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Caribbean Water and Sewage Association Inc.

January 2017

CAWASA starts 2017 on a high note!


The Caribbean Water and Sewage
Association (CAWASA) has started
2017 on a good footing after closing
2016 on a high note.
This year started with CAWASA
attending the 30th annual confer-
ence of the Association of Boards of
Certification (ABC) in Fort Lauder-
dale, Florida (story on Page 3) and
CAWASA preparing for the 5th Ca-
ribbean Water Operators Confer-
ence in Dominica in June 2017.
CAWASA President Christopher
Husbands closed 2016 with an ad-
dress to the Caribbean Infrastruc-
ture Finance Forum in The Baha-
mas, which took place on the 6 and
7 of December (story on Page 6).
Also late last year, the CAWASA
President and the Executive Direc-
tor, Mr Ignatius Jean, both attended
the 2016 annual conference of the Caribbean Water and Waste- operators at all levels across the Caribbean.
water Association (CWWA), which took place in Trinidad & Thanks also go to the many affiliated and cooperating agen-
Tobago, on October 23 (See Pages 7 and 8). cies within the region and beyond that cooperated with CA-
At that conference, they also participated in the High Level WASA during 2016 and looks forward to continuing coopera-
Forum (HLF) that discussed the plastic challenges to bottled tion for the rest of 2017 and beyond.
water (Related articles on Pages 2, 12 and 17).
Another major CAWASA event in 2016 was a workshop held
on September 19 and 20 on the island of Barbuda on Managing
Non-Revenue Water that was well attended by delegates from
SAVE THE DATE
around the Caribbean (Coverage in full on Pages 10 and 11). CAWASA 5th Caribbean Water
This first issue of e-Source for 2017 also contains several other
reports from CAWASA members across the Caribbean (see Operators Conference
Secretariat News on Pages 3, 4, 5 and 6) June 29-30, 2017 Roseau,
Meanwhile, the CAWASA Secretariat wishes a Happy New
Year to all member associations and utilities and to all water Commonwealth of Dominica

In this Issue
Editorial Page 2 Trough Damage Repaired in SVG! - Page 9
CAWASA Secretariat News - Pages 3 - 6 Not Just Another Day at Work - Pages 13 -16
CWWA Conference T&T 2016 - Pages 7 - 8 The Great Bottled Water Debate - Pages 2, 12 and 17
Managing Non-Revenue Water - Pages 10 - 11 Asias fight over fresh water! - Page 17



Page 2 e-Source January 2017

Editorial
World Without Water?
Time and time again, the world offers events and situations that draw ter availability has declined in the northern Caribbean to as much as
our attention to how important water is and why it should not be wast- 50% in some countries.
ed. Fortunately, there are still options in some islands for abstraction of
Several situations in the news in 2016 and already in 2017 --have groundwater, desalination and rainwater harvesting.
highlighted the importance of water and why increasingly people are The main sources of water in the Region are: Groundwater (52.5%),
willing to not just stand up for it, but also to kill and die for it. Surface water (35.8%), Rainwater harvesting (0.1%) and Desalination
For the Caribbean, the Flint and North Dakota crises in the USA are (11.6%).
close enough examples. We still have water problems: Quality, storage, distribution, conser-
In Flint, people were drinking life-threatening water as a result of a vation, waste, etc.
commercial decision and they are still fighting for justice. We have just ended yet another year during which we got all the
In North Dakota, the biggest gathering of native Indian tribes gath- usual warning signs that we still continue to ignore.
ered in solidarity with the Standing Rock tribe to prevent a pipeline be- Climate Change and Acts of Man have had combined effect on our
ing driven through their clean water source and sacred burial ground. weather and how it affects us.
Further afield, and with as much importance, is the situation in Af- More bad weather results in more damage to our water systems.
rican, Asian and Arab countries where nations fight water wars and More sustained drought parches land and ruins agriculture.
those that can afford even build their own rivers. Yet we continue to have mass-crowd entertainment events that fea-
In Africa, the River Nile runs through several nations that share con- ture waste of water, just for fun.
tinuous running disputes over it, with lower-tributary nations accusing We complain about erosion around our homes but dont use gutter-
those up-river of engaging in practices that negatively impact nations ing. We complain about water bills, but still leave the tap on all the time
downstream. That is only one of several cases. while washing or bathing. We complain about water rates, but comfort-
China is taking strong steps to ensure its capital Beijing gets more ably buy bottled water costing several times more.
water, while other steps to ensure its water future have led neighbors to Just as 2016 was about to close, another clear warning signal was sent
complain can reduce their own future water possibilities (See article on to the world about the future of this precious commodity: A new study
Asias Fight Over Fresh Water! in this issue). revealed that global groundwater levels could be depleted by 2050.
Similar trans-border disputes between India and Pakistan also often This latest doomsday prediction for water is only 33 years away and
trigger tension between the neighboring nations. within the lifetime of most Caribbean citizens.
Most recently, the United Nations had to intervene in trying to get From the very first day of 2017, it was and still is -- important for citi-
Syrian rebels and government forces to stop fighting that damaged the zens of the Caribbean and the world to take one step back and ponder
main source of water for the capital Damascus, leaving millions of resi- the possibilities of a world without water.
dents thirsty as victims of armed conflict and water blackmail. As noted by CAWASA President Christopher Husbands during the
When put against all the statistics put out annually by UN Water CWWA Conference on Building Resilient Waters Systems for the 21st
about the state of the worlds water, it is clear that water continues to be Century (See address and report also in this issue), we have to each
increasingly important to more people and countries worldwide. year learn from the lessons of the last and allow our actions for the fu-
While the Caribbean may not yet be at the crisis stage of people dying ture to be guided by lessons learned -- and 2017 is no different.
of thirst, the impacts of weather variation and Climate Change have Only after we have done so can we take two steps forward with the
become more evident. realization that if we dont act now, we could one day, in our lifetime,
A study on the water sector conducted by the Caribbean Develop- be walking around with empty plastic bottles and buckets, asking:
ment Bank (CDB) in 2013 reported that over the last 40 years, fresh wa- Where to get water?

Can bottled water ads help find missing children?


Should businesses be encouraged to get involved in such efforts and should the
public tolerate their intention to profit and improve their reputation along the way?
The issue of bottled water comes up everywhere water is produced and different aspects: Whether bottled water can help find missing children
sold. Most times it is a discussion or debate about the comparative costs and where ethics apply between business and charity.
versus the comparative disadvantages of water produced by water utilities A water company in Qingdao (in east China's Shandong Province) is
and that sold by private companies not in the business of water production. marketing bottled water in packaging displaying the photos and personal
In the Caribbean, the discussion extends beyond costs to include the information of missing children.
environmental impact of plastic bottles. The company launched the campaign together with Baobeihuijia.com,
Indiscriminate littering leads to blockage of drains and plastic also end- China's best-known online platform devoted to the search for missing kids.
up in the sea affecting fishes and generally causing negative environmen- The website has helped more than 1,700 children find their parents,
tal impacts in and to rivers and canals, as well as along and beyond the while over 31,000 families with missing children have registered on it.
island and mainland coastlines. The water company hopes that such advertising will raise public aware-
The recent 2016 Annual CWWA Conference in Trinidad & Tobago fea- ness about human trafficking and help missing children return home.
tured a High Level Forum (HLF) during which a debate was held on the The specially-packaged water has been on the market for several
plastic challenge to water. months. Besides Qingdao, the 500,000 bottles produced will also be avail-
That discussion featured several issues highlighted by the Water Minis- able in Beijing, Shanghai and elsewhere.
ters and the public and private officials and executives who participated. Some Chinese think the strategy could help the search for the missing
But bottled water is also being discussed as far away as in China, where children to some extent and therefore, the company should be praised for
the debate is not about environmental or health impacts, but on totally its charitable practice. Continued on Page 17
January 2017 e-Source Page 3

CAWASA Secretariat News


CAWASA attended ABCs 2017 AGM in Fort Lauderdale
CAWASAs Programme Officer Suzanne Joseph represented CA-
WASA at the 30th Annual Conference of the Association of Boards of
Certification (ABC), which was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Fort
Lauderdale, Florida, USA, from January 11 to 13, 2017.
Preceding the conference was a Trainers Workshop on Tuesday, Jan-
uary 10, 2017, which discussed several highlights.
Trainers Workshop
The ABC held a Trainers Workshop, which featured a round-table
discussion on trainers.
According to the CAWADA Progam Officer, the workshop took the
form of small groups assigned to discuss and report on topics related
to current issues and visioning, including: Operators must buy into the
importance of knowledge, Curriculum-based approach for developing
and delivering training to Small Systems, Preparing for Tomorrows
Employees Today, Resource Rapid Fire, On-Line Training Develop-
ment Dos and Donts, Top 10 Wants to Overcome Challenges when
CAWASAs Program Officer Suzanne Joseph (second from left) with
obtaining Credit Approvals for Online Operator Trainings, The Align-
Kentucky, Maryland and Ohio representatives at the ABC conference
ment of Certification, Functional and Hands-on-Training and Training
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA in January 2017.
Successes and Lessons Learned.
The CAWASA representative participated in and contributed to the
Issues discussed on Day 4 of the conference included Updates from
roundtable discussion on the various topics, as well as group presenta-
Washington, EPA Operator Certifications and Workforce Development
tions followed by open discussions in plenary on the subject matters.
Updates, Workforce Strategy in British Columbia, Canada Planning
The Conference as an industry for the Future, A New Groundwater and Wells Class for
The Program Officer says the conference introduction was delivered Non-Community Systems and Operator in Training Models.
by Paul Bishop, Executive Director of ABC and presentations during The CAWASA representative said the regional entity was able to
the day included: Legal Aspects of Certification, Credentialing Lessons come out of the ABC meeting with several notes made and tasks to
from The National Board for Respiratory Case, Whats New in Water be followed-up to ensure maximum benefits to all Caribbean delegates
Research and How it can Impact Operator Certification, The Arduous and institutions from the meetings and related activities.
Road of Broadening Your Certification Requirements and 2017 Stan-
dardized Exams.
Other sessions discussed topics that included: Looking Froward 2017:
The World Around Us, Looking Forward 2017: Our Path Forward, In-
CariWOP approved 2017 Water Operator
novations in Testing, Effectiveness at Online Training, Is it Time for a Partnerships at CWWA 2016 in T&T
New Facility Classification Model? And The Aliens AttackedAgain!
The ABC Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday, January 12. The fourth formal regional meeting of the Cari-WOP Steer-
Immediate Past-Chair of ABC, Mike Gosselin (Managing Director - ing Committee was held during the 25th Annual Conference
Wastewater Division for the City of Kelowna, British Columbia, Can- of the CWWA at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain, Trini-
ada), introduced the newly elected Chairman, Michael Bolt, (Eastern dad and Tobago on October 24, 2016.
Band of Cherokee Indians, NV). The Caribbean Water and Sewerage Association (CAWA-
The Summary of the Annual Report revealed that ABC is growing SA) and the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association
and certifying more people as years go by. (CWWA) are the joint secretariat for the Cari-WOP and the
In 2016 Certifications and Exams certificates went to 32,154, includ- meeting was chaired by Mr. Jason Johnson, President of the
ing Web-based 7,109, Computer-based 11,460 and Paper-based 13,585. CWWA.
ABC Membership now stands at 123 Members (Certification Program
The meeting approved a short-list of Water Operators Part-
Members 89, Associate Members 32 and Special Members.)
ABC Members by location now stand at: US States & Territories -102, nerships (WOPs) for 2017:
Canadian Provinces & Territories 6 and with Europe represented by First activities of multi-partner WOP with the DINEPA of
Albania, the Middle East represented by Jordan and the Caribbean rep- Haiti;
resented by St. Lucia and CAWASA Water Authority of the Cayman Islands and Antigua Public
Members also approved the ABC Annual Report for 2016. Utilities Authority (APUA) WOP on Laboratory standards;
Belize Water Services Limited (BWSL) & the Contra Costa
ABC Annual Awards Ceremony
Water Department (CCWD) with the APUA on Non-Reve-
During the Annual General Meeting, ABC held its Annual Awards Cer-
emony to recognize it Heroes through an event entitled Recognizing our
nue Water and Operations maintenance;
Heroes. This session was chaired by Past ABC Chairman, Mr Ray Alson. GWI (Guyana) and Suriname WOP on NRW;
ABC awards were presented to: Chuck Van Der Kolk Lifetime Trinidad and Suriname WOP on Water Resource Manage-
Achievement Award, Lonn Rassmussen and Paul Krauth Excellence ment Policy.
in Service, Martin Nutt Outstanding Certification Officer, LeAnn The Cari-WOP hopes to attract funding from regional donor
Risso Excellence in workshop Development and the Certification Pro- agencies for implementation of the shortlisted water opera-
gramme Award went to the Massachusetts Board of Certification of tors partnerships.
Operators of Drinking Water Supply Facilities
Page 4 e-Source January 2017

CAWASA Secretariat News


GWP-C Collaborates with the Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA) of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Building Climate Resilience into Sandy Bay Water Supply


velopment materials for regional dissemination. Apart from GWP-C and
CCCCC, CAWASA is also a partner in this initiative.
During the week of April 25th 29th, 2016, GWP-C staff, CDKN repre-
sentatives and project consultants, worked alongside CWSA staff to con-
duct site visits, preliminary stakeholder consultations and the first trench
of water and climate, and climate financing training under this project.
A one-day Climate Risk workshop was held during the week to examine
climate risks to the Sandy Bay system and possible adaptation measures.
Workshop participants included CWSA personnel and staff from various
government agencies. Representatives from GWP-Cs Partners, namely
the Forestry Division and the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Envi-
ronment were also in attendance.
CWSA Engineering Manager, Mr. CWSA Engineers Mr. Marco Au-
Brian Da Silva is seen here with dain and Mr. Danroy Ballentyne
GWP-C WACDEP Manager, Dr.
Natalie Boodram at the
(in blue CWSA polos) are seen
here in dicussions with project Cayman Islands Water Authority
Sandy Bay intake. consultants at the intake.
supports Autism Awareness

One of the standpipes in the Sandy Bay community. The Water Authority Caymans Board recently agreed to donate
CI$1,000.00 in support of the Lighthouse School's 4th Annual Walk
The Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) Water, Climate and for Autism Awareness. In Photo, Information and Records Manager,
Development Programme (WACDEP) is aimed at building climate resil- Wendy Whittaker, presents the cheque to Head Boy Julius Smith.
ience in the Caribbean water sector, as a key part of sustainable regional Principal Bryan, Deputy Head Boy Jaryed Myles and Deputy Head
and national development for economic growth and human security. Girl Tianna Hurlston were also in attendance to represent the school.
WACDEP emphasizes investment planning and financing for climate The 4th Annual Walk for Autism Awareness will occur on Saturday,
resilience. Thus during 2015- 2016, the programme focused on the devel- 1 April, 2017 at the North Sound Golf Course and all proceeds from
opment of the Caribbean Climate Resilience and Water Security Invest- the event will go towards the continuity of essential activities and pro-
ment Plan (CReWSIP), which provides a coordinated and programmatic grammes for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
approach to identifying, prioritising and sourcing finance for actions to
enhance the climate resilience of the Caribbean through improved water
resources management.
The CReWSIP framework, is currently being finalised and Phase 2 of Provo Water Shows Support for Diabetic
the initiative is already underway, namely the fast tracking of CReWSIP
projects for financing and demonstrating the benefits of climate proof-
Association of the Turks and Caicos Islands
ing. CReWSIP Phase 1 and 2 is funded by the Climate and Development
Knowledge Network (CDKN) and executed in partnership with the Ca-
ribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC).
The first project under Phase 2 is the Climate proofing the Sandy Bay wa-
ter services improvement project, St. Vincent. Sandy Bay Village is a Gari-
funa community of 2600 people in the NE part of St. Vincent. Challenges in
the management of this water supply include high turbidity due to heavy
rainfall events and damage to pipes during flood events. This CReWSIP
project assists the Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA) in deliv-
ering safe and sustainable water supply services to the community.
In particular, the project will deliver a Project Appraisal Document to
help CWSA access funding for the climate proofed water service improve- In another show of support for healthy causes by CAWASA asso-
ment project. The initiative will also provide technical assistance and ca- ciates, the Diabetic Association of the Turks and Caicos Islands and
pacity development for climate risk assessment and adaptation, as well as, the Management and Staff of Provo Water Company wore the official
economic appraisal approaches for climate resilience. Diabetic Association T-Shirts on November 14, 2016.
Lessons and outputs from the project will be translated into capacity de-
January 2017 e-Source Page 5

CAWASA Secretariat News


NAWASA hosted 2016 World
Water Day Art Competition
Grenadas national water company, NAWASA, hosted a very
successful and highly interesting art competition to mark World
Water Day 2016.
The competition invited members of the community to provide
created examples of how best they can promote the water mes-
sage to one and all.
Some very thoughtful images were created by the participants,
including means of collection and distribution of water, as well as
an emergency water worker on a motorcycle.
Also featured were clear messages towards the needs for chang-
es in attitudes to water, including My Community for Change Mobile Water Operator
and Water is Change!
The competition was judged by NAWASA and other water of-
ficials and prizes were delivered to the winners.
The photos on this page offer some glimpses of some of the
many interesting submissions by participants.

Message for Change! Water Harvesting

Fetching Water

The message is clear!

Carrying Water The judges didnt have it easy


Page 6 e-Source January 2017

CAWASA Secretariat News CaribDA Operator Training


CAWASA President "Reverse Osmosis/Membrane
addressed Caribbean Water Treatment" Workshop

Infrastructure 25th - 26th May 2017


Finance Forum
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Mr. Christopher
Husbands, Presi- CaribDA is pleased to announce the upcoming Workshop, "Reverse Osmosis/Membrane Water
dent of Caribbean Treatment" in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on 25 - 26 May 2017. The CaribDA Workshop will be
Water and Sewer- held at the Paradisus Punta Cana Resort.
age Association
Inc (CAWASA), Registration is now open! Register Now!
was a presenter
at the CARIF
Make your lodging arrangements directly with the Paradisus Punta Cana Resort by clicking the
2016 Caribbean
provided link or by phone at 1-809-221-1111. Refer to CaribDA for the discounted room rate
Infrastructure
negotiated for reservations made by 29 April 2017.
Finance Forum,
held in Nassau,
The Bahamas,
December, 6-7, 2016.
The presentation by the CAWASA President
Topics that will be covered:
was: Improving Water and Sewerage Sys-
Understand RO/Membrane System Theory & Application
tems: Critical Developments for Local Popu-
lations and to Expand Tourism Investment. Learn To Identify, Clean, & Control RO/Membrane System Scale & Fouling
The keynote address: Infrastructure De-
velopment for the Caribbean, was deliv- Review Important Factors & Information Required to Properly Specify, Design, or Upgrade
ered by the Honourable Philip E. Brave an RO/Membrane System
Davis, Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of
Works and Urban Development. Discover Tips & Technology to Improve RO/Membrane System Operations, Reuse Water,
The event gath- Save Energy, & Reduce Costs
ered over 100 stake-
holders drawn from For full details please see the workshop flyer.
key regional public
sector entities and
leading Caribbean
Exhibitor and Sponsorship Opportunities are still available:
and international Table Top Exhibit - $750 Major Sponsor - $1,500
providers of capital
including, CEOs/ (for CaribDA or IDA Members) One Complimentary Registration
CFOs of large re-
gional and interna- (For Membership: please contact CaribDA for Opportunity to provide brief comments
membership application or click here for CaribDA's
tional companies/ online Membership Application form.)
potential investors in Caribbean infrastruc- Lunch Sponsor - $750
EXHIBITS are allocated on a first come/first serve basis
ture projects; Senior representatives from onsite. Breakfast Sponsor - $500
Caribbean governments; Senior Caribbean
utility executives; Regional & international Break Sponsor - $350
commercial & investment banks; Regional &
international multilateral and bilateral devel-
All Table Top Exhibitors will receive:
opment banks; Leading consultancy and law
firms; Providers of infrastructure engineer- All sponsors will receive:
One 6' Table (Chairs are available upon request)
ing and technology capabilities; and Ratings
List of attendees sent via e-mail two weeks prior
agencies. One full attendee registration to the Workshop
The focus was on the specific infrastructure Acknowledgement in the attendee materials - 100
and energy needs of the region, as well as the List of attendees sent via e-mail prior to Workshop word company description e-mail:
structures and partnerships, and sources of custsrv@caribda.com
Opportunity to provide brief comments during the
financing available for these developments.
Workshop Logo or company name on PowerPoint Laptop
The Conference was organized by the
background (played during breaks)
CIBC-First Caribbean, the leading regional Acknowledgement in the attendee materials - 100
commercial bank, IJ Global PLC - the infra- word company description send e-mail: Company promotional item giveaway (Please submit
structure arm of Euromoney Institutional custsrv@caribda.com your giveaway item to be given to attendees during
Investor, and New Energy Events, the host sign-in)
Electricity is available from the Hotel for an additional
of the annual Caribbean Renewable Energy fee Sign recognition during the program
Forum (CREF).
January 2017 e-Source Page 7

CWWA Conference T&T 2016


Multi-partner Pre-conference Workshop held at 2016 CWWA Annual Conference in T&T
Building Resilient Water Systems for the 21st Century
The Third Preconference Workshop was held at Caribbean Water and 1. Priorities Identify three to five priority issues for Caribbean utilities
Wastewater Associations Annual (CWWA) Conference in Trinidad on to leverage existing collaboration modalities (i.e. CARICOM, CIMH,
October 23-24, 2016 under the theme Building Resilient Water Systems CWWA, CAWASA, UWI) and elevate the priority of water and im-
for the 21st Century. prove decision making for asset management, human resources, non-
There were 45 participants, including representatives of Caribbean and revenue water, data sharing and water demand management.
USA water utilities, NGOs, academia, multilateral financial institutions, 2. Practices Develop a Caribbean community of practice and informa-
regional and international organizations. tion sharing platform through H2infO to highlight Caribbean experi-
The collaborating partners that hosted the event were: CWWA, CAWA- ences, priorities and successes.
SA, GWOPA, US Water Partnerships and IDB Regional Policy Dialogue. 3. Partnerships Establish multi-utility water operator partnerships
The four major topics of the workshop were: Demand Management; across the region, and with the U.S. through the Cari-WOP platform,
Water Re-Use and Re-Charge; Innovative Finance for Resiliency; and In- along with a dedicated fund to ensure sustainable engagement
novative Data Management. among utilities.
This led to discussions on specific issues: (a) Non-Revenue Water 4. Working Committees Establish, through CAWASA, CWWA the-
big discussions on NRW that would lead to improved efficiency and as matic working committees to build consensus on collective action and
a source of revenue to fund maintenance of current services; (b) Asset improvements.
Management; (c) Human Resources; (d) Data Sharing collection, har- 5. Performance Coordinate a Caribbean study tour and/or reverse
monization, and sharing of data; (e) Implementation of Integrated Water trade mission of the U.S. through the U.S. Water Partnership with pos-
Resource Management (IWRM) policies; (f) Metering linked with data sible U.S. government engagement to support training opportunities
management technical issue as well as institutional. and performance improvement plans.
The U.S. Water Partnerships, one of the key partners, pledged that it Participants expressed enthusiasm and support for the ambition to move
will assist Cari-WOP with preparing a guidance document for follow-up to the next level of integrated water prediction tools and services, and
actions arising from the workshop. are eager for active participation in whatever next steps stakeholders
The potential areas for strategic action include: will pursue.

CAWASA President looks back and ahead one year later!


Following are remarks by Mr. Christopher Husbands, President of CAWASA, at the Cari-WOP pre-conference workshop, ahead of the
CWWA 25th Annual Conference and Exhibition, at the Hyatt Hotel, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on October 23, 2016
When last we met in Miami, in August 2016, we dis- CWWA for the space to operate within its annual conference, as well as to
cussed at length, ways and means to protect our wa- our key partners and sponsors, the GWOPA, the IDB and the U.S. Water
ter sources, mitigate the negative impacts of Climate Partnership (USWP).
Change towards our ultimate objective of building We welcome Dr. Faraj El Awar, Executive Director of the GWOPA to the
resilient water infrastructure. Caribbean and to this years workshop. He has kept his promise to assist
Within the same week of our workshop and dur- the Caribbean region with mobilizing resources for our WOPs.
ing the course of the CWWA Annual Conference, During this visit he will be meeting with regional donors, government
we were reminded of the stark vulnerability of the officials and other partners who will be participating in the conference.
Caribbean region to natural disasters. The graphic We trust that his interventions on our behalf will be richly rewarding.
exposure of the devastation of the Commonwealth of Progress
Dominica caused by Tropical Storm Erika had gone During the past year Cari-WOP has made some progress towards im-
viral on social media and television. plementing a few WOPs. We have signed a Framework of Cooperation
One Year Later (FOC) agreement with GWOPA and DINEPA to commence the multi-
Here we are, one year later, reeling from the impact of Hurricane Mat- partner WOP in Haiti; we participated in fruitful planning and agreement
thew, which has compounded the monumental recovery effort of Haiti with the Belize Water Services Limited and the Contra Costa Water De-
post the 2010 earthquake. partment of California to mentor at least one of our utilities.
Ladies and gentlemen, I take this opportunity to crave your indulgence I would like to express our thanks to the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer
to spare a thought for the People and Government of Haiti on the loss of Department for hosting those meetings and for their pledge of support for
lives and the extensive hardships caused by Hurricane Matthew. our technical cooperation programmes.
We wish to extend our condolences to the Government and People of How, Where and What
Haiti. As we seek to develop resilient water and sanitation systems, we are
On behalf of the member utilities of CAWASA, I pledge our support and tasked during the next day and a half with determining how and where
renew our commitment to participate in the multi-partner WOP (Water extreme weather and climate change will affect drinking-water and sani-
Operators Partnership) with Haitis National Directorate of Water Sup- tation; what can be done to optimize the technologies and systems that
ply and Sanitation (DINEPA), in the recovery effort and particularly to exist to maximize their resilience; and what needs to be done differently
assist with building a robust and sustainable water and sanitation infra- to ensure that the services of the future can cope with the climate changes
structure. we can anticipate.
Key Partners and Interventions Let us continue our work with the usual professionalism and intensity
CAWASA is pleased to be associated with the hosting of this third pre- to conclude this workshop with pragmatic and realistic recommendations
conference workshop. We are grateful to our co-secretariat partner the and action plans. Thank you.
Page 8 e-Source January 2017

CWWA Conference T&T 2016

CAWASA Executive Director Ignatius Jean (left) attended


The opening session of the CWWAs 2016 Annual Conference was attended by the CWWA Conference and the High Level Forum,
representatives of water entities from across the entire Caribbean, as well as contributed to the discussions and participated in the
ministers responsible for water and CEOs of water utilities and companies. various conference activities in Trinidad & Tobago.

GWOPAs Program
Manager Jose Luis
Martin Bordes
(standing) and (in
foreground) Anti- Inter-American
gua and Barbuda Development
Minister for Public Banks Evyon
Water company directors and operators and policymakers engaged in
Utilities Robin Mellinger
regional policy dialogue on a plethora of issues affecting Caribbean Water.
Yearwood (standing)

CWWA 2016 Conference discussed


Caribbean Water in 2017 and beyond!
The Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA) held regional water executives in attendance and participants dis-
its 2016 Annual Conference in Trinidad & Tobago in November. cussed issues of relevance to the water and wastewater sector.
The event was attended by top executives of the CWWA and The CWWA Execs also participated in several other themed
its member-organizations, as well as by Ministers responsible topics, including a High Level Forum that also addressed per-
for the Water Sector in their respective Caribbean countries, as tinent issues affecting and relate to Caribbean water in 2017
well as CEOs of public and private water utilities from across and beyond.
the region. The photos on this page highlight some of the several activi-
CAWASA Executive Director Ignatius Jean was among top ties held during the forum.

The dialogue
at the CWWA
Conference
examined
sensitive issues
affecting the
regions water Ministers Responsible for the Water Sector from CARICOM and other Caribbean member-
sectors states at the High Level Forum discussed several related water issues with other regional
. and international stakeholders.

Participants during the High Level Forum included representatives from national, regional and international bodies involved in the Caribbean water
sector and during their meeting on the sidelines of the CWWAs 2016 Annual Conference the Marriott Hotel in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago.
January 2017 e-Source Page 9

Trough Damage Repaired and


Water Restored in St Vincent
A recent trough did much damage to Saint Vincent and The damage was widespread and extensive, but the Saint
the Grenadines water services earlier this year, throwing Vincent and the Grenadines water authorities rose to the
the water sector into a serious crisis. occasion and teams were deployed everywhere to take
Damage was done to water services in several ways and care of damage and offer emergency services.
places, including damaging of pipes being laid, destruc- The photos on this page show the extent of the damage
tion of mains ad general damage to other water services and the great jobs done to repair and restore service to Vin-
around the island. centians.
Page 10 e-Source January 2017

Managing Non-Revenue Water


32 participants from 16 Caribbean countries assessed issues regarding
Managing Real Apparent Losses in the Distribution System during a
workshop in Antigua & Barbuda on September 19 and 20, 2016

Some 32 delegates from 16 Caribbean territories attended the workshop on Managing Non-Revenue Water on the island of
Barbuda. They all returned home satisfied they had shared and learned much during their two-day stay in Antigua and Barbuda.

CAWASA Inc, in collaboration with CARINDCO and APUA, uation factors and gave an overall assessment of the training
facilitated a two-day training workshop on the island of Bar- using the same factors.
buda for employees of the Water Utilities in the Caribbean on Participants were also required to provide additional general
September 19 and 20, 2016. comments on the conduct of the training in the last section of
The workshops theme was Non-Revenue Water: Managing the evaluation instrument.
Real Apparent Losses in the Distribution System. CAWASA Executive Director Ignatius Jean said, The pre-
Overall, 32 participants from 16 countries attended from: An- sentations and demonstrations were excellent. The participants
guilla, Antigua. Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Is- seemed excited about the new products and technology, which
lands, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Montserrat, Nevis, Saint Lu- they believe would help address the problem with leakages
cia, St Kitts, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Turks & thereby producing a positive impact on the utilities bottom line.
Caicos Islands.
Certification
Training Methodology Participants were awarded certificates of attendance at the
The facilitators from CARINDCO, Plasson, the ARAD GROUP end of the training workshop.
and Cicasa, conducted the training using power point presenta- According to Mr Jean, Credits and continuing education
tions together with Question and Answer sessions, discussions, units (CEUs) were earned at this training workshop, which the
group activities and hands-on training on Socket Welding, certified operators who participated in the training can put to-
Electro-fusion & Fittings and Butt-Welding. wards the renewal of their certificates.
Some ten sessions were facilitated as follows: Session 1: on He also said Recommendations and comments made by par-
Plasson Solutions for Connecting Pipes Compression Fittings; ticipants and the feedback received on the Evaluation Forms
Session 2: ARAD Water Meters Residential; Session 3: HDPE; were generally favorable.
Session 4: Electro-fusion & Fittings (Workshop); Session 5: PCP
Valves and Fittings; Session 6: Working Sessions Meter Boxes, Evaluation
Brackets, Meters, Fittings, Valves; Session 7: Socket Welding All the participants completed the evaluation surveys and
(APUA) 2.8 Session 8: The Real Cost Benefits for fittings and indicated they were very satisfied with the content, quality of
pipe for decision makers (Plasson); Session 9: Butt Welding discussions and presentations, during the workshop.
Training Demonstration; and Session 10 was on: Open Discus- They found the method demonstrations with the new technol-
sion on applications for fittings, valves and technical details. ogies to be richly rewarding and would enable them to easily
Participants rated specific aspects of the training against eval- share with colleagues on return to their respective work places.
January 2017 e-Source Page 11

Managing Non-Revenue Water


Page 12 e-Source January 2017

The Great Bottled Water Debate


High Level Forum discussed at
CWWAs 2016 conference:
Bottled Water and the
Plastics Challenge
During the CWWA Conference in Trinidad & Tobago in November
2016, a High Level Forum was held, which brought together Caribbean
Ministers responsible for the Water Sector with senior executives of the Participants in the HLF debate on plastic challenges to water (Left to
regions Public and Private water companies and utilities. Right): Outgoing CWWA President Jascine Joshua, UN Environment
One feature of the Forum was a debate on Bottled Water and the Plastics (formerly UNEP) Caribbean Coordinator Vincent Sweeny (who also
Challenge, which itself featured several important views and observations, chaired the discussion), Dr Adrianus Vlergman, former Saint Lucia
suggestions and recommendations on this important subject. The discussion Minister responsible for Water Sector Dr James Fletcher and CEO of the
was led by a panel that included representatives of the interested parties. Caribbean water bottling company Blue Waters, Dominic Hadeed.

Blurring the ethics line in the bottled water business

For Profit or Charity?


There were many online responses to the controversial water bottle campaign in the Peoples Republic of
China that the company behind it says is intend to help find missing children, but which critics say is simply a
profit-making ploy. In December 2016, the following observations were posted online in the Chinese media:
Jing Yishan (Beijing Times): As long as they abide by relevant laws, busi- may reunite. Therefore, this kind of involvement of businesses in public welfare
nesses are free to choose how to sell their products. deserves more support.
Actually, quite a few enterprises are trying to improve their reputation and He Yong (Shandong Business Daily): Even if the water company is trying to
promote sales by engaging in charitable activities. achieve its own objective of making profit by putting missing children's infor-
Printing missing children's information on water bottles is just an example mation on the packages of its products, this practice is still objectively helpful.
of this, albeit a more direct one. If people feel affronted by such a stunt, they These water bottles are helping to spread information about the missing chil-
need not pay it any attention. dren across the nation. The strategy supplements the conventional channels
The biggest problem with this kind of bottled water, however, is its blurring through which information about missing people is typically spread: TV, radio,
of business and charity. and posters posted online and around town.
The bottles that feature missing children's information have certainly at- Although this campaign has yet to result in any useful leads, it remains an
tracted huge attention, but whether this can help boost sales is questionable. important conduit for publicizing the plight of the families involved.
The water company's intention to help find missing children is great, but As sales of the water rise, so too does the hope of finding the missing children.
will sufficient numbers of consumers choose to buy this over-priced bottled In particular, the chances of finding the missing children will greatly increase
water, knowing that doing so cannot actually help track the children? if the water is sold across China's vast rural areas. We should acknowledge the
Besieged by controversy and generating little profit, how far can this busi- positive effect of the campaign instead of simply doubting its motives.
ness strategy go? The parents involved reportedly have already authorized the business to display
Wang Ying (www.xinhuanet.com): Possibly affected by some negative cases their children's images on the bottles, so violating minors' rights is not an issue.
involving businesses' marketing campaigns, the public tends to doubt the mo- Besides, giving details about the children on the bottles will harm neither the
tive behind this specially-designed water bottle. Still, it's hoped that the public children nor their parents.
can view this practice in good faith. Businesses need to make profit, and this is Even if, as some people suspect, the business has taken this step solely for the
a justifiable pursuit. If they can take some social responsibility while making purpose of generating profit, the pursuit of profit here does not run contrary to
money, isn't that a good thing? social morality.
Although relevant authorities spare no efforts in searching for missing chil- Dai Xianren (pinglun.eastday.com): It seems inappropriate for the company
dren, frankly speaking, solely depending on the government's power is not to raise the price of the water with the special packaging.
enough to win the battle against human trafficking. Thus, getting businesses Apparently, the company is transferring the cost of printing the missing chil-
involved is helpful. If more businesses are willing to get involved in the effort, dren's information to consumers.
the possibility of finding these children will be boosted. It's all right for businesses to make profit, but they are not supposed to profi-
Some people may complain that the specially packaged water is more expen- teer from the public's kindness.
sive than ordinary bottled water, with a difference of about 3 yuan (US $0.40). Every year, only a very small fraction of the missing children are found. Giv-
However, there are some bottled water brands that are much more expensive, en the severity of the situation, it's necessary to encourage the whole of society,
but they are not part of the campaign. The price is not the key, and the busi- including businesses, to help in the search.
ness has also promised to award 100,000 yuan ($1,450.00) to consumers who Putting missing children's information on water bottles is an innovative
provide information which helps to locate the missing children. move. More importantly, an efficient coordination mechanism should be put
A tragedy may be avoided if any such information is collected and a family into place, and harsh penalties should be imposed on child traffickers.
January 2017 e-Source Page 13

Not Just Another Day at Work:


The Case for US Water Agency Involvement
in International Operator Partnerships
By Jerry Brown

In 2012, an article in Journal AWWA, written by Mary Parmel-


ee, described an international capacity-building mechanism that
was supported by the United Nations and aimed at pairing US
water agencies with water agencies in developing countries for
the purpose of improving water and sanitation delivery to un-
derserved communities throughout the world. Parmelees article
highlighted case studies of the four utilities that stepped forward
as the first US water agencies to get involved in the program.
There are organizational and individual benefits for participat-
ing utilities and their employeesbenefits that are valuable to
the local community and would be more costly to achieve by
other means. This article is intended to provide a status update
on the past efforts, but more importantly to state the case, on the
basis of experience, for increased US water agency participation
in international water operator partnerships.
If one were to ask most US water agency professionals what
they think of when they hear the phrases humanitarian effort
or international aid, they might respond with comments about happened after these tasks were completed. Of the four cases
the Red Cross or the Peace Corps. These are obviously good studied, one continued to a second phase, and the partnership is
answers, and there are aspects of these agencies missions that strong and vibrant four years later. In fact, the developing coun-
relate to water delivery; however, in most cases these agencies try utility has elevated its performance as a result of the partner-
only deal with general human health and disaster relief. ship to a level where they are now mentoring other utilities.
Embedded within the United Nations Millennium Develop- Before explaining how this happened, it is essential to address
ment Goals, and as a means to improve the daily living condi- the perception with the conclusion of the other cases. Three out
tions for billions of people throughout the world, there is an ob- of four partnerships ended. Is that an indication of failure? Fail-
jective to substantially increase the number of people globally ure equals not making an attempt. The fact that these leading
who have access to safe drinking water and reliable sanitation organizations were willing to step out of their comfort zones and
services. There are more than 2.4 billion people in the world of the participants in a better place than before the partnerships.
who lack sufficient sanitation facilities and more than 600 mil- So, the answer to the question is no; these partnerships that end-
lion people who lack access to safe drinking waterbasic hu- ed were not failures. All of the benefits discussed in this article
man services that almost every American takes for granted. It is were received. The fact that the partnerships ended means the
within this context that international water operator partnership participants felt the work was completed and the objectives were
programs were born and further developed. accomplished. And another positive with these programs was
The fundamental building block of this type of partnership pro- that they were totally voluntary.
gram is the exchange of peer-to-peer information and practices The one partnership that continues strong today, Contra Costa
on a level that allows participants from both agencies to under- Water District (CCWD) and Belize Water Services (BWS), started
stand water and sewer conditions in the area being served. These six years ago. The first phase focused on six improvement tracks:
partnerships are relatively new to the United States but are very information technology, finance, customer service, engineer-
familiar to the rest of world. In fact, the Dutch and French gov- ing, operations and maintenance, and health and safety. The
ernments have put a law into place that allows up to 1% of all outcomes were many, but the three most significant and lasting
water agency revenue to be dedicated to not-for-profit interna- involved creating an employee safety culture, a first-ever BWS
tional efforts, which is why there are many more European water water operator certification program, and a new water meter
agencies involved than in the United States. testing shop that BWS modeled after CCWDs meter shop. The
participants involved in phase one were mostly managers and
UPDATE ON RECENT PARTNERSHIPS supervisors, because the topics covered were broader and orga-
The sidebar on page 37 lists the four partnerships described in nization-wide. This approach proved useful at that time.
Parmelees article, all of which were successful. These partner-
ships had a few things in common: target areas for partnering PHASE TWO
were jointly developed, site visits were made between the par- The parties at BWS and CCWD decided there was more to ac-
ticipants, and performance improvement plans were drawn up complish and build on from the successful first phase, and phase
by the participating utilities. Where they differed was in what Continued on Page 14
Page14 e-Source January 2017

Not Just Another Day at Work:


The Case for US Water Agency Involvement
in International Operator Partnerships
Continued from Page 13 ductive and efficient. As a result of a cultural change, BWS is now
two of the partnership began two years ago. The focus areas for ahead of changes in Belize national law and has become a model
phase two were built upon the successful outcomes of phase one. for other utilities in the country on the topic of worker and public
The same six improvement tracks were selected. But instead of safety. Building up human capital. The exposure created during
management and supervisory employees performing site visits, the jobshadowing brought to light an employee development
the participants were mainly field crews that included techni- issue. While US water agencies have requirements for certifica-
cians, mechanics, operators, and meter readers. The concepts of tions and licenses of the individuals involved in water treatment
phase one had been introduced at BWS and were being incorpo- and delivery, Belize does not. The BWS visitors were made aware
rated into the organization, but it was recognized that true and of the US operator certification classes that are available online
lasting improvement would occur only if the field crews were from AWWA and US universities. CCWD helped BWS set up a
engaged and actively involved in the changes. The site visits full-scale certification program for its employees, who willingly
were different during phase 2 and mostly involved job shadow- accepted the opportunity. BWS employees have gone on to earn
ing, where field crews worked side by side, learning from each their licenses voluntarily, even though there is no specific regula-
other as routine and nonroutine tasks were performed. tory requirement for such in Belize. The certifications and licens-
There were several outcomes from the phase two work that es are viewed as added benefits by job applicants who see the
were valuable. The three take-aways that had the most positive priority BWS is placing on employee development, which helps
impact at the agencies involved a radical culture shift, recogni- bring the best and brightest in the country to the BWS workforce.
tion of the need to build human capital, and organizational and BWS now offers meaningful career paths and career develop-
behavioral changes. Additionally, the program received invalu- ment for many positions in the utility, largely driven by the certi-
able financial and conceptual support, which contributed to its fication programs they were exposed to through the partnership
success. with CCWD.
Radical safety culture shift. The biggest impact came from the Organizational and behavior changes. The changes at BWS
BWS staff observation that CCWD had created employee com- went beyond how work gets done. There were also relationships
mittees where safety issues were openly discussed and resolved. between managers and staff. The communications between de-
Committee members were empowered to evaluate issues and partments were improved, and silos between departments were
make recommendations to senior management. This gave field removed. Procedures were standardized and documented, thus
crews a direct channel to upper management, which did not reducing the reliance on long-term employees as the resource
exist at BWS. BWS employees wanted to create more trust and for information. Because of the changes and what was learned,
mutual respect within their organization, similar to what they the staff today feel more empowered to make decisions and to
saw at CCWD. Their safety issues mimicked the safety issues think critically. Instead of just bringing problems to managers,
at CCWD, so BWS employees saw this approach as a potential staff members now come forward with recommended solutions,
mechanism for driving a culture change within their organiza- resulting in savings of both time and money. BWS has become a
tion. The decision was made to initiate employee-driven safety regional leader in the Caribbean, and its willingness to share and
culture change at BWS. BWS managers were able to accept this exchange information improvements in the has resulted in posi-
change, largely because they were able to see that CCWDs safe- tive public exposure for the utility, which translates to enhance-
ty culture was strong, and because the priority on employees at ment of its brand with customers and stability for BWS.
CCWD led to other advantages that make the agency more pro- Program support. Phase 2 of the partnership was successfully
completed in 2015. It should be noted that the financial support
for this phase of the partnership came from a generous contribu-
tion from the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility. The
connection to this funding source was made possible through
references provided by the Millennium Challenge Corporation
and the US Water Partnership (USWP), a publicprivate partner-
ship established to unite American expertise, knowledge, and re-
sources, and to mobilize those assets to address water challenges
around the globe, especially in the developing world. Another
important resource leading to the success of this partnership was
the assistance of the Global Water Operator Partnership Alliance
(GWOPA). GWOPA is an organization established through the
United Nations that is focused on facilitating water operator
partnerships worldwide. This successful partnership would not
have been possible without the assistance and support of these
organizations.
Continued on Page 15
January 2017 e-Source Page 15

Not Just Another Day at Work:


The Case for US Water Agency Involvement
in International Operator Partnerships
Continued from Page 14
WHATS NEXT?
CCWD and BWS are embarking on yet another groundbreak-
ing activity. Through a number of initiatives, including the part-
nership with CCWD, BWS has increased its capacity to a level
such that BWS is ready to take the lead and start its own part-
nership, acting as a mentor to another Caribbean water agency.
There is a role for CCWD to guide and advise BWS, since the
role of mentor has different responsibilities than those of an
apprentice. As with any partnership, matchmaking is a critical
success factor. BWS is well connected in the Caribbean region,
and with the help of the Caribbean Water and Sewerage Asso-
ciation, the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association, and
GWOPA, an appropriate partner will be selected for this next The Contra Costa Water District team visits Belize Water
phase. There is a lot of excitement worldwide with this next Services in March 2015.
CCWDBWS activity because it represents an innovative model
It is possible to determine a conservative estimate of what the
for leveraging partnerships.
activity will cost the agency on the basis of a few factors. Assum-
ing a weeklong visit involves six participants (which is a rea-
THE BUSINESS CASE FOR US WATER AGENCY
sonable level of participation) and the activity is to jobshadow
INVOLVEMENT
six agency personnel, then total staff time for the visit would
Put simply and in a theoretical sense, a strong business case
be valued at about 1,200 hours. Obviously, smaller-staffed US
involves benefits in excess of costs. The majority of the costs for
water agencies would find it more difficult to accommodate this
the participants in an international water operator partnership
amount of time, and it would be reasonable to weigh that ac-
like the CCWDBWS program are in travel and staff time. There
cordingly when considering participation. Using a conservative,
could be an exchange of tangible assets, but generally, knowl-
fully loaded average cost per hour of $50, the total cost for one
edge transfer is the focus of this type of philanthropic partner-
visit would be in the range of $60,000 to $80,000. CCWDs actual
ship. It is atypical for a US water agency to be able to justify ex-
cost was in this range when considering the cumulative cost of
pending funds on international travel, so in most cases donors
both phases of the partnership. The first phase was on the high
would be secured and they would pay the travel costs, such as
end because CCWD was essentially starting from scratch, and
airfare, lodging, and meals. Donors like the World Bank or In-
the second phase was on the low end because of the prior expe-
ter-American Development Bank, or even private foundations,
rience. GWOPA and USWP are preparing guidance documents
have an interest in using some of their wealth on these types
to be released in early 2017 that will walk participants through
of humanitarian efforts. The donor community is particularly
the process and will help relieve some of the cost burden on
interested in seeing water operator partnerships translate to
US water agencies getting involved for the first time. GWOPA
more efficient investment of their capital loan dollars, which is
has completed several case studies that are helpful with under-
possible if the program is implemented successfully. There are
standing the resources required for partnership (GWOPA 2015a,
agreements put into place between the participants and the do-
2015b, 2015c, 2015d).
nors for the purpose of addressing things like liability and roles
Another valid method of analyzing the cost to the agency, when
and responsibilities. The only commitment of the participants is
difficult to quantify, is to perform a counterfactual review (i.e.,
to make best efforts toward the transfer of knowledge. The do-
determining the cost to complete what is not being accomplished
nors consider the developing countrys success in implementing
because of the partnership activity). Each water agency has its
action plans that come out of partnership activities when mak-
own unique circumstances, but the type of costs considered
ing future loan decisions or before making further investment in
could include shift-coverage overtime, contracted replacement
partnership activities.
services, or cost risk of deferred preventive maintenance. Keep in
The only direct cost to the US water agency in an international
mind that the US water agency impact is determined mainly by
water operator partnership is staff time. There are no require-
the type of activity conducted. For example, management topics
ments for special insurance or liability costs to the US water
would take managers and supervisors away from their day-to-
agency. The staff time commitment involves all of the partici-
day activities, while job shadowing at the field-crew level would
pants hours. This would not be just the direct travel and partici-
reduce productivity, but the field work still gets done.
pation time, but also the time spent on tasks such as planning,
The benefits are as one would expectdifficult to quantify, but
preparation, and coordination. Generally, for every hour of di-
real and tangible nonetheless. In most circumstances, interna-
rect time with a visitor, one should expect about five hours of
indirect time spent prepping and supporting the activity. Continued on Page 11
Page 16 e-Source January 2017

Not Just Another Day at Work


Continued from Page 15 their job in greater detail; sometimes they may find they
tional partnership programs offer opportunities to involve staff dont know why they are doing things the way they are and
members of various job classifications throughout the organiza- maybe could be, or should be, doing things differently. It also
tion who may not have expected such opportunities. Partnership introduces nonroutine activity that can help staff be better
activities are rarely limited to one business area. Water treatment prepared for, and respond to, unanticipated events.
plant operators, distribution operators, meter readers, corrosion Recruitment advantage. It is common knowledge that the
control specialists, instrument technicians, maintenance mechan- millennial generation is looking for employers that will give
ics, accountants, purchasing officers, customer service represen- them the opportunity to make a difference in the world. Be-
tatives, engineers, inspectors, supervisors, and managers are all ing a participant in an international aid activity checks that
potential participants. The employees involved should be not box and may bring in more top-level recruits to participating
only managers and supervisors; in fact, CCWD found that the organizations.
program was more successful and more beneficial to the agency Team building. Sharing with others is good for the soul,
when field-crew team members participated. The final scope of and the people directly involved bring that energy and
coverage is defined by the participating agencies. enthusiasm back to their work groups and it becomes in-
Organizationally, there are several tangible benefits of par- fectious. It creates general pride in the workplacepeople
ticipation in an international partnership program. Two such come away proud of where they work because of the com-
benefits are provided here as examples. First, participating in a panys involvement.
partnership drives employees within the organization to come Every individual needs to judge the value assigned to each
together to explain among their peers how their contribution of these benefits, but given the breadth of the areas covered, it
leads to a stronger organization. When employees have a clear would not take much to find that the benefits outweigh the fairly
understanding of how their work meshes with the work of other minor investment for larger water utilities.
employees in other departments, it makes the organization and It would not be a fair analysis without at least acknowledg-
the individual more effective and efficient. This is what some ing some of the potential negatives of participating in an inter-
agencies pay high-priced consultants to accomplish for them as national water operator partnership. For example, some in the
a self-assessment. In this case, the partnership activities create community might ask, Why is my local water agency involved
the opportunity for open communication and exchange. Second, in an international partnership when there are so many unmet
the partnership can enhance the agencys brand and can be used demands locally or regionally? The direct answer involves
as the vehicle for bringing to light broader water issues beyond describing the benefits and costs of the business case analy-
the community. Customers can develop a greater appreciation sis discussed previously in this article. However, on a deeper
for the work being done for them if they have an understanding leveland water utility customers understand and appreciate
that other communities are not as well off. thislike other businesses, water agencies in the United States
Beyond the organizational benefits, and examining more spe- have a social responsibility to do their part to improve the world;
cifically at the individual level, there are numerous layers of tan- and as water professionals, our passion and expertise centers on
gible value created from participating in an international part- providing safe and reliable water and wastewater services. Do-
nership program: ing nothing, or only focusing on our own little part of the big-
Effective staff training. Staff members learn other ways to ger world, means missing a big opportunity. Also, our US water
perform their jobs, especially considering developing coun- world is not immune to the effects of globalization and world
tries generally perform similar tasks with fewer resources. events. US water agencies have a part to play in the global mar-
When US water agency employees see how others operate ketplace, and we have an immense amount of talent, skills, and
with less, either they gain a greater appreciation for what abilities to offer. The United States as a country is a world leader
they have and care for and appreciate it to a greater extent, or on water issues, but US water agencies tend to operate within
they are able to take away techniques for how to do the same their own boundaries, leaving the rest of the world wondering
things with less. Also, staff members develop skills for how why were not more involved globally.
to train others. Finally, when CCWDs staff were asked for one word to de-
Means to reward, recognize, and retain key staff. Being selected scribe their experience being involved in the program and trav-
to participate is seen as a privilege and an honor. Staff chosen eling to Belize to assist BWS in accomplishing its business mis-
to be the agencys representatives can be the leaders or rising sion, they all responded positively and with enthusiasm (see the
stars in the organization that managers want to reward and photograph on page 39 of the CCWD and BWS teams together).
recognize as a means to retain them in the organization. Se- Their words say best why US water agencies should be more in-
lected staff get to represent the entire agency in a meaningful volved in international water operator partnerships: because the
campaign where they and the agency receive recognition. involvement is inspiring, unforgettable, life-altering, enlighten-
Innovation jump starter. Jobshadowing involves explaining ing, and meaningful. Clearly, this experience was more than just
job duties to others, which makes employees think through another day at the office or in the field.

(Reprinted from Journal, Vol. 108, by permission. Copyright December 2016 American Water Works Association.
Permission to reproduce this document is granted for informational purposes only and does not represent or imply approval
or endorsement by AWWA of any particular product or service.)
January 2017 e-Source Page 17

Asias fight over Can bottled water


fresh water! ads help find missing
By Brahma Chellaney children?
Asia, the worlds largest and fastest-developing continent,
has less fresh water per capita than any other continent. This
Should businesses be encouraged to
has helped foster growing interstate and intrastate disputes get involved in such efforts and should
over shared water resources.
An MIT study published this year found a high risk that
the public tolerate their intention to
Asias current water crisis could worsen to severe water profit and improve their reputation
shortages by 2050.
In this light, water is emerging as a key challenge for long- along the way?
term Asian peace and stability. Continued from Page 2
Yet Asias maritime-security challenges draw much great-
er international attention than its river-water disputes. Opponents, however, believe it's just another way for
This is largely because sea-related issues, such as in the the company to promote itself and increase sales.
South China Sea, affect even outside powers by threatening So far, not a single piece of information about the chil-
the safety of sea lanes and freedom of navigation dren featured has been received as a result of the cam-
The truth is this: Asias sharpening competition over paign, which leads people to see it as more of a marketing
transnationally shared freshwater resources holds strategic ploy than a determined effort to find missing children.
ramifications just as ominous as those relating to maritime Meanwhile, the specially designed water bottles have
territorial disputes. done little to help.
Recent developments are highlighting how the competi- Several months after reaching supermarket shelves,
tion and fight over shared water resources is a major con- they have yet to generate a single lead related to the fea-
tributory factor to the growing geopolitical discord and ten- tured children.
sions in Asia. Experts quoted by Jing note that to recover missing chil-
Some Asian countries, seeking to overcome the challenge dren is a difficult undertaking and The first 24 hours af-
of growing more food in water-stressed conditions at home,
ter a child goes missing are said to be the most oppor-
have leased large tracts of farmland in sub-Saharan Africa.
tune time, after which the chances of finding the child
The land grabs, which are effectively water grabs, have
dwindle considerably.
triggered a backlash in some areas.
For example, South Koreas Daewoo Logistics Corp. en-
The experts say the campaign may trigger more dis-
tered into a deal to lease as much as half of Madagascars cussion about human trafficking and raise parents'
arable land to grow food for South Korea, igniting a local awareness of and society's attention to this heinous
backlash and military intervention that eased out a demo- crime.
cratically elected president in 2009. In terms of actually retrieving missing children, though,
More broadly, the competition between Asian neighbors many see it just as a kind-hearted attempt.
to appropriate resources of shared rivers by building dams, The experts also note that while dejected parents will
reservoirs and other structures is fostering distrust and dis- not oppose any means that might help to retrieve their
cord and exacerbating impacts on ecosystems. missing children, people with bad intentions may misuse
Water has become an instrument of power in interstate re- the publicized information, which may bring the desper-
lations. This holds important implications for Asias future. ate parents yet more trouble and harm.
Asias economic rise has been aided by peace and stabil- The experts advise that, First and foremost, the police's
ity. But the upsurge of resource and territorial disputes has capability of locating and taking missing children back
underscored the looming dangers. home should be enhanced to prevent more tragedies.
Various developments are highlighting the linkage be- In addition, an effective mechanism is needed to en-
tween water and peace. able more people to participate in the search for abducted
In the coming years, water scarcity is likely to become children.
Asias defining crisis, creating obstacles in its path of contin- Businesses, they advise, should always be encour-
ued rapid economic growth and stoking new inter-country aged to get involved in these efforts and the public
tensions.
should tolerate their intention to profit and to improve
Water, of course, is not the only resource whose availabil-
their reputation along the way. Nevertheless, they are ex-
ity has come under pressure owing to Asias rapid econom-
pected to play only a supportive role.
ic rise. But it is the most critical one, for which there is no
Moreover, if businesses simply jump on the bandwag-
substitute.
To underpin peace and cooperation, Asian states must on in order to attract public attention but fail to actually
manage transnational water resources on the basis of trans- improve the situation, this will not only waste resources,
parency, collaboration, sharing and dispute settlement.
but also increase public skepticism.
(Abridged from: Beijing Review, December 22, 2016)
Page 18 e-Source January 2017

Certification Programme Examinations

Congratulations!
to the following operators who were successful in the
Certification Programme Examinations held in November 2016:

Name Country Course Class

Terry Benjamin Antigua & Barbuda Water Distribution I

Bari Stevens Antigua & Barbuda Water Laboratory I

Krista Powell Cayman Islands Water Laboratory I

Sinatra Mohammed Trinidad & Tobago Water Treatment I

Everis Gonzales Trinidad & Tobago Water Treatment I

Devika Rooplal Trinidad & Tobago Wastewater Treatment I

Shurland Dolloway Trinidad & Tobago Wastewater Treatment I

David Boyce Trinidad & Tobago Wastewater Treatment I


Christopher Tang Trinidad & Tobago Wastewater Treatment II

REMINDER!
Next Water/Wastewater Operators
Certification Examinations:
Friday, February 24, 2017
Register Now!

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