Spanish version available

Water unites us. We all need it, and it transcends borders and cultures. Therefore, showcasing best practices and successful cases from the region at international events contributes to water security and the future of water.

Events like the World Water Forum (WWF) are of crucial relevance today. Every three years, experts, government leaders, activists, and citizens gather to work towards water security and the future of water.

The Call for Best Practices and Experiences in Water and Sanitation is a process tied to the Regional Process of the Americas, coordinated by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in collaboration with governmental actors and various organizations in the region, to present a joint report on the status of water in Latin America and the Caribbean at the 10th World Water Forum in May 2024 in Bali, Indonesia.

Within this report, the three winning proposals from this call will be highlighted as examples of best practices and replicable experiences to consider in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Congratulations, and many thanks to all those who participated in this call, which represented an invaluable opportunity for institutions, companies, and individuals working in the water sector to share their projects and contribute to the advancement of the regional agenda. The proposals were diverse, promising, and provided key solutions to ensure the water security of the region.

About the Call: Reflecting the Best in Water and Sanitation in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Call for Proposals for Best Practices and Experiences in Water and Sanitation in Latin America and the Caribbean was led by a multidisciplinary team from the IDB along with tekuoia, an open innovation platform.

• The application period was from November 21, 2023, to January 31, 2024.
• 6 thematic areas were prioritized for this call: 1) Water security and prosperity. 2) Water for humans and nature. 3) Disaster risk reduction and management. 4) Cooperation and hydrodiplomacy. 5) Water financing. 6) Knowledge and innovation.
• 486 proposals were received in this 2024 call.
• 269 experiences and best practices surpassed the first stage of eligibility, due to their high quality, replicability, and relevance.
• 24 experts in the field formed the evaluation committee, who, thanks to their experience and renown in the sector, were able to score and select the winners.
• 3 proposals were identified as winners for having an innovative approach and high potential for replicability.
• The winners will present their proposals at the closing event of this year’s Regional Process of the Americas in Washington DC on April 19, coordinated by the IDB. and their cases will be showcased in the Regional Report of the Americas tied to the 10th World Water Forum 2024.

Water for Education, Education for Water Program (Colombia)

The program aims to provide access to clean water to rural educational institutions through the delivery of water purification solutions, promoting environmental education to encourage responsible use of water resources and environmental conservation, seeking to reduce school dropout rates, improve the health of children and adolescents, contributing to closing the gap in access to water suitable for human consumption in rural Colombia.

Additionally, the program implements artificial wetlands with nature-based principles for the treatment of domestic wastewater from rural educational institutions, mitigating the impact generated by water resource pollution and contributing to the conservation of strategic ecosystems.

Rain Schools: Rainwater Harvesting Systems to Address Water Scarcity in Basic Level Educational Institutions (Mexico)

A comprehensive program aimed at supplying clean and abundant water to public basic education schools suffering from water scarcity through rainwater harvesting.

Rainwater harvesting is carried out through a system (SCALL) that adapts to the schools’ infrastructure and allows obtaining abundant and quality water for use in toilets, sinks, cleaning, and irrigation of green areas. In addition to the installation of SCALL, training is also provided to ensure the correct adoption of the system.

Through an environmental education program based on a participatory methodology, the school community is involved, reinforcing the adoption and proper maintenance of the system and strengthening the culture of sustainable water use and water autonomy.

The comprehensive Rain Schools program also implements other technologies that strengthen access to safe water, health, and hygiene in educational institutions and their school communities: Hands to Water and Cloud Nectar.

Comprehensive Water Network Program – PIRAGUA (Colombia)

An initiative of the Autonomous Regional Corporation of Central Antioquia (Corantioquia), since 2011, generating knowledge in communities, companies, and different allied organizations about their environment and water heritage, which allows the appropriation of the territory, so that they can prevent and minimize environmental risks. All are based on volunteerism that starts from the bases of observation, monitoring, citizen science, and water autonomy.

PIRAGUA contributes to the development of tools to generate a culture of knowledge based on risk management, water supply and demand, water quality (surface and groundwater), the consolidation of automated and technological monitoring of atmospheric resources, and finally, the consolidation of a network of volunteers of more than 5000 “piragueros” (people who are part of the network and exchange information about the data collected) for the creation of a data and knowledge center.

The Program has a technological line that complements in real-time the information collected by volunteers from a network of more than 160 automatic measurement equipment for rain, climatological variables, measurement of river and water well levels.

The quality and quantity of water are monitored at more than 1000 points in rivers, streams, reservoirs, swamps, and springs that supply water to more than 4.5 million people in 80 municipalities.

Allies, Evaluators, and Collaborators: A Collective Effort

This call would not be possible without the support and collaboration of a broad network of allies committed to sustainable development and equitable access to water and sanitation. From the World Water Council to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) as coordinator and the Organization of American States (OAS) as co-coordinator, each of our partners plays a fundamental role in the realization of this initiative.

Additionally, we want to express our deep gratitude for the invaluable support in reviewing proposals for the Call for Best Practices and Experiences in Water and Sanitation in Latin America and the Caribbean 2024.

The evaluating organizations were:

• Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
• Global Water Partnership Central America (GWP)
• Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)
• Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA)
• National Water Commission of Mexico (CONAGUA)
• Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
• Conference of Directors and Authorities of Ibero-American Water (CODIA)
• One Drop Foundation
• Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge of Spain (Miteco)
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
• Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean on Water and Sanitation (OLAS)
• Organization of American States (OAS)
• Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)
• Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

Likewise, a fundamental role was played by the donors who financed part of this process through the Aquafund multidonor fund. Thanks to the commitment and enthusiasm of all, we can visualize innovative and sustainable solutions to the challenges of water and sanitation in our region of Latin America and the Caribbean.

About the Regional Process of the Americas of the World Water Forum

In 2018, Brazil hosted the 8th World Water Forum (WWF), marking a milestone in the history of the event. In this edition, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) had the honor of leading the regional process for Latin America and the Caribbean. The commitment was clear: to identify, share, and promote best practices and experiences in the field of water and sanitation that could serve as inspiration and guidance for the entire region.

With the success of this initiative as a backdrop, we are preparing for the 10 World Water Forum (WWF), to be held in Bali, Indonesia, from May 18 to 24, 2024. Once again, the IDB has been called to lead the regional process for the Americas, along with a network of collaborators committed to the cause of water and sanitation in our region.

Guest Authors

Daniela Araya. Consultant in the Water and Sanitation Division. She is a Fulbright scholar with a master’s degree in Human Rights with a concentration in Economic and Social Rights from Columbia University and a master’s degree in Strategic Communication, Political Marketing, and Governance from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. Before joining the bank, she worked extensively on projects for vulnerable populations in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, and Francophone Africa. She is a researcher in gender, disability, and childhood issues.

Federica Volpe. Federica Volpe is a political scientist, currently serving two roles at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), working in the Water and Sanitation Division and in the Department of Knowledge, Innovation, and Communication. Beyond her role in project management and technical assistance, Federica has actively participated in the production of numerous publications and courses on urban development issues. Previously, she worked in international organizations, NGOs, and the private sector in Chile, Austria, the United States, and Italy. Federica holds a master’s degree in Latin American Studies and Sustainable Development from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Additionally, she holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Trieste and the University of Florence in Italy.

Sandra Gensini. Sandra Gensini is a business administrator with experience in international organizations, as well as in the public and private sectors. She combines experience in event management, marketing, and the development of award-winning tourism campaigns, with a solid academic background including a master’s degree in Human Development and Food Security, and a certificate in Event Management. Currently, she stands out as a consultant in the Water Program of the Organization of American States (OAS), where she leads initiatives in important sectoral events.