Keynote address on 'Climate Change, Sanitation and Water Resources' at WRC RDI Symposium at Johannesburg, South Africa (16-18 Sept.2015)

WRC Research Development and Innovation Symposium and Water Tech Summit organised by Water Research Commission, South Africa was held at Johannesburg from 16-18 Sept. 2015. Dr Suresh Rohilla, Programme Director – Water Management , delivered a keynote address on 'Climate Change, Sanitation and Water Resources' in the plenary session at the symposium on 17th Sept. 2015.  The international event was attended by over 500 key water sector professional, decision makers, researchers and NGOs. The symposium attracted participants from 20 countries.     

The planery session was followed with a panel discussion on  ' Resilience in the face of uncertainty:  why water cooperation is necessary. The discussion highlighted the need for decentralized water management to build resilience in wake of uncertainty associated with climate change as well as need for south -south partnerships / knowledge exchange ( also focus of CSE global programme) including the need to capacitate real users and implementers - urban local bodies and non-state actors.

The symposium was followed with Tech-Summit on Sept. 18 with sessions and exhibit of interesting water and sanitation technology products - example: water less toilet (that incinerates faeces), water efficient toilet (consumes 2400 lit / year per family in place of 32000 lit/ per family and leak less valve for toilet flush). 

The tech-summit WRC Knowledge Tree Awards 2015 award ceremony was held on 17 Sept, 2015 at Tambo Conference Centre, Johannesburg. 

The summit provided great opportunity to present CSE Water Programme activities and connect with global research centres - WRC, South .Africa and Water, Environment Research Foundation, USA keen to explore opportunities for partnership. 

Dr Suresh Rohilla was invited to WRC, Head office at Pretoria and University of Kwazulu – Natal Pollution Research Group at Durban. 

Dr Rohilla 19-20 Sept discussed potential collaboration on Faecal Sludge Management with PRG UKZN team leader Prof Chris Buckley and his team. 

Dr Rohilla gave a talk on ‘ About CSE and its global programme activities ‘ on 22 Sept. 2015 at WRC Head office at Pretoria. The lecture was attended by WRC Research Managers and discussions ended with identified areas of potential colloboration between both institutions.