10:30
Briefing
Climate change increases the complexity of territorial planning and risk management, requiring approaches capable of dealing with uncertainty, multiple scenarios, and uneven impacts across space and over time. In this context, adaptive planning and climate risk management emerge as essential tools to guide more robust, flexible, and socially equitable public and technical decisions.
This panel proposes an innovative approach structured around real-world decision-making dilemmas faced by managers, planners, and technical professionals. Instead of traditional presentations, panelists will respond to common problem-based questions, exploring prioritization criteria, trade-offs, institutional and regulatory constraints, and strategies for continuous adjustment in the face of increasing climate risks.
The session will highlight how different technical, institutional, and territorial perspectives address climate uncertainty, fostering an applied dialogue between planning, engineering, governance, and public policy. The discussion will contribute to building practical and conceptual references that support more resilient decision-making processes aligned with current and future challenges.
10:45
BWW Connection
12:15
Briefing
Theme 2 of BWW 2026 addresses sanitation, particularly wastewater management, as a structural pillar of sustainability, water and energy security, and urban development. The approach emphasizes resource recovery, system decarbonization, effective integration of innovation, and the consolidation of circular models applied to the sector. The theme aligns with global sectoral public policies, environmental and climate agendas, the 2030 Agenda, and ESG principles, reinforcing the strategic role of sanitation in the transition toward more efficient and resilient systems.
The proposal highlights the evolution of Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) into biorefineries and sustainable production units, capable of going beyond their conventional function of pollutant removal to transform socio-environmental liabilities into strategic assets. In this context, practical case studies and technological pathways are explored for water reuse, clean energy production, nutrient recovery, and the generation of high value-added products such as hydrogen. These approaches contribute to mitigating environmental impacts, optimizing the use of natural resources, improving operational performance, and advancing the universalization of sanitation services.
The theme encompasses high-efficiency, low environmental impact technologies, advanced operational practices, process optimization methods, smart retrofits, and progressive solutions that enable circular economy models in sanitation. It takes an integrated view of technical, regulatory, institutional, and financial aspects. It also highlights the integration of sanitation with ecosystem services and nature-based solutions, expanding its contribution to climate change adaptation, emissions of mitigation, and increased urban resilience.
The discussion prioritizes applied experiences, technical and institutional cooperation, and the development of replicable agendas, fostering a qualified dialogue among utilities, the private sector, startups, academia, international organizations, and public institutions, in alignment with the strategic pillars and international positioning of BWW 2026.
13:30
BWW Connection
15:00
Briefing
Achieving the goal of “leaving no one behind” as called for by SDG 6 requires innovative solutions for sanitation in rural areas and isolated communities, where conventional models of service delivery often fail. Globally, rural sanitation faces common challenges: geographic dispersion, low population density, and the need for decentralized technologies that are technically feasible and economically sustainable.
The discussion will highlight multilevel governance as a key mechanism to overcome institutional fragmentation and strengthen policy effectiveness. The focus will be on coordination between different levels of government (national, regional and local) and the integration of community management models with formal regulatory frameworks. International regulatory experiences that recognize alternative solutions and promote resilience in the face of climate change, which disproportionately impacts rural populations and their water security, will be explored.
The debate will address how reference standards and national guidelines can be made more flexible to accommodate the diversity of rural contexts, without compromising quality and public health surveillance. The session seeks to identify global good practices in cross-subsidies, financing individual solutions, and the role of regulatory agencies in protecting the human rights to water and sanitation in vulnerable territories.
15:15
BWW Connection
16:45
Briefing
This session explores how the integration of IoT, advanced automation systems, and data platforms enhances traceability, service reliability, and institutional transparency. The discussion addresses how these systems support digital governance and enhance public accountability.
Key Topics
- IoT and sensor networks applied to water and sanitation systems
- Next-generation SCADA systems and integration with corporate platforms
- Adaptive automation and real-time control
- Open data and interoperability for public sector management
- Digital performance indicators and management dashboards
- Operational transparency and institutional trust