In November 2005, amid conducting pilot tests for a wastewater treatment plant in a Barcelona chemical factory, I was surprised by the arrival of a group of unexpected visitors: representatives from environment ministries of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, the United States and Egypt.

This visit, organised during the inaugural Barcelona Euro-Mediterranean Summit by one of my former professors, aimed to promote dialogue and co-operation for sustainable water management among Jordan, Israel, and Palestine.

Fast forward almost 20 years to November, 2023, and news emerged from the Middle East on how the same nations present at that Barcelona summit were on the cusp of a brutal conflict in which the deliberate cutting off of water supplies to the people of Gaza was employed as a strategy of war.

Contrary to the common statement that the water wars are going to be a phenomenon of the near future, the reality is that water resources have been the causes, weapons, or casualties of conflict throughout history, with such occurrences continuing into the present day and becoming more prevalent in recent decades.

It is for these very reasons that water, specifically the access to water and sanitation, has been officially recognised as an international human right since 2010, highlighting the fact that water is also an important tool for peace and presents an opportunity for communities to build social cohesion and social capital around a shared resource.

Since 1993, March 22 has been observed every year by the United Nations as World Water Day and the campaign slogan for this year is “Water for Peace”.

The theme of “peace”, however, is not limited to the context of warfare but, more broadly, refers to the importance of water as a catalyst for sustainable development, opening the doors for co-operation among all sectors and interested parties through an integrated water resources approach.

This important factor has also been reflected in Bermuda in very recent years with the current water and wastewater master plan, in which the Ministry of Public Works has highlighted, among other key factors, the importance and demonstrated benefits of multi-stakeholder representation and citizen engagement in establishing a holistic view of the current state of Bermuda´s water and wastewater infrastructures and in laying the foundation for future developments.

As a Bermudian and founder of Koom Consulting, a Barcelona-based enterprise specialising in integrated water management, I have been engaged in diverse initiatives and projects on the island for several years.

Success relies not solely on organisational efforts, but also on the partnerships and collaborations fostered with stakeholders across various sectors.

Such partnerships include water management training courses in collaboration with the Bermuda College (and the support of the Bermuda Government Departments of Health, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Works and Engineering), the First Flush Project in collaboration with the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, the BWMI project in collaboration with Best and the Signature Learning Partnership programme in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

Koom Consulting also serves in the role of water pathway delivery partner for the Eco-Schools programme — one of the largest global sustainable schools programmes —hosted on the island by the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute.

Through student-lead investigations of the water uses and water quality on their own campuses, they are encouraged to develop actions towards more sustainable practices.

Secondary schools and Bermuda College students have been invited to a special symposium on March 22 to network with industry representatives and learn more about the issues around the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.

Such activities are not only geared at the school environment but they also aim to change mindsets beyond the school premises through activities of community engagement.

For the community, BUEI will be celebrating World Water Day on Saturday, March 16 with an open house and activities reflecting this year’s international theme: Water for Peace.

From 10.30am to 2.30pm, the community can enjoy interactive activities and displays on water conservation, art stations, and a kids hour-style book reading and short film viewing.

Participation in all activities for this event, including admission to the Ocean Discovery Centre, is free for all ages to enjoy.