WEF and SIWI Agree to Expand Collaboration on Water Issues

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Oct. 8, 2013) – The Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), two leading water organizations, have agreed to collaborate on a broad spectrum of water issues of mutual interest and benefit to the field. The agreement was signed in Chicago at WEFTEC 2013®, the world’s largest annual water quality conference and exhibition. The Agreement confirms the interest of both parties in a sustained relationship that will identify and to encourage information and knowledge-building about innovative new strategies, solutions, and challenges on water. WEF and SIWI also hope to contribute to the identification of best practices; to the development of tools to address challenges to water sustainability; and also to the identification of innovative approaches to smarter and more sustainable approaches to water services and to water management more broadly. Specific project areas called out in the Agreement include work on identifying innovative solutions to urban water management, and energy/water issues. “WEF has a long and productive history of work with SIWI, said Dr. Eileen O’Neill, WEF Interim Executive Director. “We are thrilled to formalize our commitment to a broader and deeper working relationship with this distinguished organization, which should ultimately result in better information and more opportunities for water professionals everywhere.” Founded in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization of 36,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations representing water quality professionals around the world. WEF members, Member Associations and staff proudly work to achieve our mission to provide bold leadership, champion innovation, connect water professionals, and leverage knowledge to support clean and safe water worldwide. The Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) is a policy institute that generates knowledge and informs decision-making towards water wise policy and sustainable development. SIWI performs research, builds institutional capacity and provides advisory services in five thematic areas: water governance, transboundary water management, water and climate change, the water-energy-food nexus, and water economics. SIWI organizes the World Water Week in Stockholm - the leading annual global meeting place on water and development issues - and hosts the Stockholm Water Prize, the Stockholm Junior Water Prize and the Stockholm Industry Water Award.