The visit took place between 18 and 21 September and involved knowledge exchange and empowerment sessions enabling participants to discuss how to operationally launch and integrate these concepts into the urban water cycle while not only reflecting on their own experiences but also identifying challenges and opportunities.

In addition to technical visits to various different AdP Group infrastructures, the committee participated in thematic workshops designed with the objective of providing support to the work of the World Bank teams developing wastewater reutilisation projects alongside the other circular economy principles and correspondingly dealing with themes relating to investment plans and regulations, among other aspects.

The urban population existing worldwide is expected to almost double by 2050, an increase with serious implications for the water demand prevailing in cities that shall also produce greater volumes of wastewaters and water pollution risks with these challenges only ever deepened by climate change.

Rethinking the urban water system in accordance with the principles of the circular economy and climate resilience generates an opportunity to deal with water related challenges in proposing a systemic and transformative approach capable of ensuring universal access to more sustainable, inclusive, efficient and resilient water supply and wastewater treatment services.

The World Bank’s WICER initiative enables the water sector to be systematically included in the high-level strategic discussions ongoing about the circular economy with its principles able to generate the opportunity to recognise and capture the total value of water and transform the provision of urban water services.