Clean water in Africa with Hungarian technology was the title of the latest podcast of Blue Planet, where János Áder, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Blue Planet Climate Protection Foundation had Dr Károly Kovács PhD, CEO of Pureco, President of the Hungarian Water and Wastewater Technology Association (MaSzeSz) and the Hungarian Water Partnership (HWP) as his guest. In the podcast discussion, Pureco's wastewater treatment investments in Ghana were presented, which provide properly treated wastewater in the cities of Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale.
The discussion also focused on the UN Water Conference which was held in March in New York and on the side event organised by the Hungarian Water Partnership highlighting the near-to-costumer water treatment solutions to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Károly Kovács underlined that even in Europe water utility infrastructure management and development are facing profound financing gaps. The reconstruction of the ageing water infrastructure is underfinanced and underperforming. Capital costs are not or just partly included in tariffs, nor covered by public spending. The yearly reconstruction rate of the existing infrastructure is less than 1%-0,1%, which is presuming an unrealistic life expectancy of up to over 1.000 years.
Facing cost recovery constraints in water infrastructure development, apply bankable and sustainable WASH Solutions to overcome affordability barriers limiting the mobilization of private capital. The solutions are based on existing, affordable, and sustainable WASH approaches and solutions that are proven and can be attractive enough for the private sector as well. We have to focus on solutions, both for drinking water provision and liquid waste (septic sludge) handling, for communities where there is no adequate, or water supply or sewerage network.
Drinking water for an initial investment of less than 25.-€/capita and service provision for less than 5.-€/person/year, including cost recovery for initial capital costs. Liquid waste management, and purification for an initial investment of less than 45.- €/capita, and service of less than 10.- €/person/year, including cost recovery for initial capital costs.
Two billion people will soon be living in Africa, so if resources could be secured based on the above calculations, it would be possible to invest five to ten billion dollars a year in twenty years to provide sanitation and drinking water for the people living in Africa at that time, János Áder said.
The podcast (in Hungarian) is available HERE
