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Discussion 2 Timeline
DISCUSSION TIMELINE
4 comments10comments3 comments2 comments7 comments
Mar 18-23rd
The growing concentration of people in cities influences water consumption, quality and availability. A substantial part of urban populations lives in areas without proper infrastructure and water services. Coping with this reality requires strong capacities and good governance structures and mechanisms, as well as the ability to share experiences, practices and knowledge. Any action should consider long-term sustainability.
The 8th World Water Forum will host focused discussions on these cross-cutting subjects – capacity, governance, sharing and sustainability – in order to identify the main hindrances and actions required to overcome difficulties that are common to the 6 core themes (climate, people, development, urban, ecosystems and financing).
Past Subjects
- How can education and capacity building be enhanced to ensure an adequate quantity and quality of water in cities?
- In relation to water in cities, what opportunities do new technologies offer for the improvement of water monitoring? What about for information communication technology (ICT) and decision/policy making?
- How do international cooperation initiatives enhance water capacity development for better management of water in cities?
- How do you, or could you, contribute to designing and implementing integrated water resources management (IWRM) policies or projects for issues of water in cities?
- How do you foster transboundary co-operation for better management of water in cities?
- How do you ensure multi-level governance, engage stakeholders and assess the results of policies for urban water?
- How to better share solutions and good practices for the implementation of urban water related SDGs Who must be involved?
- How to involve all in water management and governance related to water in cities: public, private, civil society - women and men - young and old - in bottom up and top down approaches?
- How to ensure respect for cultural diversity, justice and equity in the water sector, while sharing science and traditional knowledge, from the water in cities perspective?
- How can Water in Cities help mainstream sustainability issues related to water to the center of decision-making and strategy definition by governments and business?
- How can Water in Cities help improving society resilience to water issues, giving that water availability is reducing in most countries and the consumption is increasing?
- Water issues are regional, hard to be solved individually by local governments or companies. How can Water in Cities stimulate collaborative actions that will lead to a sustainable use of water resources?
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Mohammad Faiz Alam said:
Hey Everyone,
Thanks for the comments and participation in this latest round of discussion. To summarise:
1) Need for integration among different sectors to using water and integration in managing different sphere of urban water use is emphasised
2) Importance of includinng groundwater in urban water palnning is outlined
3) Importance of awareness and infomation disseminaton to achieve sustainability goals is mentioned.
Thanks & regards
Faiz
Mohammad Faiz Alam said:
Hey Everyone,
Thanks for the comments and participation in this latest round of discussion. To summarise:
1) Need for integration among different sectors to using water and integration in managing different sphere of urban water use is emphasised
2) Importance of includinng groundwater in urban water palnning is outlined
3) Importance of awareness and infomation disseminaton to achieve sustainability goals is mentioned.
Thanks & regards
Faiz
Mauricio Santia... said:
Somos detentores de tecnologia inovadora, Aquedutos, e estamos precisando de apoio para inserção da mesma ao Mercado, Uma vez que em atitudes de entropia reagem, não dando a devida importância que merece, estamos participando e gostriamos de nos inscrever para parfticipar no processo de seleção das 05 possibilidades .. Seguem alguns links de nossa tecnologia para análise.. e possivel seleção desta técnica para apresentação .....Read more
Sonia Gupta said:
Dear Ian, Love the comment - Frequently ‘one group’s solution tends to become another group’s problem’ -because it is so true! And that definitely leads to the 'need for groundwater considerations to be integrated when making decisions on infrastructure planning and investment'. However like so many urban issues across the world, one size does not fit all. Just as the top down integrated approach is vital, I feel that good practices, great potential for celebrating water exists in the by-lanes of every community in my city....Read more
Ian Davey IAH said:
Groundwater is a major source of urban supply worldwide. However, urbanisation modifies the ‘groundwater cycle’ and can lead to declining aquifer pressures (which can cause land subsidence with building and infrastructure damage) or a rising water-table (which can lead to groundwater flooding with public health hazards and infrastructure damage). Groundwater needs to be used efficiently and sustainably for urban water-supply, and an ‘adaptive management strategy’ should be applied. Integrated approaches to urban water-supply, mains sewerage and sanitation, stormwater drainage, and urban land-use will reduce the cost and improve the resilience of the urban water infrastructure....Read more
Masroor Ahmad said:
Dear All
...Read moreJORGE ANTONIO B... said:
É necessário uma maior divulgação e comunicação, sobre o reúso de água!! O aproveitamento de efluentes sanitários domésticos é fundamental em curto prazo para equilíbrio da crise hídrica, equilíbrio entre consumo e disponibilidade de recursos hídricos, para uso potável.
paulo said:
Prezados, o simples pode parecer arrogante diante da complexidade da questão. Mas, acredito que a água do mar pode ser usada como um justo contra ponto à escassez de água doce. Por exemplo, porque não usar água do mar para cozinhar, para beber numa proporção de 10% (1:10), para dar descarga em sanitários, e para tomar banho no ato de ensaboar e enxaguar e apenas usar água doce para retirar o excesso de sal? Quanta água doce economizaríamos nas áreas urbanas litorâneas? Tecnologia? Creio que há conhecimento suficiente para iniciar um piloto em cidades litorâneas... Mas ainda haverá a inércia do preconceito ao não usual, acredito.
Mohammad Faiz Alam replied:
Dear Paulo,
What you say is right but we also need to consider some issues like cost of purification, access etc. We have some examples like Israel where desalination is quite advanced but there lack of rainfall makes it a necessity. I think we should consider it an option but if we have enough renewable fresh water resources, we should try to manage them first. What do you think ?
Regards
Faiz
Thiago Piazzett... said:
Prezados, bom dia! A Fundação Grupo Boticário agradece a oportunidade de contribuir com a agenda do 8º Fórum Mundial da Água e parabeniza pela iniciativa "your voice". Abaixo, seguem nossa contribuições com base nas perguntas norteadoras.
...Read moreMohammad Faiz Alam replied:
Hey Thiago,
You are right that we have ample evidence to promote nature based solution, respect urban-rural boundaries and innovate within cities.But we still are not doing much regarding this. What do you think are the constraints and where innovation in governance can play a part ?
Thanks
Mohammad Faiz Alam said:
Dear All
...Read moreLaura Lima Guai... replied:
Hey Mohhamad,
In Brazil we the management unit in water resources is the water basin, which respects natural(phisycal) limits and not political ones.
The reference organization at this level is the Basin Comitee, as defined in the LEI 9433/97 - Comitê de Bacia Hidrográfica - where society participates in planning and implementation of policies.
On the other hand we have urban planning instruments, such as the Urban Masterplan - Plano Diretor Urbano.
Usually there is no integrated management at the city level.
I would like to know more about experiences in other countries.
Masroor Ahmad replied:
Dear Laura
I surely agree with your sugesstion of Urban Masterplan for water having an integrated approcah with other competing sectors.
My detailed sugesstion on this approcah is bove
Masroor Ahmad
Mohammad Faiz Alam replied:
Hey Laura,
...Read moreThamsanqa Rober... said:
More than half the world already lives in urban arears and by 2050, it is expected that more than two - thirds of the global population of a billion will be living in cities. Furthermore, most of this growth will also lead to increase in the number of people living in slums, which often have very poor, living conditions, including inadequate water and sanitation facilities. Therefore, the development of water resources for economic growth, social equity and environmental sustainability will be closely linked with sustainable development of cities.
Laura Lima Guai... replied:
Thamsanqa,
...Read moretaciana said:
A experiência de monitoramento participativo de Rios feito pela SOS Mata Atlântica é uma experiência interessante de ser compartilhada nesse tema.
Mohammad Faiz Alam replied:
Hi Taciana,
Thanks for the comment. Could you some more information or a document regarding SOS Atlantic Forest participatory monitoring you mentioned for everyone to get an idea.
Thanks
Faiz
taciana replied:
https://www.sosma.org.br/projeto/observando-os-rios/
Laura Lima Guai... replied:
English
Taciana,
TThis initiative of participative monitoring is very interesting!
It is similar to other initiative in Brazil, the observers's network of the National Water Agency
But how could we replicate this experience to other cities?
An how can we use tecnology to improve this experience?
Link for the documentary on the National Hidrometeorological Network
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr10iz04rFw
Laura Lima Guai... replied:
Taciana,
Essa iniciativa de monitoramento participativo realmente é muito interessante.
É de alguma maneira semelhante à rede de observadores da ANA.
Penso em dois pontos: Como podemos replicar essas experiências para outras cidades?
Como podemos usar tecnologia para facilitar a experiência do monitormento?
Davi Silva Fagundes said:
Prezados Moderadores e participantes do Fórum Mundial virtual, Bom Dia!
...Read moreLaura Lima Guai... replied:
Olá Davi!
...Read moreAngelo Lima said:
Sobre capacitação e educação, creio que uma experiência que vale ser visitada é da Articulação do Semiárido Brasileiro (ASA).
...Read moreLaura Lima Guai... replied:
Angelo,
Obrigada por compartilhar esse modelo, eu desconhecia!
como a ASA consegue atuar por meio de políticas públicas?
Você acredita que esse modelo funcionaria para outras regiões?
Mohammad Faiz Alam said:
Dear All,
We had insightful and fruitful discussions during last session regarding urban water issues that you would like to be discussed in World Water Forum, 2018.
I welcome you all to this new session of discussion where we would be discussing cross-cutting subjects of capacity, governance, sharing and sustainability in urban water starting with capacity for first 2 weeks. Please, provide your valuable suggestions and views and encourage your colleagues to participate.
Thanks
Faiz