The
International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials recently
joined the U.S. Water Partnership, a cooperative effort uniting 41 government
agencies, academic organizations, water coalitions, NGOs and private-sector interests
to ensure water security, health and conservation across the globe, especially
within developing nations.
“The U.S. Water Partnership will
allow us to bring together the best thinking - in both the private and public sectors
- to tackle the pressing water challenges the world faces today and will face
in the future,” said U.S. EPA Administrator
Lisa Jackson
announced at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil. “Sharing American knowledge and expertise in water protection
will allow us to mobilize resources and bring about real progress in the United
States and abroad. Like all of our sustainability work, this effort is about protecting
health and the environment at the same time that we strengthen our economy.”
As a partner, IAPMO has committed
to in‐kind contributions of $1.5 million per year for the next five years by providing
education and training in emerging nations related to water safety, health,
sanitation, research, best installation practices and sustainable conservation.
IAPMO’s contributions will include:
- Integrate
training programs at multiple levels utilizing proven plumbing, rainwater
harvesting, alternate water source and solar codes and standards, and efficient
technologies;
- Focus on water availability
issues on a location‐by‐location basis, providing practical and efficient plumbing
solutions;
- Mitigate the outbreak of
water‐related diseases through safe water delivery and installation;
- Share plumbing industry expertise
through volunteer teams of contractors, engineers, plumbers, solar installers,
code and health officials, and water efficiency experts, for onsite or off‐site
evaluations; and
- Conduct an international
symposium of plumbing, rainwater harvesting, alternate water source use and solar
industry experts to address overall industry response to the water crisis.
“IAPMO has international offices
and operations throughout Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, in addition
to those areas of the world where water challenges are less pressing. We are
very proud that IAPMO’s codes of best practice, standards and/or services
protect one half of the world’s population,” said IAPMO CEO
GP
Russ Chaney.
“The core competencies upon which
IAPMO was founded in 1926 - safe, healthy plumbing and sanitation; indoor air
quality through heating, ventilation and air conditioning; and more recently
solar, radiant, rainwater harvesting, graywater reuse and reclaimed water
systems - meld effortlessly with the U.S. Water Partnership’s ambitious and
timely objectives.”
Among those partnering with IAPMO
are the Coca Cola Co., World Vision, NASA, the Nature Conservancy, the U.S. EPA
and Overseas Private Investment Corporation. (The full listing is found at
www.uswaterpartnership.org.)
“I am proud to announce that the
American people are doing our part by coming together through the U.S. Water Partnership,
a public‐private partnership that is pooling resources and mobilizing American
expertise, knowledge, and ingenuity to address water challenges around the
globe, especially in developing countries where needs are the greatest,” said
U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Source: IAPMO
