Get involved! SNV’s #UrbanResilience initiatives for Urban October
A safely managed sanitation system is not the first thing that comes to mind when we paint an image of a resilient city. This #UrbanOctober we’re shedding light on the crucial role of sanitation, its connections with our water security, and the need to collaboratively build resilient cities, especially as urban populations continue to grow.
Throughout October, we’re organising several multi-stakeholder exchanges to tackle different aspects of citywide sanitation. Because while these systems are not the most obvious features of #UrbanResilience – they’re essential in preventing water-borne diseases, the pollution of vital water sources, and disruptions to daily life and our access to a range of human rights.
You’re invited to participate in any or all these events!
E-group consultation: urban infrastructure investments
Online consultation
11-23 October 2023
Register to our Sustainable Urban Water Cycles E-Group now
The multi-faceted reasons behind investment (and investment practice) and failing urban infrastructure must be understood better. Ahead of a UNC Water & Health Conference session titled, ‘Do you dare to rethink urban infrastructure investment?’ SNV is organising an e-group consultation to gain broader and more diverse perspectives on the subject, consolidate these in a summary report, and share these during the UNC conference, AfricaSan, and IWA. This consultation will be hosted on the Sustainable Urban Water Cycles E-group, and you're more than welcome to contribute!
Professionalised, climate-resilient, and safe desludging
Wednesday, 25 October, 1:30-3:00 pm EDT
Convenors: SNV, NWASCO Zambia, MPWH DoH Indonesia, CWS CEPT University in India
Register to attend in person or virtually here
On-site sanitation is a cost-efficient alternative to piped systems, but they’re not easy to garner private sector interest and they’re not always managed professionally. Among others, this situation raises concerns about groundwater contamination, a critical source of global freshwater. During this session, we’re building on the example of scheduled desludging, an on-site service arrangement that is raising private sector interest in Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Zambia – all while balancing the need to protect public health, the safety of sanitation workers, and ensuring that services are within the reach of low-income groups.
Do you dare to rethink urban WASH infrastructure investment?
Friday, 27 October, 8:30-10:00 AM EDT
Convenors: USAID, UTS-ISF, Kampala City Authority, Centre for Water and Sanitation, CRDF, CEPT University in India, and SNV
Register to attend in person or virtually here
A significant majority of infrastructure for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is approaching the end of its expected lifespan. Already, they’re failing to deliver to the current and future needs of city populations. During this session, participants will discuss several measures to ensure that investments in sanitation are cost-efficient and sustainable, citywide, adaptive to changes (populations, climate, etc.), participatory and inclusive (leaving no one behind), and environmentally friendly.
#UrbanResilience
Poorly managed sanitation and its interaction with population growth, unchecked global capitalism, and climate change, pose significant threats to humanity.
Amplify global calls for greater attention, investment, and transparency for sanitation throughout the month of October.
In your sanitation-related posts, use hashtags #UrbanResilience and/or #Sanitation4ClimateAction.