NEW YORK – This week, New York hosts the first UN Summit on Water in almost five decades. The abundance or lack of water effects our planet and thus life itself. It impacts all Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 6, clean water and sanitation for everyone. To tackle the global water crisis and to make SDG 6 a reality, the Circular Water Expert Group of Dutch non-profit Water Alliance launched a publication with global impact: ‘Blueprint for circular water smart society’ during New York Water Week.
Yesterday on World Water Day, Hein Molenkamp, managing director of Water Alliance and Arthur Valkieser, by virtue of his chairmanship at the Water Alliance Circular Water Expert Group handed over the first copy of this blueprint to his Majesty King Willem-Alexander, King of the Netherlands and Mark Harbers, minister of Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands. The Blueprint provides tangible solutions and applications for the practical application of circular water and a vision for water use in the built environment. The presentation of this document also signifies the launch of the Global Expert Group on Circular Water.
Robust water supply
As an example to the world, the Blueprint cites the governments of Flanders (Belgium) and the Netherlands, where political will and good governance, as well as cooperation with all stakeholders, enabled to swiftly implement adequate measures to make societies more resilient and less dependent on changing weather patterns.
These initiatives were inspired by the Circular Water Expert Group; one of the Water Alliance’s expert groups in the Netherlands, which Arthur Valkieser – CEO/CTO and Co-founder Hydraloop International – chairs. Valkieser is also a Board Member of Water Europe in Brussels, where ‘circular water’ is one of the 5 pillars of their Water Smart Society concept.
Arthur Valkieser: “The broad exchange of experiences and insights on the practical implementation of circular water technology is crucial. The Global Expert Group Circular Water will share the combined knowledge of circular water organizations from all over the world. Together we can make impact that matters and forever change the way we use, manage and allocate the water on this planet.”
Hein Molenkamp: “Water Alliance is proud to be one of the initiating organizations taking real ‘water action’ during this UN Water Conference – by means of introducing this Blueprint for a Circular Water Smart Society. A smarter use of freshwater in our societies is crucial in order to keep this planet healthy and liveable and to fight the consequences of climate change. Many technologies to use water in a more circular way are available and can be implemented today. Other innovations will be accelerated if governments start promoting water reuse on a global scale.”
Circular water
The use of circular water for non-high-value applications is widely percieved as an excellent way to curb tap water consumption without compromise on hygiene and living comfort. The Blueprint was created to inform governments and organizations on a global scale what types of circular water can be safely applied. The Blueprint also informs on existing obstacles in specific countries and on ways to overcome them, in order to accelerate the application of circular water worldwide and thus provide an important solution to the increasing water scarcity.
The Blueprint is offered by an international collaboration of partners besides Water Alliance including:
- Circular Australia (Australia)
- The Water Council (US)
- Water Europe (Belgium)
- World Alliance for Efficient Solutions – by Solar Impulse Foundation (CH)
- NAWI – National Association of Water Innovation (US)
- NWP Netherlands Water Partnership (Netherlands)
- Water Foundry (US)
International ambitions
The Global Expert Group Circular Water aims to become an international hub of public-private collaboration among water sector stakeholders, enabling them to take the lead in the swift global transformation into Circular Water-Smart Societies.
Water House Session
On Friday 24th March, Hydraloop International, in cooperation with NWP and the Dutch Consulate in New York of the Kingdom of the Netherlands will host an informative and moderated event with visions from leading global expert keynote speakers on various water reuse topics, like safety standards and property development. Offering lessons learned and tangible solutions for practical implementation of circular water solutions.
The Blueprint is available for viewing at globalcircularwater.org
