Welcome to the December 2007 edition of the IWC eBulletin.

In this Issue

1. Message from the CEO
2. Looking towards 2008: the International Year of Sanitation
3. IWC prepares for the Year of Sanitation
4. IWC joins NARBO
5. Supporting Young Professionals at ASPIRE
6. Australia hosts the Global Development Network Conference in early 2008
7. IWC presence at the International Yellow River Forum
8. South Africa node activities grow
9. New staff: Welcoming Dr Peter Oliver as IWC Senior Lecturer
10. Partner news: Griffith University receives climate change funding
11. Partner news: Industry funds for professor of water recycling at UQ

Welcome to International WaterCentre’s quarterly newsletter. We are coming to the close of a significant and busy year for the Centre. 

We finish 2007 with enrolments coming in from around the world in our new Masters Program which starts in 2008. 

The Program is clearly hitting a nerve with the combination of academic and practical learning, and with enrolments open until the start of the academic year, I encourage you to read more about the course at www.watercentre.org/education/masters. 

In tackling the challenge of supplying water in the face of ongoing drought and climate change, the Australian water sector is undergoing rapid change and growth. Envisaging a water sensitive future through this is a stimulating challenge for IWC and partners. We continue to learn from and share experiences with our network of global partners, some of which you will read about in this edition. 

I would like to thank members of the IWC Board and Executive and the staff of the Centre who have worked hard in 2007 during this period of growth. 

And I wish all of our friends and colleagues a Happy Christmas time and we look forward to staying in contact in 2008.

Mark Pascoe CEO International WaterCentre

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The United Nations has declared 2008 the International Year of Sanitation in recognition of the urgent need to address the challenge of sanitation facilities to the 2.6 billion people globally who do not currently have access to basic latrines. The human cost of this crisis is enormous, with 1.8 million children dying each year before their fifth birthday from diarrhoea. 

The outcomes of the East Asia Ministerial Conference on Sanitation and Hygiene 2007 (EASAN 2007, 30 November – 1 December) will help in defining a plan for action, increasing investments and establishing a regional process in the East Asian region. High level Ministerial engagement in both EASAN and the Asia-Pacific Water Conference (3-4 December) in Japan indicate the increasing importance and profile of water, sanitation and hygiene issues in our Asia-Pacific region.

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At IWC, Danielle Pedi has been working with WaterAid Australia to produce a book of sanitation case studies from the Asia-Pacific. Due to be published in early 2008, Sharing Experiences: Sustainable Sanitation in Southeast Asia and the Pacific is drawing contributions from practitioners in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Fiji, Timor Leste and Vanuatu. The goal of the publication is to promote the uptake of sustainable sanitation and hygiene approaches by facilitating knowledge exchange on practical application of low-cost sustainable sanitation in Southeast Asia-Pacific.

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Wouter T. Lincklaen Arriens of ADB (right), visiting Mark Pascoe and Bronwyn Powell (IWC) during the 2007 International Riversymposium.

International WaterCentre has recently been accepted as a Knowledge Partner of the Network of Asian River Basin Organsiations (NARBO). IWC is the second Australian knowledge partner to join NARBO, and looks forward to strengthening its relationship with the sixteen river basin organisations (RBOs) that form the network, as well as the numerous government and knowledge partner members. 

The goal of NARBO is to help achieve Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in river basins throughout Asia. The objective of NARBO is to strengthen the capacity and effectiveness of RBOs in promoting IWRM and improving water governance, through training and exchange of information and experiences among RBOs and their associated water sector agencies and knowledge partner organisations. 

Mr Wouter Arriens, Asian Development Bank Lead Water Resources Specialist and Vice-Secretary General of the NARBO Secretariat, extended his congratulations to IWC. IWC gratefully acknowledges the support of the Philippines National Water Resources Board’s (NWRB) Executive Director, Mr Ramon Alikpala, in recommending IWC for NARBO membership. Sixteen staff of NWRB attended IWC Integrated Water Resources Management training in Brisbane in 2006.

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Adrian Puigarnau (centre) with participants.

The International WaterCentre sponsored  Young Water Professionals Workshop at the International Water Association’s ASPIRE Asia Pacific Regional Conference in Perth on 28 October 2007. It was well attended with more than 30 young professionals from Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, China and elsewhere gathered for a day of interesting presentations and discussion on the future challenges to water management and careers in the water industry. Participants will be able to stay in touch through the IWA young professionals network.  

IWC extends thanks to those who presented on the day: Peter Donlon, Water Services Association of Australia (Australia); Chiow Giap Lim, PUB (Singapore); Geoff Syme, CSIRO (Australia); Norihito Tambo, Hokkado University (Japan); Andrew Shawn, Black & Veatch (Australia); Jerome Bowen, Engineers Without Borders Australia (Australia); Marcus Oates, Siemens (Australia); Koh Xiao Chi, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources/PUB (Singapore); Prof. Zhang, Tsinghua University (China); Dawie de Vaal, Watercare Services Limited (New Zealand); Ng How Yong, (Singapore); Rachel Miller, AWA (Australia).

A special thanks to Adrian Puigarnau, IWA Programmes Officer (UK) and Darryl Day, Power Water (Australia) for their hard work in preparing for and facilitating the day.

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From 16-19 October 2007, IWC participated in the 3rd International Yellow River Forum in Dongying, China. The Forum is coordinated by the Yellow River Conservancy Commission and brings together leading basin managers, scientists, academics, government agencies and non-governmental groups from over 60 countries to discuss the pressing issues facing sustainable water management in China and internationally. This year’s theme was ‘Sustainable Water Resources Management and Delta Ecosystem Maintenance’. The event culminated in the release of the Yellow River Initiative, which declares the support of all delegates to the central aim of ‘Keeping the Healthy Life of Rivers’ and presents an action plan for achieving this goal. 

In partnership with the Adelaide-based International Centre of Excellence for Water Resources Management (ICE WaRM), IWC held a half-day workshop at the Forum on ‘Maximising the Benefits of Professional Development Activities’. This interactive workshop allowed participants from six Chinese basin agencies to discuss ways in which training activities could further strengthen the organisational capacity of basin agencies. 

IWC also formalised its growing relationship with the Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC) through the signing of an Agreement on joint capacity building activities. In 2008, 10 professionals from the YRCC will participate in a seven month training program with support from the AusAID Australian Leadership Awards Fellowship Program.

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During the last month IWC has been visited by the Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor, Dr Dina Burger, and Professor Hamanth Kasan of Monash South Africa. IWC is investing in the development of a “water node” at the Johannesburg campus of Monash University. 

Dr Burger, Professor Kasan, IWC Australia staff and partners are enthusiastic about the development of a water focus at Monash South Africa campus, and the possibilities it holds for pursuing water education, training and research opportunities on the African continent. 

During their one week visit to Australia in November, Dina and Hamanth met with a number of colleagues from within the partners of IWC at Griffith University, The University of Queensland, Healthy Waterways Partnership, International Riverfoundation and Monash University (Clayton). A Draft Strategic Plan for the “water node” was presented to some of the IWC Board members, with the view to the Plan being approved in the coming months for a busy year of activity in 2008. One of the first activities for the IWC Africa node will be development of the Masters in Integrated Water Management to be offered at the Monash South Africa campus.

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Dr Oliver is also Adjunct Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Governance and Public Policy, Department of Politics and Public Policy, Griffith University, and is currently Deputy Program Leader for Education and Training with the eWater Cooperative Research Centre. He has over 20 years experience in citizen participation and natural resource management education and extension, particularly in the areas of water and catchment management. 

“The IWC Master of Integrated Water Management Program provides a unique opportunity for students to use real-world case studies and student-initiated projects to integrate the disciplinary knowledge and skills provided by leading educators and researchers from the partner universities,” commented Peter. “The Program allows students to mould their learning to their own professional situation and career. I’m really very keen to take up this new role with the IWC.”

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Griffith University will host and lead a group of eight universities in the $50 million National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility. The outgoing Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, the Honourable Malcolm Turnbull, announced the Facility on 13 November 2007. 

Griffith University and the Queensland Government, through its Queensland Climate Change Centre of Excellence and Department of Emergency Services, won the Australian Greenhouse Office’s competitive bid through establishing a consortium with Macquarie University, Murdoch University, Queensland University of Technology, the University of Newcastle, the University of Southern Queensland, James Cook University and the University of the Sunshine Coast. 

The collective expertise of these institutions spans the full range of disciplines driving the national adaptation agenda, including climatology, hydrology, ecology and conservation biology, statistics, engineering, psychology, urban planning, architecture, law and policy, community development and social research.

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Chief Executive Officer of Veolia Water Australia Mr Peter McVean (left) and Professor Siddle

The new professor, based at UQ's Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC), will be joined by a team of up to seven researchers by early next year. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor David Siddle, signed an agreement establishing the Chair with Western Corridor Recycled Water Pty Ltd Scheme Operator Project Director, Jean-Michel Seillier on 2 November. 

Professor Siddle said the professorship, initially funded for five years, was believed to be the first of its kind in Australia and indicated the importance placed on research finding solutions to the continent's dwindling water supplies. 

IWC CEO and Western Corridor Recycled Water Director, Mark Pascoe, commended the AWMC for its solid reputation worldwide and said he believed the new Chair would drive not only research but also outcomes and improved understanding of the benefits of purified recycled water. 

“Water is essential to living and an adequate supply of clean potable water is vital,” Mr Pascoe said. “As demand increases and supplies from traditional sources fall, consideration has to be given to alternative practices that are safe, palatable and sustainable. 

“The program will also play a role in developing a wider network of expertise in water recycling and could well be the vehicle for raising Brisbane's profile as a world centre for excellence,” he said.

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