation






    Sessions

    Introduction to Non-Revenue Water

    Introduction to Non-revenue Water concepts and definitions

    (Jose Luis Martin Bordes, GWOPA/UN-Habitat)

    Financing NRW an Water Efficiency projects

    Financing Experiences in Non Revenue Water Management

    (Pier Francesco Mantovani,The World Bank)


    Financing the water supply sector focusing on water efficiency/NRW investments and capacities

    Water Supply and Sanitation: Regional challenges and financing opportunities

    (Pier Francesco Mantovani,The World Bank)


    Presentation by Tajikistan utilitiy on NRW experiences

    Presentation of Dushanbe Vodokanal (DVK) activities in the scope of DWSP2 Project

    (Isupov, Director of DVK)


    Water Operators’ Partnerships (WOPs)

    WaterLinks Partnerships for Improved Urban Water and Sanitation Services in Asia and the Pacific

    (Mai Flor, Waterlink)

    GWOPA’s activities in Asia and the Pacific

    (Taeko Yokota, GWOPA/UN-Habitat)

    WOP opportunities and WOP platform in Central Asia

    Presentation of Dushanbe Vodokanal (DVK) activities in the scope of DWSP2 Project

    (Jose Luis Martin Bordes, GWOPA/UN-Habitat)



    Photo Gallery


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    Capacity Development for Improving Water Efficiency

    As a follow-up of the recommendations of the International Workshop on “Drinking Water Loss Reduction: Developing Capacity for Applying Solutions”, held on 3-5 September 2008 in Bonn, Germany,and in order to address the issue of water loss reduction at the regional level, UNW-DPC is organizing in cooperation with UN-HABITAT a series of regionalworkshops on Capacity Development for Improving Water Efficiency: “Water Loss Reduction in Water & Sanitation Utilities”.



    1st Regional Workshop on Water Loss Reduction in Water & Sanitation Utilities

    The first regional workshop for Latin American Coun tries was co-organized by UNW-DPC and UN-HABITAT on 2-4 November 2009 on the occasion of the XXIII Annual Convention of ANEAS in Leon, Mexico, in collaboration with ANEAS and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

    Summary



    2nd Regional Workshop on Water Loss Reduction in Water & Sanitation Utilities

    The second regional workshop on this topic for South East European Countries was co-organized by UNW-DPC, UN-HABITAT and the Bulgarian Water Association (BWA), in collaboration with the European Water Association ( EWA) and the German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste (DWA). The workshop was held in Sofia, Bulgaria, from 16 to 18 November 2009.

    Summary



    3rd Regional Workshop on Water Loss Reduction in Water & Sanitation Utilities

    The third regional activity on this topic for Arab Countries was co-organized by UNW-DPC, UN-HABITAT, the Arab Countries Water Utilities Association (ACWUA) and ONEP- International Institute for Water and Sanitation (ONEP-IEA) as the Third ACWUA Best Practice Conference on Non-Revenue Water: Solutionsfor Drinking Water Loss Reduction. The conference was held in Rabat, Morocco, from 20 to 21 January 2010.

    Summary





    Videos

    In the following video, water experts from around the world discuss the challenges of water loss faced every day and suitable solutions to increase efficiency in urban water supply systems and apply suitable approaches to develop capacities. UNW-DPC produced this video on reducing water loss in cities together with the UNU Media Studios during a series of UNW-DPC training events in Latin America, South East Europe and Arab Countries.

    Video in English

    Video in Spanish

    Video in French

    Source: UNUChannel


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    World Water Day 2011

    Cape Town

    The international World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day.This year, UN-Water chose the theme Water and Urbanization under the slogan Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challange. The objective of WWD 2011 is to focus international attention on the impact of rapid urban population growth, industrialization and uncertainties caused by climate change, conflicts and natural disasters on urban water systems.

     

                    
    Click here to download the
    Summary




    Photo Gallery

    UNW-DPC attended a World Water Day Conference in Cape Town, South Africa on the topic: Water and Urbanization under the slogan Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge. The world water day is held annually on 22nd March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.


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    5th World Urban Forum in Rio

    On the occasion of the 5 World Urban Forum, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 22 to 26 March 2010, attended by more than 20,000 participants from all over the world, UNW-DPC and UN-HABITAT co-organized a Training Event on “How to Improve Water Efficiency in Water Utilities” on 24 March. This training course that was attended by 60 participants provided technical knowledge and practical experiences so as to enable water utilities to improve their water efficiency, which means improving service delivery, enhancing coverage and maximizing access of piped water supply, leakage control and reducing losses of non-revenue and unaccounted for water and strengthening cost recovery.

    Click here to download the Summary

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    UN-Water’s Perspective on Water Supply and Sanitation and Needs for Capacity Development in Africa

    March 15th, 2010. Kampala, Uganda

    On the occasion of the 15th African Water Association Congress, held from 15 to 18 March 2010 in Kampala, Uganda, attended by more than 1,000 participants, nine UN-Water Members and Programmes jointly convened a Seminar to present and discuss a “UN-Water’s Perspective on Water Supply and Sanitation and Needs for Capacity Development in Africa”. The seminar took place on Monday 15 March and gathered more than 100 participants,mainly water experts and water managers from African countries, but also from the international water community.

    Click here to download the Summary

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    International Workshop on Drinking Water Loss Reduction

    September 3rd-5th 2008. Bonn, Germany

    UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC) and United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) organizedfrom 3 to 5 September 2008 the International Workshop on “Drinking Water Loss Reduction: Developing Capacity for Applying Solutions”, held at the UN Campus in Bonn, Germany. More than 60 participants, including water managers and water decision-makers from various cities around the world confronted with the problem of drinking water losses, met in Bonn to share their experiences regarding technical, political and administrative solutions.

    Click here to download the Summary 

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