
GWW leads discussions with water management experts at WATEC Israel 2017
— CHICAGO and Tel Aviv — 19 September 2017 — Water industry leaders from around the world connected in Israel to share success stories and support initiatives at a session hosted by GlobalWaterWorks (GWW) at WATEC-Israel, 12-14 September 2017.
The key to success is integration. By matching industry experts with innovative business models and economic development organizations, water technology corporations can accelerate product development, commercialization and profitability. Participants heard about the research, development and expert resources that are easily accessible and often free.
Mary Conley Eggert, Chief Innovation Officer, GlobalWaterWorks, introduced a panel, who outlined the elements of the water ecosystem, and set the stage for the discussions on the opportunity for technology to reduce the energy and risks in the system.
- Will Sarni, CEO of the Water Foundry, focused on the value of water ecosystems, and noted that “water is a wicked problem and as such requires diverse stakeholders to address water challenges. Technology does not sell itself – we need innovation in partnerships, business models and funding/financing to address the economic, social and business impacts of water scarcity and quality.”
- Seth Snyder, Water Initiative Leader, Argonne National Laboratory and advisor to Current, Chicago’s one-year old water tech innovation platform, said, “There is a direct correlation between energy-saving opportunities and water conservation and reuse. We must make the connection obvious to achieve greater success with these conjoined utilities.”
- Danny Lacker, Director of the Water Security and Emergency Division, Israel Water Authority, emphasized water system vulnerabilities and the high cost of avoidable disruptions such as Flint, when he stated, “for a small fraction of the cost incurred for system outages caused by such incidents, utilities can invest in technologies that monitor our water and detect problems. Taking the time to plan for a crisis and put in place such preventative solutions can help us to avoid disasters.”
WATEC Israel 2017 is the second year that Mary Conley Eggert has led a discussion that brought together global leaders from business, utilities and government who have benefited or can benefit from information on technologies that mitigate risks, reduce waste, increase efficiencies and lower the cost of their operations. (The first event was part of the Israel California Water Conference in California, summarized here: http://bit.ly/icwroundtable .)
“GlobalWaterWorks is committed to uniting drops of interest in smart and proven technologies for the waves of impact we need in our world’s water systems,” stated Eggert. “Our marketing consultancy searches the world for proven solutions that make global water work, and then uses integration strategies like the roundtables to ensure that those in need of solutions can get answers and access to proven solutions.”
Roundtable participants gained new connections and examples of success stories in each area:
- Smart City
- Facilitator: Gigi Karmous-Edwards, Amane Advisors
- Experts: Mordecai Feldman, Algoal; Kinneret Hirsch, KANDO
- Case Study: Mei Carmel, Haifa; Milken Business Case on West Basin, CA
- Energy
- Facilitator: Seth Snyder, Water Innovation Leader, Argonne National Laboratory
- Expert: Ilan Wilf, Fluence Corp.
- Case Study: Eurofish
- Smart Buildings
- Facilitator: Shirley Ben-Dak, SWAN-Forum
- Experts: Len Pader, SmarTap; Maya Aharon, WINT;
- Case Study: Sheraton Tel Aviv
- Municipal Infrastructure
- Facilitator: Richard Seline, AccelerateH2O
- Experts: Udi Tirosh, Fluence Corp.; Oded Fruchtman, Aquarius-Spectrum
- Case Study: Hagihon
- Technology Innovation
- Facilitator: Steve Frenkel, Current
- Experts: Natan Zuta, IOSight
- Case Study: Southern California Edison
- Reuse and Desalination
- Water Quality
- Facilitator: Phyllis Posy, Atlantium Technologies
- Experts: Will Sarni, Water Foundry; Keith Hays, Bluefield Research; Adi Yefet; Israel NewTech
- Case Studies: Hillsborough, New Hampshire
- Water Security
- Facilitator: Jordan Miller, Israel Economic Mission to Chicago
- Expert: Danny Lacker, Israel Water Authority
- Example: Elk River, West Virginia (YouTube)
About GlobalWaterWorks
GlobalWaterWorks is a marketing consultancy committed to advancing solutions designed to ensure that fresh water will be available for future generations. GWW promotes smart water technology, thought leaders and resources that will help water work for the planet, people and profit. globalwaterworks.org
Additional Background:
- 5 Elements of Israel Water Management with Oded Distel on YouTube
- Israeli Water Companieson YouTube
- Israel California Water Conference Roundtable Recap: http://bit.ly/icwroundtable
- GlobalWaterWorks Solutions/Resources
Contact: Maria Diecidue
Tel: 312-515-3321
Email: Maria.diecidue@globalwaterworks.org