In a fast-changing world, whether in ecological, economic or social terms, we come to the 5th World Water Forum with the firm intention to help define new growth models that need to be invented collectively. With this aim in mind, we are taking part in the Istanbul Forum in order to discuss 3 issues which we consider to be priority:

1/ Changing our business lines in order to adapt them to global changes and local needs.

Empathy, dialogue and consensus have enabled us to learn from our past experiences, to isolate the key ideas, and propose new models of intervention, based on a more open vision of water governance. In particular at the Forum we shall be presenting the new forms of intervention we have developed as part our contracts or our patronage policy, as well as the principles of social engineering used to govern those interventions. In Istanbul, we should like to begin the debate with the conditions, in particular legal and financial, for scaling up certain pilot experiments we have initiated since the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico City, in conjunction with our stakeholders.

2/ Research and innovation to serve new sustainable models

Gradually, we must integrate new requirements for sustainable development into our business lines, from controlling emissions to safeguarding natural resources, biodiversity and landscapes. This requires, for example, reconsidering of the economic models developed during a period when increasing drinking water consumption was thought to be in our collective interest. In concrete terms, this has resulted in the reorientation of our research and innovation network, and in new business offers such as Edelway. It has also resulted in an on-going analysis of the eco-environmental performance of the technologies we propose to our customers, depending on the local context. During the Istanbul Forum, in particular we wish to draw the attention of the international water community to the need for making carbon footprint a relevant criterion for selecting technical and managerial options in the services available.

3/ The place of wastewater treatment

Against a background of increasing urban development, we wish to resituate wastewater treatment as a central priority among the health and environmental issues for cities.
Based on our experience of cities such as Amman, Milan, Indianapolis or San Luis Potosi in Mexico, we want to show that over and above health and environmental requirements, investing in wastewater services is also a vector for economic and human development. We hope that the Forum will help promote the idea that wastewater is valuable. Reprocessing is an absolute necessity in order to guarantee sustainable access to drinking water for all, and means of recycling must be sought wherever water stress occurs.
 

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