106th Aguasan Meeting – MINUTES - SDC Water Network

AGUASAN Group 

106 th Aguasan Meeting – MINUTES 

Date & Time: 

Venue: 

Chair: 

Participants: 

Guests: 

Apologies: 

Thursday, 9th September 2010, 10h15 – 16h30 

Intercooperation, Maulbeerstr. 10, 3001 Bern, see 

http://www.intercooperation.ch/icplan-fullsize.gif 

Katharina Conradin (seecon) 

Felix Gnehm (WWF); Julie Bergamin (Antenna/eauservice Lausanne); François 

Münger (SDC); Roger Schmid (skat); Anne Sophie Aublet (Skat); Thomas Zeller 

(SDC); Susanne Enz Dia (Caritas); Elizabeth Tilley (Eawag/Sandec); Regula Meierhofer 

(Eawag/Sandec); Albert Bürgi (Helvetas); Vessela Monta (IRHA); Antoine 

Delepiere (tdh); Elisabeth Pitteloud (SDC); Urs Heierli (skat); Daniel Mäusezahl (Swiss 

TPH); Anton Kohler (W3W); 

Nathalie Erard (PA IV/FDFA); Tania Rohrer (Helvetas); 

Bernhard Hiller (Skat Moldavia); Chris Zurbrügg (Eawag/Sandec); Claudio Valsangicomo 

(KFH); Vanessa Fahkry (eauservie Lausanne); Carole de Bazignan (Antenna); 

Gudrun Schwilch (CDE); Armon Hartmann (Priv.); Martin Suhr (Worldvision); Erich 

Baumann (skat); Manuel Thurnhofer (SDC); Dorothee Spuhler (seecon); Johannes 

Heeb (seecon), Colin McCubbin (Medair); Agnès Montangero (Skat); Christ Morger 

(Intercooperation); Ulrich Bachmann (TearFund); Margarita Pacheco Montes 

(Centro de Estudios del Neotropico); Markus Schäfer (SDC); 

Topic Summary Presenter 

Welcome, 

rapporteur, last 

minutes, 

agenda 

The CHAST 

Approach 

106 th Aguasan Meeting, 

Chair: Katharina Conradin (seecon) 

Minutes 106 th meeting: Liz Tilley (Eawag) 

The need for a Child-centred approach was presented with a specific 

focus on results from Somaliland. The thinking is that children 

can still change habits, and act as agents. The importance of context-specific 

graphics and tools (e.g. puppets) was noted. A variety 

of interactive activities are used to illustrate the difference between 

good and bad practices (memory games, etc.). The challenges are 

now: how to affect large scale change, how to monitor result and 

the training of facilitators. Scaling up was seen as particularly important 

since small, locally adapted projects require a great deal of 

time and do not reach the desired numbers. It was suggested that 

universally recognizable images could be used (e.g. a frog) to reduce 

the need for continually re-inventing the material. The projects 

have not been running for long enough to really produce data at 

this point, but it will be collected in the future. 

Katharina 

Conradin; 

All 

Susanne Enz 

Dia (Caritas) 

HCES - 

solid waste 

management 

system in Burkina 

Faso 

The presentation is attached (CHAST.pdf) 

Helvetas has completed an HCES (Household-Centred Environmental 

Sanitation) project in Bogandé, Burkina Faso. The project 

was jointly funded (50,000 Helvetas and 5000 CHF Bogandé) to improve 

solid waste collection, based on an expression of interest from 

the local government. A collection system, operated by a local 

women’s group has been implemented, though not for the entire 

community. A report is available (see attached file Helve- 

Tania Rohrer 

(Helvetas) 


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tas_Publication_AECM_Bogande_Fr_comp_final.pdf) and Tanja will 

provide more reports for review, later on. It was also noted that new 

HCES guidelines will be produced by Eawag-Sandec in the coming 

year and they should provide more concrete tools and help to simplify 

the process. 

Framework for 

an impact 

assessment of 3 

different intervention 

strategies 

used for 

scaling up 

HWTS, Hygiene 

and CLTS in 

Cholera prone 

areas in Kenya 

The presentation is attached (see file HCES-Bogande.pdf) 

Two projects were presented: 

1. Impact assessment of large-scale WASH promotion in choleraprone 

areas in Kenya. A 1.5 year evaluation of the impact of WASH 

programs will be started. The project will not only address SODIS but 

will include different technologies, e.g. membrane systems. The 

challenge faced now is working in cholera-prone districts where 

products were distributed for free, and where there will now be resistance 

to paying. Unicef will be doing the implementation and 3ie 

(international initiative for impact evaluation). 

Regula 

Meierhofer 

(Eawag/ 

Sandec) 

Globally scaling 

up WASH 

through a 

household 

centred approach 

Recent developments 

regarding 

the 

human right to 

water 

2. Project proposal: Scaling up WASH improvements through a 

household-centered approach based on demand and behaviour 

change 

The proposal addresses the integration of experiences from previous 

approaches for promoting WASH, to address the current shortcomings 

in meeting the MDGs. Ideally, the project would last for 2 years 

and would be carried out in 4 countries (2 African, 1 Asian, 1 Latin 

American). The goal of the project would be to improve WASH conditions 

of one million underserved people in the rural areas of lowincome 

countries with a proven framework, approach and methodologies 

for implementation “at scale”. Specifically, the project would 

result in improved strategies, documentation and capacities and 

would result in improved WASH conditions for 1 million people with 

proven methodologies for scaling up and a strengthened, more empowered 

political sector. 

The two presentations Scaling up WASH_RM.pdf and Impact Assessment_RM.pdf 

are attached. 

The question of whether or not water is a “human right” has been 

discussed at the General Assembly of the United Nations and a resolution 

has been adopted, but what it means is not clear, i.e. the 

scope, the technical details etc. Does the “right to water” necessarily 

mean “free water”? this is the question. Usually, a resolution must 

be passed by consensus, but in this case, the US asked for a vote: 

122 countries in Favour. No countries voted against and 41 countries 

abstained (including the US, UK, Australia, Netherlands and Canada 

:-( Switzerland and Liechtenstein voted in Favour :-) There will 

now be rigorous discussion and negotiation about the definitions, the 

inclusion of the informal sector, etc. It was noted that SDC uses the 

WHO definition of 20L/person/day, though every country defines its 

own quality, quantity, accessibility, affordability, and cultural measures 

of water provision. The resolution is non-binding but it is a strong 

incentive and instrument. 

There is a report Report of the independent expert on the issue of 

human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water 

and 

sanitation, Catarina de Albuquerque (see attached Human Right to 

Water_ENG.pdf) 

It was noted that this is 60 years after the Human Rights declaration 

François 

Münger 

(SDC)/ 

Nathalie… 


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Swiss Water 

Partnerships – 

update and 

next steps 

Update on 

Solidarit’eau 

(which included water but not sanitation!) 

The goal of the SWP is to create a large partnership to be present at 

large events and to speak with one voice. In France, Holland and 

Germany there are partnerships, but they are more businessfocused. 

There have been discussions with Nestlé, Helvetas and 

various governmental agencies about the partnership, which will 

include a small secretariat, though it will not be hosted by SDC. 

There are now 60 municipalities funding water and sanitation projects 

in Developing countries and 40 which have the official “Solidarit’eau” 

label. They are the ones that give 1 cent/rappen/ cubic 

metre of water sold. So far Lausanne has given 130,000CHF to a project 

in Mauritania. 

François 

Münger 

(SDC) 

Julie Bérgamin 

/ 

Thomas 

Zeller 

At the Water event on 15 September, there will be a Solidarit’eau 

stand which will be used to help push other municipalities to be included. 

On 24th November (mark your calendars!) there will be a presentation 

at SDC about the Lausanne project. A representative from Mauritania 

will be there and he is looking to learn more about low-cost 

sanitation. 

There was a small conflict between the Solidarit’eau and the Federation 

of Cantons in the French speaking part of CH, because the 

members are tiny NGOs and therefore do not qualify for the Solidarit’eau 

process. After negotations, there has been an agreement 

on how to proceed: basically, experts are first certified (if they are 

known, they are exempt) and then they can pass on projects from 

the Federation to Solidarit’eau. 

The complete system is explained in the diagram attached (Relations 

Solidariteau.pdf) 

The Aguasan members decided to make a review committee. it will 

consist of members from Research (Sandec, Liz Tilley or Linda 

Gaulke), practice ( Felix Gnehm) and policy (Thomas Zeller and/or 

Roger and/or Francois). 

SDC Water 

Initiatives Major 

Events 2010: 

feedback from 

“Ambassadors 

Conference 

2010” and Outlook 

on “Water 

Event – 

15.09.10” / 

“Sommet de la 

Francophonie” 

It was noted that irrigation projects are not being accepted. 

The Ambassadors event was attended by 200 people, with many 

high level people and ambassadors. The speeches and materials, 

etc. are available on the SDC Réseau. The conclusion of Mrs Calmy- 

Rey was that water IS a global issue. She has asked SDC to crate a 

platform with a special focus on Central Asia, because she sees that 

as a strategic area. 

There was very good feedback from the Ambassadors, mostly they 

said that they were not aware of how important water was, but it 

was sometimes too technical, but they enjoyed the discussions and 

the nice atmosphere. 

François 

Münger/ 

Anne Sophie 

Aublet 

(Skat) 

The Water Event will (did) happen on 15 September. All of the parliamentarians 

were invited along with the public and the media. 

Several high level speakers were invited along with various NGOs 

and organizations that will have stands and present their work. Essentially, 

the idea is to show how efficient the water sector is and to 

apply pressure to parliamentarians to increase the development 

spending from 0.45 to 0.5 % 


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Update on the 

AGUASAN 

Workshop Series 

Feedback from 

the IGE/KfW 

Conference on 

“Water and 

Evaluation” 

Berlin 

The Sommet de la Francophonie happens from 22-24 October with 

the themes of food security, climate change and environment. The 

stands however will be there for the whole week (16-23). The conference 

will be open to the public but about 200-300 people will go 

on a cruise. The H2O stand will be set up in Montreaux in a Chalet at 

the SDC stand of Solidarit’eau. 

The 26th meeting happened on 26th June 2010 with the topic of 

“from Haute Cuisine” to “good fast food”. There is no secured funding 

for the next meeting, but the site is booked from 20-24 June 2011. 

Therefore a new proposal is needed. The committee will meet in 

September to discuss topics for the next meeting. 

(see Aguasan 26.pdf) 

Roger attended the World bank Evaluation of Water and Development 

(1997-2007) in Berlin. The findings indicated that 31%of projects 

were water related and that lending for water was up 51% over that 

period. The performance had increased, especially in Africa, that 

rural projects perform better than urban and that there is an increased 

focus on sanitation. 

Roger 

Schmit 

(Skat) 

Roger 

Schmid 

(Skat) 

Varia 

(see Berlin_World Bank meeting.pdf) 

Seecon: the beta version of the “toolbox” is available 

Eawag: the Spanish language compendium should be ready withinthe 

next month or two. 

All 

The next meeting will be 9 December. 


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106th Aguasan Meeting – MINUTES - SDC Water Network

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