Global Environmental Health: Research Gaps and Barriers for Providing Sustainable Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Services

Sponsored by
Institute of Medicine’s Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine

Oct 17-18, 2007
PAHO Auditorium
525 23rd Street, N.W.  
Washington, D.C

Agenda

Goal: 
To identify and address research gaps and barriers to the provision of safe, sustainable drinking water for public health; to build on lessons learned from success stories; and to integrate trans-disciplinary approaches across the pillars of sustainability so that technological solutions to water delivery are implemented in the social, economic, and political settings.

October 17, 2007

9:00 a.m.           
Welcome
Paul G. Rogers, J.D.
Chair, Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine, Partner, Hogan & Hartson

9:10 a.m.           
Workshop Objectives
Jennie Ward-Robinson, Ph.D.,  Executive Director, Institute for Public Health and Water Research
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Session I: Global Water Services:  Short and Long-Range Views

Session Goals:  To develop a global overview of water by understanding human and ecological stresses on our ability to deliver water; to define sustainable water; and identify barriers to sustainability.

Moderator: Cathy Abramson, Member, Tribal Board, Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians

9:30 a.m.           
The Native American Approach to Sustainable Water: The Seventh Generation Concept
Cathy Abramson, Member, Tribal Board, Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians

9:35 a.m.           
Sustaining Progress for Clean and Safe Water
Benjamin Grumbles, J.D. , Assistant Administrator for Water, Environmental Protection Agency

10:00 a.m.         
Discussion (Q&A on presentation)

10:10 a.m.          
Creating the Sanitary City: Water, Wastewater, and Health in American Cities
Martin Melosi, Ph.D., Distinguished University Professor of History, University of Houston
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 Discussion (initial Q&A about the presentations, followed by discussion of these topics with panel and audience members)

 What is a definition of sustainable water system? 

10:45 a.m.         
Break

Session II: The Technology Pillar of Sustainable Water: Technology, Economics and Health

Session Goals:  To understand how the technology sector will develop strategies to address water needs in a variety of settings—from developing to developed regions, and from rural areas to mega-cities, and to integrate this knowledge in a sustainable fashion to ensure health.

Moderator: Yank Coble, MD, Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Global Health and Medical Diplomacy, University of North Florida and Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Florida

11:05 a.m.         
Moving Toward Megacities: Decentralized Systems
Asit K. Biswas, Sc.D., President & Academician, Third World Centre for Water Management

11:30 a.m.        
Overview of the Water Sector: Policies, Institutional Roles and Key Issues for Utility Services Deliverer in Ghana
Eric Kofi Obutey, MBA, Econonmist and Manager, Public Utilities Regulatory Commission, Ghana
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11:55 a.m.         
Discussion

 12:20 p.m.        
Lunch

                   Session II: The Technology Pillar of Sustainable Water: Technology, Economics, and Health (Cont.)

1:00 p.m.           
Clean Drinking Water: Solving Arsenic Crisis through a Sustainable Local Filtration Technology
Abul Hussam, Ph.D., Professor, George Mason University
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1:25 p.m.           
Small to Medium Sized Systems: Opportunities and Challenges
Graciela Ramirez-Toro, Ph.D., Center for Environmental Education, Conservation and Research (CECIA), San German Campus, Inter American University of Puerto Rico (IAUPR)
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1:50 p.m.           
The Use of Technologies: Exposure (cross contamination), Risk Assessment, and Guidelines
Nick Ashbolt, Ph.D., Senior Research Microbiologist, National Exposure Research Laboratory, U.S. EPA
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2:15 p.m.           
Approaches to Sustainability: Global Water Partnership
Wayne Joseph, M.Sc., Chair, Global Water Partnership - Caribbean
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2:40 p.m.           
Discussion (initial Q&A about the presentations, followed by discussion of these topics with panel and audience members)

How can we ensure sustainability as we implement water technologies?
How do we resolve the tensions between technology and social issues in an economic setting?
What is the role of environmental health as technologies are implemented or refined?

3:20 p.m.          
Break  

Panel Discussion: Coordination and Prioritization of Water Needs

3:35 p.m.          The moderator will lead a discussion with the panel members and the audience to identify:

What are our priorities for achieving sustainable water services?
How can we identify solutions and prioritize according to what technology is suited for a given region? How do we have better coordination across NGOs, governments, and researchers to facilitate the delivery of safe water for health without duplicating activities?
How do we ensure that technological solutions have longevity and are evaluated for effectiveness?
How can better access to data and tracking of water-borne diseases be achieved?

Moderator:  Paul Hunter, M.D., M.B.A., Clinical Professor, University of East Anglia

Jennie Ward Robinson, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Institute for Public Health and Water Research
Stephanie Adrian, M.P.H., International Water Programs Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cheryl K. Davis, Manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's Workforce Development Initiative
Cecilia Tortajada, Ph.D., President, International Water Resources Association
Pablo González, M.S., G.I.S., Chief for Natural Hazard Risk Reduction, Department of Sustainable Development, Organization of American States
Peggy Geimer, M.D., Corporate Medical Director, Arch Chemicals, Inc.
Wayne Joseph, M.Sc., Chair, Global Water Partnership - Caribbean

5:00 p.m.           
Adjourn for the evening

October 18, 2007

8:30 a.m.           
Welcome Back

 8:35 a.m.           
Improving Water and Sanitation Access in Developing Countries: Progress and Challenges
Christine Moe, Ph.D., Eugene J. Gangarosa Professor of Safe Water and Sanitation Director, Center for Global Safe Water at Emory University, Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University
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9:15 a.m.           
Water Supply and Sanitation in Latin America: Moving Toward Sustainability Following Two Decades of Reforms
Andrei Jouravlev, Economic Affairs Officer, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
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9:50 a.m.           
Discussion (initial Q&A about the presentations, followed by discussion of these topics with panel and audience members)

What are the short-term and long-term needs to reach a sustainable water system both in developing and developed countries?
What are the challenges for sustainable water from the regional government and global perspectives?

10:10 a.m.         
Break

Session III: The Environmental Pillar of Sustainable Water: Ecological Services

Session Goals:  To understand the role of the environment in the delivery of safe drinking water through ecological services, and to illuminate discussion on the tensions between the built environment, ecological health, and water.

Moderator:  Howard Frumkin, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H., Director, National Center for Environmental Health / Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, CDC

10:35 a.m.         
Drinking Water Valuation: Challenges, Approaches, and Opportunities
Diane Dupont, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, Brock University
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11:00 a.m.         
Impacts of Demographic Changes and Water Management Policies on Freshwater Resources
Jill Boberg, Ph.D., Consultant
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11:25 a.m.         
Sustainability of Drinking Water: Some Thoughts from a Midwestern Perspective
R. Peter Richards, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, National Center for Water Quality Research, Heidelberg College
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11:50 a.m.        
Discussion (initial Q&A about the presentations, followed by discussion of these topics with panel and audience members)

How do we account for the (monetary) value of ecology in providing drinking water?
How do we strike a balance between the competing interests for water in society when many countries and many agencies within a country govern various aspects of water usage?
How do we integrate ecology into a sustainable water plan?
What are the opportunities to integrate knowledge of political will, cultural and behavioral factors, and demographic trends to obtain more sustainable water services?

12:20 p.m.         
Lunch

 Session IV: The Social Pillar of Sustainable Water: Health Research Gaps 

Session Goals:  To understand the linkage between water services, chronic diseases, and water-borne diseases.  To identify how to integrate water, sanitation, and hygiene into a sustainable water delivery system.

Moderator: Carol Henry, Ph.D., Vice President for Industry Performance Programs, American Chemistry Council

1:05 p.m.           
Water and Health: A Global Picture of Risk and Impact on Chronic Illnesses
Paul Hunter, M.D., M.B.A., Professor, University of East Anglia
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1:45 p.m.           
The Interdependency of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (Hierarchical Approach)
Richard Gelting, Ph.D., P.E., National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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2:10 p.m.          
“Preliminary” Overview of Current Research and Possible Research Priorities: - Small Community Drinking Water Supplies
John Cooper, Ph.D., Director of the Water, Air and Climate Change Bureau Health Canada
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2: 35 p.m.          
Discussion: (initial Q&A about the presentations, followed by discussion of these topics with panel and audience members)

How do we determine acceptable risk levels (population vs. personal risk levels)?
What are the research gaps for understanding the interdependency of water, sanitation, and hygiene?
What is the economic burden of water-borne diseases and how can cooperation among governments begin to address this?

3:00 p.m.           
Break

The Human Dimension of Water Services

3:15 p.m.           
Cultural Influences and Acceptance of New Ideas
Peggye Dilworth Anderson, Ph.D., Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill  
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Panel Discussion: Moving Forward

3:40 p.m.           The moderator will lead a discussion with the panel members and the audience to identify:

1.       What are the research needs to achieve more sustainable water solutions?
2.       How can we draw on the successes of case studies and learn from the barriers to implement safe water systems more effectively?
3.       How do we facilitate collaboration amongst experts in the water field so that sectors (e.g. financial, technological, ecological, social, and public health) are integrated in their approaches?
4.       How can risk-based, evidence based frameworks be used more effectively to attain sustainable water solutions in the social and political landscapes?

Moderator:  Dr. Vincent R. Nathan, Ph.D., M.P.H., Director, Department of Environmental Affairs, City of Detroit

Christine Moe, Ph.D., Eugene J. Gangarosa Professor of Safe Water and Sanitation Director, Center for Global Safe Water at Emory University, Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University
Diane Dupont, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, Brock University
R. Peter Richards, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, National Center for Water Quality Research, Heidelberg College
Phyllis Nsiah-Kumi, M.D., Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine
Joe G. Jacangelo, Ph.D., Vice President and National Technical Director, National Technology Group, MWH

Closing

4:30 p.m.           Thinking about New Visions of Water Services
Jeanne Bailey, Public Affairs Officer, Fairfax Water, Chair, Water Health Work Group American Water Works Association

4:45 p.m.           Adjourn