IWA Water and Development Award (Research) 2017 Winner: Barbara Evans, Professor of Public Health Engineering at the University of Leeds, UK IWA Water and Development Award (Practice) 2017 Winner: Marco Antonio Cevallos, Director EPMAPS, Ecuador
Two leading water innovators have been awarded the 2017 Water and Development Awards by the International Water Association. Working to deliver solutions to global water challenges, both have been recognised by the international water community for their outstanding contributions to the practice and science of water, which have improved the lives of millions of people in low- and middle-income countries.
Barbara Evans’ research has played a key role in developing effective strategies for securing safe access to water and sanitation, with a sustained attention to poor urban and rural communities. She has been awarded the IWA Water and Development Award for Research for increasing our understanding on community-wide approaches to tackle urban and rural water and sanitation challenges.
Marco Antonio Cevallos has shown how management vision can lead water utilities in emerging economies to deliver vastly improved services, even to the poorest in society. He is awarded the IWA Water and Development Award for Practice for instigating a new service paradigm that places greater emphasis on community engagement, resource stewardship, and investment decisions that consider the social, economic and environmental costs.
“The IWA Development Awards recognise excellence, leadership and innovation in the water sector, and aim to encourage the continued contribution to the sustainable management of water in low- and middle-income countries”, said Kalanithy Vairavamoorthy, Executive Director of the International Water Association. “Barbara Evans and Marco Antonio Cevallos have both made significant contributions to realising safe water and improved sanitation for millions of people."
Barbara Evans said, “I am delighted and honoured to accept this award. My work is dedicated to the 4.5 billion people worldwide who lack access to safely managed sanitation. I am very excited to have the opportunity which this award brings to work with the IWA’s members, who play a vital role in WASH service delivery, to further develop our understanding of how to deliver the SDG target 6.2 of universal access to safely managed sanitation.”
Marco Antonio Cevallos, said, “I am honored by this award, which only strengthens my commitment to improving water management for the people of Ecuador. Throughout my life working in water management, I have found that my efforts would be nothing if not for the amazing people on my team. I share this award with them and look forward to continue reaching our goals together.”
The awards will be presented during the opening Ceremony of the IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition in Buenos Aires, on Monday 13 November 2017.
