Dr. Akissa Bahri new Coordinator of African Water Facility

Dr. Akissa Bahri. Photo: IWMI

Tunisian scientist Dr. Akissa Bahri has been named Coordinator of the African Water Facility at the African Development Bank (AWF/ADB) as of 14 June 2010. Dr. Bahri was Director of Research at the Institute for Research in Agricultural & Forestry Engineering in Tunisia. Since 2005, she was Director of Africa of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR-supported research institute headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka. In 2009, Dr. Bahri won the “Prof. C.N.R. Rao Prize for Scientific Research”.

Tefera Woudeneh. Photo: ADB

Dr. Bahri takes over from Chief Water Operations Officer Mr. Tefera Woudeneh, who has retired after working for the African Development Bank for ten years. He joined the ADB’s Water and Sanitation Department in 2000. Since 2005, he has been with the African Water Facility.

Source: EMWIS Flash, July/August 2010 ; ADB, Jul 2010

Coca-Cola: Indian tribunal seeking US$ 46 million compensation for groundwater over-exploitation and water pollution

The Kerala state cabinet has set up a Plachimada Claims Tribunal to realise compensation of Rs 216.26 crore (US$ 46.2 million) from Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Company for the ecological damages it caused Plachimada village in Palakkad district of Kerala.

Photo: India Resource Center

The tribunal was announced on 30 June 2010 in the wake the recommendations of a high powered committee, headed by chief secretary K Jayakumar. It will adjudicate disputes relating to compensation for the damage the company’s cola bottling plant caused in the village by over-exploiting the groundwater resources and discharging pollutants into the water. The sum is meant to compensate Plachimada residents for agricultural losses, health problems and loss of wages, among other things. The plant in Palakkad district was closed in March 2004 following a high court order and loud protests by Plachimada residents.

Kerala chief minister VS Achuthanandan announced the setting up of the tribunal in view of the recommendations of the Jayakumar report submitted in 22 March 2010, saying a tribunal would be needed to force Coca Cola to compensate people for polluting their water resources. “Attempts of Coca Cola to delay and subvert the decisions have been defeated. The government should now ensure that no more Plachimadas are allowed to happen,” said R Ajayan, convener, Plachimada Solidarity Committee.

The committee report stated that ‘the compensation is not to be viewed as a quid pro quo for not initiating criminal charges. Therefore, Government may proceed against the company in accordance with various laws as it has violated a number of provisions.’

The high-level committee had also reported that the company had flouted the provisions of several acts, including the Water Act of 1974, the Environment Protection Act of 1986, the Factories Act of 1948 and the Hazardous Waste Rules of 1989.

In its reaction to the cabinet decision, Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd said in a statement that numerous scientific studies and investigations by independent experts and the Kerala Government itself had shown that the plant was not the cause of local water-shed issues.

“We have given our views in the past that the Jayakumar Committee was set up with the pre-determined and unproven conclusion that the operations of the HCCB Pvt Ltd have caused loss to the residents of Plachimada.”

“It is our opinion that any government committee or panel reviewing claims should first determine through an established process of law whether any damage was caused to the residents of Plachimada, and second, if such damage was caused, who was responsible,” the statement said.

For background information on agitation against Coca Cola in India visit the web site of the India Resource Center

Source: Savvy Soumya Misra, Down to Earth, 13 Jul 2010 ; PTI / DNA India, 30 Jun 2010

Procter & Gamble builds new manufacturing facility for its PUR™ Purifier of Water packets in Singapore

The Procter & Gamble (P&G) Company will build a new manufacturing facility for its PUR™ Purifier of Water packets in Singapore that is expected to be able to produce more than 200 million packets a year to help provide clean drinking water across the world.

P&G’s current manufacturing plant is based in Pakistan. The new site in Singapore will enable a significantly expanded supply of PUR packets and exceptional access to ocean and air shipping routes, which are needed to quickly reach P&G’s non-profit partners in Africa and Asia.

The announcement was made at Singapore International World Water Week. The P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program (CSDW) program has provided more than 350 million liters of clean drinking water in Asia as part of ongoing disaster relief efforts like the October 2009 earthquake in Padang, Indonesia, the company said.

The PUR packets contain a water-purifying powder technology developed by P&G and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help reduce sickness and death resulting from drinking contaminated water. One small PUR packet produces 10 liters of drinking water.

P&G will also launch new Children’s Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) programs in Cambodia, the Philippines, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe with World Vision International; in Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Namibia with Population Services International (PSI); and, in Ethiopia and Kenya with CARE.

These CSDW programs are expected to provide an additional 400 million liters of clean drinking water in the next two years to enable P&G and partners to provide a cumulative four billion liters between 2007 and 2012.

P&G had originally intended to produce PUR packets commercially, but three years of test marketing in four countries returned mostly low penetration rates as well as a weak return on investment. P&G couldn’t sustain on its own the large-scale social marketing efforts needed to get poor consumers to adopt household water treatment practices using PUR packets. Since 2004, the company donates PUR packets or provides them at cost through its non-profit CSDW partners.

A 2009 scientific review concluded that the widespread promotion of household water treatment (HWT) is premature given the available evidence.

Related web site: P&G – Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program

Related publication: USAID Global Development Alliance. (2010). Safe Drinking Water Alliance : experiences in Haiti, Ethiopia, and Pakistan : lessons for future water treatment programs. Baltimore, Maryland USA, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University. Read more

Source: Procter & Gamble, 30 Jun 2010 ; Erik Simanis, At the Base of the Pyramid, MIT Sloan Management Review, 20 Oct 2009

Water For People founder Kenneth J. Miller passes away

Kenneth J. Miller

Water for People founder Kenneth J. Miller passed away on 17 June 2010.

Miller, a life-long active member of the water and sanitation community, became president of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) in 1981. One of his main goals as president was to address AWWA’s role and responsibility to assist third-world developing countries eradicate water poverty.

As AWWA president, Miller worked tirelessly with others to establish an outreach program to assist those in underdeveloped countries obtain potable water and sanitation, and his dedication continued long after he stepped down from office. It took nearly seven years to achieve all of the approvals necessary for the new organization, and in 1991, Water For People was born.

Miller served as the first president of the board of directors for Water For People, working with the executive director to set the mission and values that continue to guide the organization.

“Ken was not just the ‘founding father’ of Water For People, but an active volunteer,” said Elisa Speranza, President of Water For People Board of Directors. “His spirit will live on in the work of Water For People, transforming the lives of thousands of people in poor communities around the world.”

Miller’s legacy is honored by the Kenneth J. Miller Founders’ Award, established in 2001 to recognize outstanding volunteers for their service and leadership in the advancement of Water For People’s mission at the local committee and regional levels.

Source: Jill Muegge, Water for People, 22 Jun 2010

Ryan Hreljac: Canadian teen who founded water charity to get Duke of Edinburgh award

Ryan Hreljac. Photo: Global and Mail

The teenage founder of a Canadian water charity will receive a gold Duke of Edinburgh award from Prince Philip, alongside the Queen. The ceremony takes place on 5 July in Toronto.

Ryan Hreljac aged 18 from Ontario founded Ryan’s Well Foundation after learning about a lack of clean water in African villages when he was 6 years old. By saving his allowance, doing extra chores and spreading the word about the clean water crisis, Ryan saved enough money to build his frist well in 1999 at the age of 7. Two years later in 2001, he set up the Ryan’s Well Foundation, which to date has helped build 564 water projects in 16 countries, bringing safe water and sanitation to more than 670,000 people.

Ryan’s message and the work of the Foundation have been featured twice on the Oprah Winfrey show, as well as on CNN.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (now officially known as The International Award) was founded in 1956 by His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh K.G. K.T. The Award is a programme that encourages youth to be active and participate in activities such as community service. So far nearly 6 million young people from 126 countries have participated in The Award.

Awards are given in three levels of which Gold is the highest.

As an Outstanding Gold Award achiever, Ryan was selected as one the 12 Peter Cruddas Social Innovators who attended a showcase event in June 2010 in London.

Related web sites:

The International Award
Ryan’s Well Foundation

Source: Kate Allen, Globe and Mail, 04 Jul 2010 ; International Award, 10 Jun 2010 ; Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (Canada), 07 May 2010

Abdou-Salam Savadogo joins WHO Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Health Unit

Mr Abdou-Salam Savadogo joined the WHO Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Health Unit in Geneva as a staff member on 24 March 2010. Mr Savadogo is now responsible for sanitation and MDG issues in the context of the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP).

Source: Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Health Newsletter, no. 120, 02 July 2010