PLAN 597

PLAN 597

PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OUTLINE

APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING WORLD: CHALLENGES FOR SUCCESS

Why is it that a successful technology in one region fails in another region? Our session considers this question by exploring the concept of an "appropriate technology" in terms of meeting water needs in different contexts. We will discuss the global issues of access to clean drinking water and the role of technology in meeting water needs in both the developing and developed world. Similarities and differences between the uses of technology will also be discussed for each context. In the final part of the session we will consider the relationship between the IWRM approach and the issues associated with appropriate water supply technologies.

The objectives of the presentation are for participants to:

Understand what an appropriate technology is and the role of appropriate technologies in helping to meet water needs in both developed and developing countries.
Understand the factors that need to be considered, and the challenges that may be faced, when implementing a new water supply/treatment technology
Identify key commonalities and differences between the developed and developing world in terms of using technology successfully.

SUGGESTED READING:

Part 1 - Introduction to global issues of access to clean drinking water

WaterAid

For a summary of the need for better water technologies:

http://www.wateraid.org/international/what_we_do/the_need/6067.asp , and for more detailed descriptions of the types of technologies:

http://www.wateraid.org/international/what_we_do/how_we_work/sustainable_technologies/default.asp

The Water, Engineering, and Development Centre (WEDC ) - Choosing and appropriate technology

This document identifies the factors that need to be considered for successful implementation of an appropriate water resource technology in a developing community:

http://www.lboro.ac.uk/well/resources/technical-briefs/49-choosing-an-appropriate-technology.pdf.

Part II - Class activity - making technologies successful

For the role playing development activity, teams of 2-3 people will be assigned a country profile the week before the seminar. Each team of 2-3 people will either be the US, Canada, Ghana, Cameroon, Uganda, or Ethiopia. Individual groups should read a little background information about their country of origin in order to better play their role for the activity. Information about each country can be found on the UNDP's website at: http://www.undp.org/regions/

Part III - Technologies in the developed world

Students should explore the following sources and develop a basic knowledge (appropriate to their existing level of understanding) in the following types of water supply technologies:

Water Sources options

World Bank Water Supply website:

http://www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/water/topics/tech_supply.html#storage. Read Water Sources.

Desalination

Sydney Water Website

http://www.sydneywater.com.au/EnsuringTheFuture/Desalination/Factsheets.cfm

Recycled water

http://www.sydneywater.com.au/Publications/FactSheets/RecycledWaterPlumbingGuidelines.pdf#Page=1

The Ministry of Environment in Ontario, Drinking Water Treatment Guide, pages 19-22 .

http://www.ontla.on.ca/library/repository/mon/3000/10300731.pdf

Toowoomba Case Study

Sydney Morning Herald Newspaper Article - The Yuk Factor

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/the-yuk-factor/2005/09/04/1125772411914.html

Australian Government Media Article - Australian Government Support for $67 Million Toowoomba Water Project Will Let the Community Decide

http://www.malcolmturnbull.com.au/Pages/Article.aspx?ID=405

NO to putting POO in TOOwoomba's Water Supply for Drinking

http://www.blogtoowoomba.com/?w=toowoombawatervote

For a bit of fun, check out these short clips:

Rob Berry Election Campaign - Toowoomba [20 sec]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y9GU8SmdmzA&feature=related

TV Advertisement [20 sec]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=w9KVybtEP2k

Peter Debnam Interview [55 sec]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VRUlvuxZ7xU

Supplementary Readings

Practical Action was founded in 1966, as ITDG (the Intermediate Technology Development Group), by the radical economist Dr EF Schumacher to prove that his philosophy of "Small is Beautiful" could bring real and sustainable improvements to people's lives. The following link provides a description of how one organization views the role of technology in meeting water needs in the developing world http://practicalaction.org/?id=about_us. Practical Action also has some good technical briefs on some "appropriate technologies" including human powered hand pumps http://practicalaction.org/practicalanswers/.

For a basic starting point, Wikipedia has a definition of appropriate technology (from potentially non-credible sources) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appropriate_technology .

PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OUTLINE FORMAT

Part I - Introduction to global issues of access to clean drinking water

Discussion questions:

Why do these issues exist?

Part II - Class activity - making technologies successful

Discussion questions:

What were the experiences of the different countries?
What is the role of technology in addressing water needs?
What is "appropriate technology"?
What factors need to be considered before a water technology can be implemented successfully in a developing country?

Part III - Technologies in the developed world

Discussion questions:

What kind of information do we need to know when considering alternative water supply options?
Where would we get this information from?
What are the challenges for community consultation surrounding new technologies?
What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of technologies?

Part IV - Bringing it all together

Discussion questions:

Does our definition of appropriate technology change in different contexts?
What are some elements that are common or different between the developed and developing world?
What characteristics do you need for a technology to be successful?
How does IWRM relate to issues surrounding water supply technologies?