New InterLink: December 2023 edition

I've said it before, and I'll gladly say it again; water infrastructure is undervalued, underfunded, and poorly maintained. Of course, the extend of this depends on where you are in the world. With the global average water loss estimated at between 30 and 40%, some countries' losses are higher than others.

And you might wonder how any business can run at +30% waste without any significant effort being made to stop it? Imagine if we at AVK worked according to such principles.

A matter of will,

The reasons for water loss are many. Let me start by repeating what Paul Hubbard writes about the UK water supply on pages 8-9, which describes challenges that we see in many other countries right now. There is, generally, a lack of willingness to think in new ways and be ready to try something new. But the ideas are there: the other day, I was with an American delegation from California who was visiting Denmark to look at our water solutions. In California, there is a desire that USD 1 per consumer per year should go to research and development of the sector. A suggestion that shows understanding of the importance of a water sector that follows society's development.

... long-term perspective,

Another aspect is the economic view of water management. In general, the importance of buying quality is not a high priority. Budgets are tight, so saving on construction costs seems more interesting than looking at the long-term benefits. What about cost of ownership? Fortunately, the European Union is beginning to look at whether longevity should be an integral part of public procurement. It is important to require that a supplier is able to document the longevity of their products or services.

... and the water tariff

A third aspect is the customer’s price of water. Water is often sold much cheaper than what it actually costs to produce, transport and distribute it. However, projects that have resulted in 24/7 stable water supply with healthy, clean and safe drinking water show that consumers are willing to pay the actual price for water. This is also a much better case for the water supply, meaning they can afford to invest in the future or to patch up gaps in the distribution network.

And then there is the lack of understanding of water’s impact on all the other major challenges facing our world. I miss a water sector that is stronger in bringing water to the public debate table. Decision-makers must understand the importance of water to a much greater extent. Water and health are linked; water and energy are linked; water and food production are linked; water is important for society's development. Who wants to settle in a place without water, or start up a business where there is no water?

If you didn’t already know, I use every opportunity to highlight water to politicians and decision-makers no matter where in the world they come from. The more we can highlight it, the more resources we can hope to be allocated to maintaining and re-establishing our critical water infrastructure.

Of course, I also spend a lot of energy explaining how important valves are in a well-functioning, efficient distribution network built according to district metering areas (DMA) principles. If you cannot rely on the valves, you cannot establish a reliable water balance, making it impossible to take measures to reduce water loss. It's that simple.

For all guest visits here at AVK, my welcome line is:

“Welcome to the backbone of any proper and sustainable water infrastructure”.

There is still a long way to go before everyone understands the importance of water, but reading through this issue of InterLink, I am sure that we are on the right track.

Enjoy reading,
Michael Ramlau-Hansen

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