The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka, in cooperation with German Water Partnership (GWP) organised the first-ever German-Sri Lankan Water Week 2022 from June 27 to July 1 to extend support towards the Sri Lankan Water Sector In view of the increasing pollution of Sri Lankan water resources and resulting health problems, as well as the country´s political commitment to ensure a nationwide safe drinking water supply by 2025.
Within the framework of the Export Initiative for Environmental Technologies by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, the German-Sri Lanka Water Week is part of the long-term projects of the German ministry to support GreenTech development and to encourage investing in a more environmentally friendly society.
The know-how transfer initiative aims to build capacities within Sri Lanka´s National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) with the goal to develop a sustainable drinking water supply and sewage system.
The German-Sri Lankan Water Week was held recently in the presence of the experts from Germany, and decision-makers from the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB). During the virtual conference on June 28, the Chairman of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board informed the industry stakeholders about the future of the Sri Lankan water sector.
A panel of German experts comprising of Frank Braunschweig (Director of Product Management, Water Industry Solutions at Bentley Systems), Angeli Büttner (senior lecturer, representing KLIMA.connection) and Michael Kersting (Business Development Manager at Hermann Sewerin GmbH) presented their technologies and provided insight into the trends in the water sector.
The high-level conference covered topics such as digitalisation in the water sector and digital twin solutions, sustainable storm water management and green-blue solutions, and leakage detection technologies.
Following the conference, a virtual site visit to DIMO (Pvt) Ltd was organised, where Chandima Samarasinghe representing DIMO presented a private sector perspective about Sri Lankan water sector and its commercial practices.
The dinner and networking night organised on June 29 offered an exclusive platform for industry stakeholders to exchange ideas about the latest trends and developments in the water sector.
Over the course of the next month, 25 employees from the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) of Sri Lanka will go through a series of trainings under the supervision of the German industry experts to enhance the technical knowledge and accelerate the development of a sustainable drinking water supply and sewage system in Sri Lanka.
Successful candidates of the training will receive the ‘German Water Certificate’ issued by the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) and the German water partnership (GWP). AHK Sri Lanka is committed to amplifying support in the field of environmental technology.
AHK Sri Lanka will launch a specialised Water Sector Committee with the participation of renowned companies from the sector. The initiative aims to strengthen the participation and contribution of industry leaders to the ongoing work in the water sector.