The Water Balance Pilot project is an initiative of Henk Ovink, the Netherlands’ first Special Envoy for International Water Affairs. It is funded by Partners for Water, in partnership with the city of Chennai, UN-Habitat and Resilience Cities Network and supported by the UN High-level Panel on water, amongst others.

Blueprint for the city

The project serves as a model for how a city can become water-secure using Nature-based Solutions. It harvests rainwater and treats wastewater before recharging into the underground aquifer through infiltration gardens. Eva Pfannes, Director of Ooze Architects and Urbanists and team leader of City of 1000 Tanks shared details about the project: “The Water Balance Pilot project is the  first example that will reach its full potential when replicated in institutions across the city. In parallel, we plan to scale it up through a flagship project in Mylapore.”

Partners for Water

Partners for Water is honoured to make the Water Balance Pilot project financially possible. The objectives of the Partners for Water programme are to encourage knowledge sharing, innovation and an integrated approach. Through these efforts, we strive to contribute to the expansion of sustainable solutions that enhance water security. The City of 1000 Tanks seamlessly exemplifies these principles. The pilot initiative has gathered valuable knowledge and experience that can be harnessed in scaling up this innovative solution across various parts of the city and potentially beyond.

Dual-aquifer recharge wells

Generated by the 300 residents, the Water Balance Pilot project collects 27,000 litres of wastewater per day which is then treated in two stages: the first stage is where two underground anaerobic tanks, rich with microorganisms, work on the pollutants to achieve 80% of the treatment capacity and the following stage is where the water is then allowed to flow through created wetlands with helophytic plants enabling aerobic treatment. No toxic chemicals are used and the project is completely supported by solar power. Bad odours and mosquito breeding are also eliminated.

The treated water is then released to the ground through infiltration gardens. This minimum-maintenance project is equipped to harvest rainwater during Chennai’s short and intense monsoons. Dual-aquifer recharge wells collect, store, filter and finally recharge rainwater to the shallow and deep aquifers.

What is next?

To scale-up the Water Balance project to other parts of the city, the City of 1000 Tanks-team aims to involve the government such as the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board and the Greater Chennai Corporation for the greater good. In order to make Chennai water secure, they also welcome the participation from resident welfare associations, vulnerable communities, CSR partnerships and institutions.

With gratitude we look back at the ‘Social Inclusion in Water Climate Adaptation – Making a Transformation’ event, which took place on 12 September 2023 in Utrecht. Below you will find a short recap of the experiences shared by various participants.

“What I’ve learned during the event the importance of embracing diverse views and attitudes when facing collective challenges. Instead of imposing my own perspectives, I aspire to recognize the value in each other, genuinely listen, and accept potential differences as a starting point. From there, we can collectively acknowledge and address our challenges, working together to find resolution.” – Piebe Hoeksma, Dutch Water Authority

Piebe Hoeksma © Feike Faase Fotografie

“My most significant takeaway from the Social Inclusion event is the inspiring work people are already doing to address water security, aligning with my work on rainwater catchment projects in northern Kenya. I’m enthusiastic about exploring the ideas on social inclusion I’ve encountered at the event, with a view to making a lasting impact on my marginalised community in Kenya.” – Augustine Lenamoe, Npydo

Augustine Lenamoe, Npydo © Feike Faase Fotografie

“If I were to reflect on my experience of the Social Inclusion event, I’d highlight a valuable insight: it’s crucial to return to the source of our actions. Often, we assume we know what marginalised groups need and plan projects accordingly, but in reality, we know very little about their lives and circumstances. Instead, it’s wiser to ask them directly, shaping our project activities and defining short-term, mid-term and long-term goals based on their actual needs.” – Priodarshine Auvi, Oxfam Novib

Priodarshine Auvi © Feike Faase Fotografie

Interested in reading up on the event?

What does it take to usher in a socially inclusive water future? A hundred and fifty professionals from the water sector pondered this question at the ‘Social Inclusion in Water Climate Adaptation – Making a Transformation’ event, held on the 12th of September in Utrecht.

This event, organised by Partners for Water and Deltares, opened a collective dialogue. “We need an open mind, heart and will.”

“I’m so glad to see all of you”, says the host Stephanie Janssen, researcher at Deltares specialising in social inclusion, with a welcoming smile. Among the attendees are people of all ages and genders, representing various countries, cultures and organisations. As they lower the volume from their animated conversations in the plenary hall, Janssen officially kicks off the event: “Our collaborative journey to enhance a socially inclusive water world is about to begin, and it’s something none of us can achieve alone.”

Joining her is Dennis van Peppen, the Lead Water Programmes at the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. “Our journey towards promoting social inclusion and fostering transformation within the international water sector began in 2018”, he tells the audience. “Since then, we’ve witnessed growing enthusiasm at all levels of the water sector. Today, you are bringing a wealth of perspectives to this event, and I look forward to being inspired by your voices.”

“Over the last few years, I’ve seen various efforts toward mainstreaming social inclusion.
Today, I look forward to exchanging both our distinctive and shared insights.” – Participant

“I hope we leave the room not with confidence, but with a high level of enthusiasm to continuously learn, unlearn and re-learn.” – Participant

Using a framework for change

But how does one foster transformation? To cultivate an inclusive water world, we can learn from proven changemakers strategies. United in both marriage and expertise, inaugural keynote speakers Martin and Aggie Kalungu-Banda provide the audience with a comprehensive explanation of a change-management framework known as ‘Theory-U’. Both are active members of the Presencing Institute, an organisation dedicated to developing theories and practices for systems transformation. “Theory U is not our creation,” says Martin Kalungu-Banda. “after numerous dialogues and opportunities for observation, it’s the name that was given to the process that change-makers worked with to bring about deep transformation.” With unwavering passion, he continues, “Applying the Theory U framework involves, among other things, paying attention to the questions and opportunities calling out for attention. It requires active listening and emotional connection to others and the surrounding environment and doing this with an Open Mind, Open Heart and Open Will.”

Aggie Kalungu-Banda adds, “Change requires more, though. It happens when, apart from observing the world outside, we also turn the lens of observation inward, continuously enhancing our self-awareness at the individual, team, organisational and societal levels.”

Deep Diving

To translate words into action, attendees break into small groups and embark on deep dives into various themes. These sessions offer the opportunity to explore different case studies, brainstorm, engage in discussions, or even participate in a ‘therapy session’ centred around inclusivity. Participants enter these sessions with enthusiasm and vulnerability, emerging with both newfound insights and the questions that arose during their discussions.

Participants participating in one of the ten deep dive sessions © Feike Faase Fotografie

5 insights

The deep dive sessions produced various insights that differed from person to person. Here are five overarching ones.

• Acknowledge diverse approaches. There is not just one way to promote social inclusivity. The diversity among countries, villages and communities is reflected in the various potential approaches.
• Step beyond your comfort zone. This can change your perspective and improve your understanding of inclusivity. A practical approach to gaining different perspectives could be to collaborate with someone from another background within the water sector to exchange viewpoints.
• Address misconceptions and disagreements. These often arise when trying to identify those who are marginalised and those who are not. Achieving system transformation requires connection, openness, vulnerability, and engaging in conversations where everyone can both speak and listen about these differences.
• Invest time in listening. Involving people in a project and working towards sustainable results necessitates investing time in active listening.
• Find the knowledge within. The necessary knowledge sits within each of us and throughout our collective experiences. No single individual has all the answers, making our interconnectedness essential.

5 questions

There are still many questions to be explored, such as:

• When is something genuinely inclusive?
• How do we ascertain whether we are working inclusively?
• How do you strike a balance between a top down and a bottom-up approach?
• Who defines the true needs and goals of a project?
• How can we scale up socially inclusive projects?

“Sometimes, we think we know best because we are the practitioners. But it’s all about listening and being compassionate to each other. Let’s discuss how we can let go of our arrogance and how to embrace curiosity!” – Participant

Stepping into the future

Reflecting on the event, attendees express a deep sense of resonance, departing with seeds of hope and concrete ideas to continue the journey of improving social inclusion in the water sector. Many feel that they’ve forged stronger connections with each other, thanks to their willingness to engage in conversations with open minds, open hearts and open wills.

Everyone realises that enhancing social inclusion within water and climate adaptation doesn’t require a hurrid leap forward. Instead, it demands time for reflection and an embrace of diversity. Although it may seem like a complicated challenge with many unanswered questions, as one participant aptly put it: “it’s actually quite simple to start – just begin with listening.”

How can you collectively achieve successful implementation of sustainable solutions? This question lies at the heart of Stephanie Janssen’s work. As a researcher at Deltares, she specialises in social inclusion.

In anticipation of the ‘Social Inclusion in Water Climate Adaptation’ event, organised by Partners for Water and Deltares on 12 September, Stephanie discusses the significance of fostering inclusive transformation within the water sector.

In reaching genuine sustainable solutions, Stephanie believes it takes a collective effort. She cites a walk across clayey fields along the Friesland coast as an example. Here, the power of diverse voices became vividly apparent to her. “With local farmers, researchers and individuals from nature organisations and water institutes, we thought about sustainable coastal defenses in Friesland., we went out into the field together to devise solutions. The valuable ideas that surfaced could not have been conceived alone by one individual.”

Expect the unexpected

Conceiving ideas in a Friesian field is just one of the many examples Stephanie passionately highlights while emphasising the significance of social inclusion. “Water challenges are complex and lack of a single solution. The beauty of social inclusion is that you don’t have to face these complex challenges alone. Every time I collaborate with fellow stakeholders and remain open to the unexpected, powerful solutions emerge. And I see that this open mindset is gaining momentum within the water sector.”

Significant critiques

While the water sector is now actively pursuing an inclusive transformation, this hasn’t always been the case. A few years ago, the sector faced significant criticism from scientists, NGOs and journalists. Stephanie explains: “Professionals in the water sector often work with a passion to create positive change. However, solutions didn’t always align with the local context, stakeholders were insufficiently engaged and marginalised groups were often overlooked.” In response to this critique, a turning point emerged. “In the water sector, we made the collective decision to enhance our practices and deepen our understanding of social inclusion.”

Stephanie Janssen – Photo by Guus Schoonewille

Putting into practice

“Our challenge? To listen with an open mindset and curiosity,” Stephanie explains. She clarifies that she doesn’t limit this challenge solely to the design and implementation of water-related solutions, but to apply it at all levels. “I believe this mindset is equally important during discussions and reflections on social inclusivity. I make an effort to identify and set aside my own assumptions and to be genuinely curious about others’ perspectives. It’s not always easy, but it consistently brings valuable insights,” she emphasises.

Learning Together

The desire to embrace social inclusion at all levels is not unique to Stephanie. “The theme resonates greatly within the international water community. For instance, this became clear during the UN Water conference in March this year, where inclusion was one of the core values. I’ve noticed that motivation to collaborate on improving social inclusion is evident on all sides. That’s also one of the reasons why we’ve organised the ‘Social Inclusion in Water Climate Adaptation’ event,” she explains. The event is intended for professionals from private and public organisations, NGOs and knowledge institutions. “We will exchange ideas and experiences and explore how we can collectively progress on this theme as individuals, organisations and collectively in the water sector.”

Taking the next steps

“During the event, we will delve into what participants currently perceive and experience in the water sector, along with the challenges they encounter,” explains Stephanie. “Various individuals will share cases and insights, including Meike van Ginneken, the new Water Envoy of the Netherlands. Through interactive sessions, we aim to listen deeply to each other and collectively set new goals to enhance inclusivity within the water sector. Together, we will take the next steps towards a more inclusive water world.”

Combating water scarcity by integrating circular water systems into a bustling Mexican market. This requires not only innovative technology, but also clever spatial design and a deep understanding of the political and social context. Calzada del Agua meets that requirement.

Their feasibility study, funded by Partners for Water, is coming to a successful conclusion. The key to its success? “Combining each other’s strengths.”

It’s a rainy afternoon when Karina Peña sits down in her office in the Dutch city of Delft. The glass wall and open metal shelving reveal a glimpse of vibrant activity. The innovative start-up’s CEO and co-founder explains: “Here at FieldFactors, we’re producing unique modular systems to make locations or facilities water-neutral and climate-resilient – we call them ‘BlueBloqs’. They consist of products for rainwater purification and control and monitoring that work together seamlessly”. Karina strongly believes in the power of working together – and not just when it comes to products. “We’re the technical partner of the consortium behind Calzada del Agua and together we aim to tackle Mexico’s severe water scarcity.”

Karina Peña by Guus Schoonewille

Creating synergy

The project benefits from the expertise shared by each consortium partner. For instance, while FieldFactors provides BlueBloqs, urban planning firm Beccan Davila + Puentes (BD+P) handles the spatial design, integrating FieldFactors’ technology into regional settings. Additionally, the Mexican consultancy agency Centro SC provides valuable support by managing the regulatory context and relevant stakeholders. “It’s a fruitful, complementary collaboration,” Karina says. “Since we had never worked together before, we had to get to know each other first. How could we create synergy? Clear communication turned out to be crucial – for example, to discuss what each of us could bring to the table and what we expected from one another.”

Bridging differences

The consortium adopted a proactive approach in order to understand the full implications of the partners’ differences and align their perspectives. “From the start, we defined a shared vision and project goals identifying the best ways to support each other in pursuing those goals.” This meant, for instance, combining each other’s risk perceptions. “Service providers, who mainly invest in work hours, perceive other risks than a technology provider like us”, Karina explains. “FieldFactors invests in materials and needs to deliver a product overseas. And we care about the future maintenance of the BlueBloqs.”

Bluebloq circular water system

Sharing experience

The differences between the three organisations are not just a challenge. They are also extremely valuable. “We wouldn’t be working on this project right now if it weren’t for the collaboration with the BD+P and Centro SC”, Karina says. “At FieldFactors, we had no prior experience in Mexico. So, we lacked local networks, as well as a thorough understanding of the institutional and regulatory context there. Our consortium partners had those networks and knowledge of the local context. Their extensive experience in Mexico is one of the main factors contributing to the potential success of the Calzada del Agua project.”

Stakeholder engagement

“We must actively involve local stakeholders if we want our project to have real and lasting impact”, says Karina. “From the local government to the water authority and from the water utility to end-users. They need to be on board.” That’s why the consortium has held numerous workshops with these stakeholders. “In Mexico, involving the authorities and end users is crucial for projects like ours to succeed. If you don’t engage with the local authorities from day one, you won’t make any progress. To create ownership and interest, it’s critical that they take part in creating the solutions. That’s why we asked them: what are your needs? How do you think a rainwater reuse system can work?’ We spent time genuinely listening to their input and that was reciprocated with enthusiasm and support from them!”

Stakeholder engagement in the Mexican city of Oaxaca

What’s next?

With the feasibility testing coming to an end, the consortium partners now find themselves at a time of realignment. “Having identified a receptive market, we are now discussing how to implement the BlueBloqs technology in Mexico and how we can continue working together. In the coming period, we will explore how to accomplish this effectively and what is required to grow as a consortium.

Like many coastal cities, Colombia’s city of Cartagena faces major challenges concerning climate adaptation. For instance, more than a quarter of the city could be affected by flooding by 2040.

As part of the collaboration ‘Water as Leverage Cartagena – Construyendo con el Agua’, two international multidisciplinary teams have started co-designing solutions for water and climate related challenges. Workshops with various stakeholders provided new insights on how to tackle these challenges and improve the city’s water system.

Water as Leverage Cartagena draws on the knowledge of two consortia comprising of a diverse group of experts from the Netherlands, Colombia and other international partners to develop projects that address the city’s water and climate adaptation challenges. In order to increase water security in Cartagena the main goal for these two multidisciplinary teams is to generate innovative and inclusive conceptual designs, as well as to develop project proposals to a pre-feasibility level and transform them into ready-to-tender projects.

Co-creating innovative conceptual designs

Local Design Workshops

On 6 and 7 July 2023, representatives from various sectors, such as academia, private enterprises, NGOs, governments and residents from Cartagena came together to participate in the second Local Design Workshop. Together, they proposed ideas for potential projects to foster sustainable urban planning for climate resilience and integrated water management.

Participants sharing their perspectives during the second Local Design Workshop

Opportunities and challenges

In order to jointly design suitable solutions, the teams highlighted the opportunities and challenges of Cartagena’s water management. One of the opportunities, they noted, is the city’s own ecosystem which includes characteristics similar to other cities such as Venice, San Francisco, Amsterdam and Rio de Janeiro. The city is surrounded by water, comprising of lakes, wetlands, canals and coastline. Since all of it is interconnected, it makes for a unique aquatic landscape.

Given that the impact of climate change is projected to increase the drought and flood vulnerability of the city, the main challenge seems to be to try and coexist with water. In order to do this, it is necessary to reconsider how water functions as the center of urban planning and the engine of economic and social transformation.

Water as Leverage Cartagena

Co-creating water solutions

The central question during the workshops was ‘How can we rethink water as an opportunity, rather than a risk’. The two teams presented a range of innovative designs that included Nature Based Solutions and addressed the city’s challenges related to water and climate management. These designs not only considered flood reduction, but also social, economic and biodiversity issues. The participants shared their perspectives, as well as ideas about the problems in their areas. In the upcoming months, the multidisciplinary teams will continue their work on the conceptual designs and integrate the participants’ feedback. A third workshop is planned in September to present and discuss the revised designs based on the participants suggestions.

Group photo of the two teams and participants of the workshops

Water as Leverage Cartagena

Read more about the start of the Water as Leverage Cartagena project and the two multidisciplinary teams.

It is early in the morning when Lindsey Schwidder, Celestina Danso Arhin and Patrick Tannor sit down at the breakfast bar of a hotel in The Hague. The latter two, director and business developer respectively of Holland Greentech Ghana, came all the way from Africa. They are part of a Ghana Netherlands Business Council delegation and they are in the Netherlands to meet with Lindsey, Project Manager Water at Delft University of Technology. The two organisations are partners in the consortium behind SOSIA+.

Patrick, Celestina and Lindsey

Shared expertise

Lindsey is SOSIA+’s project leader. With a Masters in society, science and technology, she looks at the applicability of new technologies through a sociological lens. “In my work”, she explains, “I always try to figure out how complex technologies could work in practice”. Lindsey coordinates various international collaboration projects at TU Delft, of which SOSIA+ is one. “I am the nexus for these projects, responsible for ensuring that everyone can bring in their relevant expertise”.

Supporting farmers

“Using water efficiently and seeing farming as a serious business is still uncommon in Ghanaian horticulture”, says Patrick. “Smallholders use their farms to sustain their families and don’t always see it as a way to make money. We make useful technology and knowledge accessible to them, such as the SOSIA+’s smart irrigation system”. Lindsey adds: “This system will support farmers by providing irrigation advice regarding the necessary water volumes and duration of irrigation for the cultivated crop types. The use of real-time local weather data is unique in this regard.”

Ghanaian farmers working with the smart irrigation system

Accessible service

The project builds on years of collaboration between TU Delft, Holland Greentech and Ghanaian farmers. “A few years ago, together with TU Delft, we designed the ‘Farming as a Business’ course”, says Celestina. “While teaching the course, the idea arose to make an accessible smart irrigation service available to these farmers”. The innovative tool was designed in collaboration with Future Water, a Dutch consultancy and research company and TAHMO a social enterprise initiative, with hundreds of weather stations across Africa.

Local collaboration

“Farmers are not just users but also local partners in promoting and disseminating our service”, Patrick says. “Thanks to previous successful, long-term collaborations, there is strong support among the farmers for implementing a pilot project like this. The farmers we work with have realised first-hand that they can save a lot of money with our technologies, knowledge and services. This often makes them very enthusiastic about participating. They are truly our ambassadors and share their acquired knowledge and experiences with as many as 100 to 200 other farmers in the region.”

Ghanaian farmers working with the smart irrigation system

Experiencing impact

“We consider water conservation very important”, says Lindsey. “But Ghanaian farmers often have other priorities. That’s why we also focus on what matters to them. For example, we link our technology’s impact in the field to the reduced operational hours of the pump – in other words, to lower fuel costs.” Celestina adds: “The most important thing is that we really work with the farmers in the field and receive feedback from them. They are ultimately the ones who have to work with the system and feel its impact.”

Tool development

Lindsey explains that the pilot project aims to cover two growing seasons. “This will not only involve showcasing the service and monitoring water and cost savings, it will also make the SOSIA+ tool more accurate and smarter through corroboration by the farmers. In the coming period, we will train 15 farmers to irrigate a portion of their land using the smart irrigation system and to monitor the outcomes. And then, the pilot project will get started!”

TU Delft project members visiting Holland Greentech Ghana and the Ghanaian farmers

Innovation in progress series

The Partners for Water programme follows several projects that received the Partners for Water funding from start to finish. Over the next few years, these projects will take you on their journey of testing the feasibility or application of innovative solutions to enhance water security abroad. You’ll be able to gain insights into their processes, collaborations with local partners and their potential solutions; as well as their struggles, challenges and their lessons learned.

Competition for fresh water

‘Drought exacerbates existing challenges in the Southern African region, such as food security and sustainability’, explains Ralf. ‘Population growth, economic development and the deterioration of water quality and availability brought on by climate change all contribute to increased competition for fresh water. But that’s not all. Take cyclone Freddy, for example; in a short amount of time, extreme heavy rains caused devastating flooding. For both the day-to-day and seasonal management of water resources, these issues require up-to-date information on forecasted water availability.’

The GLOW-project was initiated to address this need. Ralf not only acts as project manager; he was also involved in creating the operational system that GLOW uses. ‘The goal of this project is to pilot an operational service that forecasts – availability and demand – water resource information. Focusing on water stored in reservoirs, soils and groundwater bodies, the project spans across an entire cross-border water resources system’,  Ralph adds.

Dutch and Southern African expertise brought together

For this project, HydroLogic is working together with FutureWater and Emanti. Ralf explains: ‘HydroLogic specialises in providing decision support services for water managers through HydroNET; an open platform which translates massive amounts of data into useable information for water managers. FutureWater’s area of expertise is evaluation and planning: how do you optimally divide the available water? And Emanti is our local partner who understands all the main social, political, legal and cultural characteristics of users and catchments in Southern Africa.’

Transboundary water security

‘What makes this project unique is using and combining proven techniques to produce operational water availability and demand, up to several months in advance’, Ralf tells us. ‘This will help water managers to make timely decisions. GLOW will also provide this information on a transboundary catchment level. That means water managers from different countries work together to share information and make decisions that are primarily in the interest of the entire catchment – and not just for their own area’, Ralf explains.

‘Different existing models and systems interact with each other. One of the problems we had in this region was a lack of data; it’s hard to build and validate a complex system without it. That’s why we chose to work with techniques that have already been successful elsewhere. We also continuously talk to other HydroNET-users about their experiences such as what were their challenges and how did they resolve them? This way you can come up with a package of well working water management solutions.’

Co-creation with end users

Another way to gather knowledge is by speaking to all of the African parties involved: ‘Like the Joint River Basin Authority in Eswatini, an important stakeholder in this project’, Ralf says. ‘I’ve spent a lot of time talking to the end users – the water managers in the three participating countries. They are the ones making decisions on how to divide the scarce water. I often heard: “I’m missing information on this or on that, can you do something about this?” For me personally, it became my drive to support them in making water management in Southern Africa more sustainable. Understanding their needs and challenges is the starting point in achieving this.’

Pains and gains

Organising workshops is a good way to gain that understanding. Ralf adds: ‘We recently held one in Eswatini to gather regional knowledge. By using the concept of “pains and gains”, we identified the most important stakeholders, placed ourselves in their role and came up with direct solutions that benefit their interests. The fact that the local partners we invited also included their water stakeholder they work with, such as agricultural co-operations and disaster management organisations in the workshop was something I really appreciated. This not only demonstrated their involvement, but it also helped us a great deal to make sure that what we build fits well to the challenges they’re facing.’