World Plumbing Council News
Water is Life exhibition
In 2010 German Sanitation, Heating and Air Conditioning Association (ZVSHK) called on all students studying fine arts, design, communication design and architecture to enter an international poster competition “Water is Life”.
The aim of the competition is not only to demonstrate that the younger generations are prepared to bear their share of the responsibility for our world but, first and foremost, to publicise the message that ‘Water is Life’ to a broad public by means of worldwide exhibitions. This is even more significant given the fact that on 28 July 2010 the United Nations General Assembly incorporated the ‘right to clean water’ in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The contest was held in collaboration with Professor Heinz-Jürgen Kristahn from the Berlin University of the Arts, Professor Lieyan Wu, Rector of the Nanjing Arts Institute, China and Professor Xiaoou Zhou, Dean of the Fine Arts School, Hangzhou Normal University. It was sponsored Duravit AG, German Sanitary Industry Association (VDS), Gentner Group, Media Consulta International AG.
Almost 5,000 participants from 83 countries entered the competition. 130 of the best posters are part of an exhibition that has been shown for the first time at ISH 2011 in Frankfurt/Germany. It was then sent to Cape Town (South Africa) as part of the official event of UN World Water Day 2011. Later this year the exhibition was shown in China, Hungary and in Edinburgh/Scotland during the World Plumbing Council’s Triennal Meeting.
On March 31, 2012 the exhibition was opened at Xi’An Academy of Fine Arts in Xi’An (China). Together with the Vice-President of Academy of Fine Arts in Xi’An, Elmar Esser, CEO of ZVSHK and Professor Kristahn the event was attended by more than 100 guests. Chairman Russ Chaney, General Secretary Stuart Henry, Board members Hans Tiedemann and Richard J Prospal represented the World Plumbing Council as well as publisher Erwin Fidelis Reisch of Gentner Group.
A gallery of the exhibition can be found at www.sbz-online.de/Fotogalerie-2011/108757.html WPC members interested in showing the exhibition should contact Elmar Esser, CEO of ZVSHK at hgf@zvshk.de
The International Emerging Technology Symposium
The third International Emerging Technology Symposium, held in Washington DC in May and co-convened by the World Plumbing Council and the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), saw a great collection of innovative experts and officials in the areas of water and energy efficiency gathered for the two day event.
In delivering the keynote address Ms Kerri-Ann Jones, assistant secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs for the US State Department, called water security ‘one of the great challenges of our time’.
Jones said nearly 800 million people lack access to a drinking water source such as a well or a community tap that is protected from animals and debris, and said it is likely that two to three times that number lack access to water that is considered safe to drink. Additionally, she said, more than 2.5 billion people lack access to basic sanitation, calling these statistics ‘shocking’.
“Taken together, the lack of access to safe drinking water, basic sanitation and poor hygiene practices pose one of our greatest health risks worldwide,” she said. “Each day, nearly 6,000 people – mostly children under the age of five – die from preventable diarrheal diseases.”
Beyond its connection to health, water is also a critical element in our food and energy security, the environment, and in looking how we will be affected by climate change, Jones said. More than 70 percent of the water used around the world goes toward agriculture, she told the assembled delegates, and in some developing countries that number can be as high as 90 to 95 percent.
Competition over water resources is also likely to rise as the need for water increases, said Jones, pointing to a recent intelligence community assessment on global water security. The report, requested by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, suggests that while state-on-state conflict over water is unlikely within the next 10 years, water will play an increasing role in the peace and security of many important regions.
The Assistant Secretary went on to say that experts predict two-thirds of the world will live in water-stressed conditions by 2025. The situation sounds dire, Jones acknowledged, but there are solutions that everybody can work on together.
Most places now have enough water to meet people’s needs, she said, and proper management measures must be in place to ensure clean safe, water reaches the people who need it.
“We have seen many countries doing more with less, including the United States,” Jones continued. “And I know organisations such as yours are showing the way – and leading the way – with new technologies and approaches that use less water, less energy and increase water reuse. We really need to be smarter about how we use water.”
Jones pointed to a World Water Day announcement Clinton made two years ago, outlining five steps the United States would take to enhance water security: build political will; build and strengthen institutional and human capacity at the local, national and regional levels; mobilise financial support; use science and technology to identify to innovative solutions; and build and sustain partnerships. In the field of water conservation, the State Department is trying to lead by example, she said, and through its Greening Diplomacy initiative, is committed to a 20 percent reduction in potable water use in its buildings by 2020, and to cutting outdoor potable water use in half.
In addition to Jones’ keynote address, those in attendance at the symposium were treated to a wide range of plumbing and mechanical-related presentations from industry experts; local, state and federal government officials; consultants and Standards officials.
Topics included pipe and fitting advances, so-called “tipping points”, spray valves, trap seal identification systems, irrigation, reclaimed water, electronic faucets, rainwater harvesting, thermal insulation, standards and grease traps.
Each day also featured a panel of experts and officials from throughout the industry. The first day’s panel focused on Legionellosis and other pathogens, followed by a day two discussion on policies to support new water efficiency technologies.
All presentations over the two days may be viewed at
The first International Emerging Technology Symposium took place in Chicago in 2008, followed by a 2010 event in Ontario, California. Plans for a fourth symposium are already under way and will be announced once they have been finalised.
Tajikistan Revisited
WPC REVIEW reported in October 2010 a visit to a hospital near the city of Dushanbe in Tajikistan by World Plumbing Council Director Rich Prospal to prepare a ‘Water Safety Plan’. The trip was as the result of a request from the World Health Organization (WHO), seeking the advice of a plumbing expert on a number of issues regarding water distribution, quality of supply and the sanitary system at the district hospital.
A report was published in 2010, following this visit, which described the conditions and included numerous recommendations for corrective projects to improve the water quality and sanitary systems, to bring them up to an acceptable standard.
The World Plumbing Council was subsequently informed that the recommendations provided in the report by Rich Prospal “have been followed up and rehabilitation work of the water and sanitation system of the hospital is now under way.”
A further mission by the WPC was also suggested in May 2012 with the objective of: reviewing work done in the hospital developing a training program for plumbers and to conduct training for plumbers provide advice on further follow up activities.
In January 2012, the National Professional Officer for WHO based in Tajikistan made further contact confirming their earlier request to send a representative to review the work in progress, provide further advice for additional and future work. Inclusion of a basic training program for those that work on the plumbing systems in various hospitals across the country plus representatives from their Ministry of Health, was also to be delivered by WPC.
The return to Tajikistan to carry out training for the hospital staff and Ministry of Health representatives provided an excellent opportunity to use the WPC training programs developed through contributions made by the Plumbing Industry Commission in Victoria, Australia and the New Zealand Industry Training Organization.
The first training module, Importance of Plumbing, used the World Plumbing Council’s DVD, Public Health and Plumbing – The Link and included topics on a competent plumber’s role; history of plumbing; water safety and the spread of water born diseases; sewage disposal; infrastructure; water conservation; education.
Water & Water Distribution included where water comes from and how it is delivered; types of treatment; piping systems and their protection; water supply safety.
The third module, Drainage and Sanitation, covered types of systems, including pipe sizing; horizontal and vertical piping; drain and sewer materials; venting; trap seals.
The training sessions covered three days; two classroom days and one hands-on working day at the hospital site.
There were a total of 20 participants, all of whom had some plumbing knowledge: two from the Ministry of Health and the others from various hospitals throughout the country, some travelling over 350 kilometres to attend.
After initial reservation, the participants soon started to ask questions which, despite the language barrier, quickly developed into lively discussion.
Other good news
The hospital operating rooms now have hot water supplied by an electric-heated tank in the scrub area.
The overall general condition of the hospital seems to have improved quite a bit. The holes in the corridor floors have been patched.
A Japanese Aid group has provided a coal-fired hot water boiler for heating some areas of the hospital buildings.
Future improvements suggested include:
1. Installing flush style toilets – the type, Eastern or Western, does not matter.
2. Provide point-of-use water heaters at as many of the sinks as possible. Having the sinks and clean water is fine, but having hot water would be considerably better.
3. Continuously test the water both at the pumping station and at the hospital. If the new bore well is used, that water must also be tested on a regular scheduled basis.
Hopefully, the work at Rudaki Central District Hospital will continue and be completed very soon. It is very heartening to see the efforts of everyone involved in this project.
World Plumbing Day Poster Competition
Entries for this year’s competition exceeded expectations! A total of 81 finalists from hundreds of posters submitted by school children from many countries around the globe were entered in the 2012 World Plumbing Day International Poster Competition.
Children from Jamaica, Trinidad, Scotland, British Columbia & Ontario, Canada, Newfoundland and four states in the USA submitted their entries.
Children under the age of 10 were invited to participate in the global competition by designing a poster illustrating the important role plumbing plays in our society.
Posters were judged primarily on the message World Plumbing Day represents: that plumbing is vital to good health; the role that plumbing plays in our everyday life and the role that plumbing plays in the environment. The artistic merit of the posters was secondary. Of the 81 entries, the judging panel from the American Society of Sanitary Engineering (ASSE), on behalf of WPC, chose the 10 best, which were then put on display at the ASSE Mid-Year Board meetings for judging by the members present.
The winners of The World Plumbing Day International Poster Competition were;
First Place – Alexis Briano, Grade 5, La Verne Heights Elementary School, California, USA
Second Place – Jordan Weekes, Grade 4, Bishop Anstey Junior School, Trinidad
Third Place – Olivia Cooley, Grade 3, Crestview Elementary, Brunswick, Ohio, USA
The talent shown in all the posters submitted was absolutely amazing but more importantly, all the children heard the message of World Plumbing Day and displayed it in their posters exceptionally well.
In April, WPC Chairman GP Russ Chaney attended an assembly at Alexis Briano’s school and proudly presented her with the competition’s first prize of USD1,000 for the school and USD100 for herself.
During his presentation to the school, Chaney reminded the students that there are children their age in other countries who are not fortunate enough to have plumbing systems and that they should use water wisely. Similar presentations were made at the schools of second and third prize winners.
Footnote
World Plumbing Day was celebrated across the world in a number of innovative ways, none more so than in Singapore where the Singapore Plumbing Society held a song writing competition in association with the local authorities.
The Society’s operations manager Chia Wai Chon commented, “Through the ages, songs have been composed because of their power to communicate.
Likewise, we can compose plumbing songs to express our thoughts and feelings, represent our lofty ideals and aspirations to highlight the important role of efficient quality plumbing installations to maintain public health safety.
“This would enhance the image of the plumbing profession considerably, and give plumbing professionals due recognition which they rightly deserved.”
The winning song, Plumbing a Healthy Lifestyle was written by Chia Wai Chon himself.