APN Regional Workshop 2022 - Nature-based Water Treatment in Urban Areas

Event background

Nature-based solutions for pollution control, such as constructed wetlands, biofilters, rain gardens and floating parks, among others, have been suggested as promising low-cost complements to centralized wastewater treatment facilities that could reduce water pollution and its negative impacts on ecosystems, while making cities greener, more livable and resilient. Over the past decades, decentralized wastewater treatment systems, including elements on NBS have been increasingly promoted across remote communities in developing countries in Asia. Applications of NBS as multi-functional green infrastructure across cities in the region, however, are scarce. This workshop aims to explore and understand the potential and barriers to the integration of NBS in urban water management and planning in Australia, Europe, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam  and to co-develop a methodology and guidelines for enhancing their uptake.

The workshop presents the experiences of NBS pilot and demonstration projects across Australia, Europe, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam and two in-depth case studies as a way of understanding their performance but also critical challenges and factors of success. Projects initiated and led by different types of organizations, namely universities, NGOs and government agencies and NBS employed to treat different types of urban water (domestic, industrial, stormwater, canals, etc.) will be explored and compared as a basis for defining different pathways for the establishment, up-scaling and replication of such initiatives and the specific risks, resources and capacity building needs associating with each of them. A joint integrated assessment methodology will also be presented to ensure the comparability of the collected data and results. The findings from the case study assessments will inform the design of a nature-based water treatment pathways methodology and guide.

The APN Regional Workshop 2022 will contribute to compiling and synthesizing existing knowledge and developing and testing an action-research methodology for engaging multi-disciplinary groups of stakeholders in designing and implementing nature-based water treatment solutions in urban contexts. As such, it will play an important role in enhancing both the knowledge and the capacities of the participating researchers to analyze and address critical sustainability challenges that require the engagement of different factors. 

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Location

Room 2.2.08 & 2.2.09, Academic Building 2, RMIT University Vietnam, Saigon South campus: 702 Nguyen Van Linh, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City

 

Note:

Upon receiving your attendance confirmation, we will register your information with security for campus access.

Upon reaching our Saigon South campus, please get your Visitor badge at our security office right at the entrance. Please proceed to Academic Building 2 on the right-hand side once you get your badge. We will have signage to direct you to the workshop venue.

If you have any difficulties, please ask security to contact Ms Tien Vu - School of Business and Management, or contact her directly via Whatsapp at +84 388530640.

Please notify us if you want to reserve car parking slot.

Agenda

Day 1: Thursday 13th October 2022 

Time Speech Title and Presenter
08:50 – 09:00  Welcome Speech - Professor Bob Baulch, SBM Deputy Dean, Research & Innovation, RMIT University, Vietnam 
09:00 - 9:20

Keynote Session

Nature-based Water Treatment in Urban Areas: Experience from Australia, Europe, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam

Professor Jega V Jegatheesan, RMIT University, Australia

09:20 – 10:40 Technical Aspect
09:20 – 09:40

Growth performance of ornamental plants for floating treatment wetlands in Bung Xang canal, Can Tho city of Vietnam: preliminary results 

Associate Professor Trang Ngo, Can Tho University, Vietnam 

Green roof for domestic wastewater treatment: A case study in Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam

Dr Quyen Vo, University of Technology HCMC, Vietnam 

09:40 – 10:00

Plant dynamics for Wetland Management: Experiences from Floating Wetlands in Urban Lakes 

Dr. S K Weragoda, Joint Research and Demonstration Centre for Water Technology, Ministry of Water Supply, Sri Lanka
Professor Mohamed Ismail Mohammed Mowjood, Senior Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

10:00 – 10:20

Technical assessment framework for constructed wetlands used in domestic wastewater treatment in the Philippines 

Dr Perlie Velasco and Associate Professor Ma. Catriona E. Devanadera, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Philippines

10:20 – 10:40 Q/A and Discussion
10:40 – 10:50  Tea Break 
10:50– 11:50 Social Aspect
10:50– 11:10

Factors affecting willingness to pay fee for cleaning water in inner city canal: A case study in Can Tho city of Vietnam

Associate Professor Trang Ngo, Can Tho University, Vietnam

11:10 – 11:30

Socio-economic enthusiasm and constraints for NBS in pollution control in Lakes: Case studies in Kandy and Kurunegala lakes in Sri Lanka - Part I

Dr Madhubhashini Makehelwala, Joint Research and Demonstration Centre for Water Technology, Ministry of Water Supply, Sri Lanka
Professor Mohamed Ismail Mohammed Mowjood, Senior Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

11:30 – 11:50 Q/A and Discussion
11:50 – 13:00 Lunch Break
13:00 – 14:20 Economic Aspect
13:00 – 13:20

The current situation of nature-based solution projects and their effectiveness in Vietnam 

Professor Anh Nguyen, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, Vietnam 

13:20 – 13:40

Socio-economic enthusiasm and constraints for NBS in pollution control in Lakes: Case studies in Kandy and Kurunegala lakes in Sri Lanka - Part II 

Professor Mohamed Ismail Mohammed Mowjood, Senior Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

13:40 – 14:00

Economic valuation of NBS for wastewater treatment in the Philippines 

Associate Professor Casper Boongaling Agaton, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Philippines

14:00 – 14:20 Q/A and Discussion
14:00 – 14:30 
Tea Break
14:30 – 16:00 Experience from Australia and Europe 
14:30 – 15:00

The success of constructed wetlands in the Philippines for domestic wastewater treatment: Case of Bayawan City, Philippines

Mr Engr. Antonio S. Aguilar, LGU Bayawan City and Mr Hon. John T. Raymond, Jr, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, Philippines

15:00 – 15:30

Nature-based Water Treatment in Urban Areas: Experience from Europe

Dr Nevelina Pachova, RMIT University Europe, Spain

15:30 – 16:00
Q/A and Discussion 
17:00 – 20:00  Dinner

Day 2: Friday 14th October 2022 

Time Details
06:30 - 06:45 Gather at Academic Building 2, RMIT University Vietnam Reception Area
10:00 - 15:00 Site Visit
15:00 Back to HCM

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