Corporate interview with International Water Association (IWA)’s Sarah Tibatemwa

Sarah Tibatemwa the regional Director of International Water Association (IWA) Africa, during the interview in her office based in Nairobi, Kenya. PHOTO: NANJINIA WAMUSWA

The International Water Association (IWA) is a global network of leading water professionals working to deliver equitable and sustainable solutions. It has regional offices in Africa (Nairobi), South East Asia (Bangkok) and China. Sarah Tibatemwa, IWA Africa’s regional director, discusses the organisation’s mission.

What’s your role at IWA, and what programmes define the organisation?

I am involved in supporting the implementation of IWA programmes and strategy in Africa. This includes working closely with water professionals, and national and international partners within the region to deliver equitable and sustainable water solutions.

In appreciating the central role of water towards achieving economic and human development, as well as environmental sustainability, IWA has five programmes — basins of the future, cities of the future, urban sanitation, water supply services, and water, climate and energy.

All these are about improving the quality of tap water, its supply and preserving water catchment areas in developing countries. Water really is life, and must be given the attention it deserves across the world.

In your estimation, what has enabled the existence of so many unscrupulous water bottling companies?

There’s a market because people don’t trust tap water. They think bottled water is the safest. Unfortunately, it is not always so, and can be dangerous when it is unlawfully manufactured with the aim of making money. The big question is why people seem to not trust tap water. It is time water stakeholders convinced people to have confidence in tap water. I also think there aren’t clear policy measures and standards for bottling water.

Are we wasting water?

Yes. Many African countries are thinking about the water used for drinking, but no one is concerned about what is used in industrial and agricultural activities. As a result, people are using treated, quality water for farming and washing vehicles instead of drinking it. This is utter waste.

How is IWA creating awareness on the proper use of water?

We are advocating that treated and good quality water be reserved for human consumption. Rain water should be harvested, stored and used for things like industrial activities and farming (irrigation). Proper use of water will make the resource sufficient for everyone. In short, different qualities of water should be used for different uses. We also campaign for water recycling.

What are your achievements so far?

After marketing IWA and its programmes in Africa, more countries are adopting and implementing water safety plans as a means of improving the safety of drinking water.

In October 2013, l lobbied, won and
successfully hosted the third IWA Water Development Congress in Nairobi that saw
a record attendance and participation of over 1,000 delegates from more than 74 countries, even after the infamous Westgate terrorist attack in the city. Being the first of its kind in Africa, bidding to host the congress was a fierce battle, but we beat contenders like Morocco and South Africa.

IWA is also mentoring young women and water professionals who want to make an impact in the water sector.

What are the biggest challenges IWA faces?

The major issue is finance. The amount spent worldwide on water services and infrastructure is less than 1 per cent of global gross domestic product. Considering how important water is in our lives, we need to allocate more money to it. This will have the added benefit of reducing the costs of delivering the resource to consumers.

In Africa, there is a lot of political interference, which affects major decisions in the water sector. In some places, there is a lack of legal and institutional enforcement.

What do you want your legacy to be?

I am passionate about quality drinking water and its availability to all. I also want to see more women sit at the table, making decisions in the water sector.

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