The purpose of the “Water EcoSeC 2015” International Workshop is to bring together local governments, water and wastewater utilities, regulators, R&D institutions, start-up corporations, and other stakeholders for engaging experience sharing and multiple stakeholders’ interactive assessment of climate change impacts, Eco-risks and disaster resiliency challenges as well as innovative solutions and adaptation strategies including:
- Lessons learned from recent events and case studies with regard to growing climate change impacts on eco-sustainability challenges and rising public concerns
- Emerging eco-sustainability regulatory frameworks and risks management adaptation strategies initiated by governments and operators to preemptively cope with rising climate change impacts.
- Current R&D industry’s needs and initiatives for accelerating innovation, development, assessment and reliable integration of emerging technology solutions for ensuring security and safety of water supply and wastewater management services.
- Industry needs for improving Crisis Management capabilities though training and field exercises at different decision making levels with updated guidelines and performance benchmarking,
- Global solidarity support to local capacity building initiatives facing environmental and public health challenges of rising water stress or increasing threat of natural disasters in vulnerable regions,
- Other relevant issues to be identified by the Workshop Steering Committee.
Proceedings
- Crisis Management Exercise – Christian Roche, Industrial Safety Expert, SIAAP (presentation)
Session 1 – Crisis Management Exercises & Capacity Building
Chair: Eric Adamse – Security Policy Officer, VITENS
- Alexandra Cristóvão, Director of Corporate Sustainability – EPAL Present and Future (Presentation)
- Ashok Hukku of the city of Mumbai – SIAAP Crisis Management Exercise (presentation)
Session 2 – Eco-Security Challenges – Post Disaster Observations & Lessons Learned
Chair: Dr. Jacques Deveze, Former High Commissioner of Defense
Keynote speakers
- Vincent Sapienza, Deputy Commissioner at NYC-DEP – Post Sandy – Observations & Lessons Learned(presentation)
- Dr. Atsushi Masuko, President TSS at Tokyo Water Corporation Experience, Disaster Response Experience of Japan – Lessons Learned and their Impacts on Current Practice(presentation)
Case Studies
- Bernard Michaux, Director of Production at CILE (Liège) – Emergency plan due to the pollution of a water network further to the inverse flow of non-potable water on a private connection, consequences and lessons learned(presentation)
- Amit Chanan, Director of Infrastructure in the City of Sydney – Resilience – Learning from Recent Disasters in Australian Cities(presentation)
Session 3 – Adaptation Strategies for Mitigating Climate Change Impacts
Chair: Prof. Fadi Comair, Honorary President of the MENBO, Vice President of SEMIDE
Keynote speakers
- Jörg Simon, CEO, Berliner Wasserbetriebe – Secure a Sustainable Watercycle against Coming Challenges (presentation)
- Regis Thepot, Director, Seine Grand Lacs – MAKING PARIS MORE RESILIENT TO EXTREME HYDROLOGICAL EVENTS (presentation)
- Ido Rosolio, Former CEO, Mekorot – Food, Water and Energy – Resources that are Depleted as Mankind Grows: A Global Overview (presentation)
- Jean-Michel Tiberi, VP Business Development Cities, Veolia – Eco Sustainability Challenges and Strategies Adapted By Veolia to Face the Effects of Global Climate Change (presentation)
Session 4- The Way Forward – Disaster Resiliency Measures & Capacity Building
Chair: Denis Penouel, Deputy CEO, SIAAP
Keynote Speakers:
- Diane d’Arras, President Elect of IWA – Resiliency Measures and Capacity Building in climate change conditions and growing vulnerable countries” (presentation)
- Jack Baylis, CEO The Baylis Group, Los Angeles – Policies, Plans, and Practices – Climate Change and North American Local Government Water Agency Examples (presentation)
- Eric Macfarlane, Deputy Commissioner Infrastructure, NYC-DDC – Challenges and Current Plans of the Way Forward Towards a Resilient NYC (presentation)
Panelists:
- Alain Palmans, Director General, CILE (presentation)
Session 5 -“Smarter” Utility Networks & Innovative Technologies Solutions
Co-Chairs: Bruno Nguyen, President W-SMART and Dr. Yossi Yaacoby, Director, WaTech, Mekorot
- Erick Oostermeyer, Coordinator SW4EU – Opening Remarks (presentation)
