Webinar: Navigating Water Sustainability Challenges in Small and Isolated Islands
Join us for a webinar on Navigating Water Sustainability Challenges in Small and Isolated Islands, organised as part of the 3SWater Project funded by the Water and Development Partnership Programme.
About the project
The 3SWater project aims to enhance water system resilience in the vulnerable outer islands of the Maldives. Communities like Mulah face challenges with groundwater reliance, seasonal shortages, and unsafe sanitation, despite government efforts to build desalination-based water supplies. To address this, 3SWater combines traditional knowledge with scientific methods, promoting citizen engagement through activities such as household infiltration pits for groundwater recharge and citizen-led water quality monitoring with accessible testing kits. The project also emphasizes environmental education and capacity development for local councils.
Programme
This session will explore the pressing challenges of providing safe drinking water in the Maldives and discuss innovative, community-driven solutions. Speakers will discuss how the 3SWater project integrates traditional knowledge with scientific approaches to strengthen water resilience in island communities.
Webinar topics:
- Water-related challenges in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
- Community-based sanitary surveillance, water sampling, and quality monitoring in the Maldives
- Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA)
- Water Safety Plan (WSP)
Moderator: IHE Delft Associate Professor Assela Pathirana will moderate the discussion.
Speakers:
- Neha Wachasunder, Research Associate, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research - National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI)
- Rachna Jain, Principal Scientist, CSIR-NEERI
- Atul Maldhure, Principal Scientist, CSIR-NEERI
Registration
Assela Pathirana
Associate Professor in Water Infrastructure Asset Management
Related
News ·
Research paper: SIDS key to global solutions for climate change and other challenges
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are key to the quest for solutions to global challenges like climate change, Assela Pathirana, IHE Delft Associate Professor of in Water Infrastructure Asset Management, argues in a new research paper. Local solutions used and tested on small islands can inspire climate adaptation solutions in larger settings elsewhere in the world.
Student testimonial ·
Madoche Jean Louis
Madoche Jean Louis is from Haiti and he is studying the Master Water Science and Engineering with a specialization in Hydraulic Engineering and River Basin Development. One year ago, he was searching on the Internet for a Master’s degree in Europe. It was a dream for Madoche to study in Europe. Madoche has a SIDS scholarship (Small Island Developing States), funded by the Netherlands Government).
Student testimonial ·
Raksha Rani