Water Innovations Event Brings Hope to Solving Water Crisis
More than 300 people of all ages, from all walks of life, and from all over the world shared a common spirit of innovation and commitment to creating a future with clean water at the famous Morgan Library Wednesday night. The Water Innovation & Business event, held during New York Water Week, created an atmosphere of hope, as existing successful initiatives, as well as start-up technologies and solutions were discussed during the evening.
Among those in attendance were His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Mark Harbers, and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Liesje Schreinemacher. The Mayor of New York Mayor Eric Adams was also in attendance and delivered a keynote address.
“Covid was a wake-up call. We came together globally to come up with the proper antidote to the virus. That is the same level of energy we need now. By coming here to New York, the heart and soul of America, we have the opportunity to bring together and unify the opinions of all of our nations as we deal with a real crisis to water access and treated water to ensure the unserved in areas so they have the water they need. We know we have an obligation,” said Mayor Adams.
The mayor of New York also mentioned the importance of innovation to create real solutions that are needed from real ideas. “I’m proud to be here with you and I commend the Netherlands for what they have continued to do. It’s time for us to re-focus our energy, re-focus our attention and once again embrace the mother who has sustained us – Mother Earth. Together, we find solutions to meet this challenge.”
Innovations to Solve Water Crisis
Mayor Adams’ words were emblematic of the night as a whole. Moderator Raha Hakindavar led a discussion with Yousef Yousef, CEO of LG Sonic, and Nicholas Wertheimer, co-founder and CSO of Waterplan, took to the stage and spoke of their experiences of founding water solution companies. LG Sonic has a mission to eliminate the use of chemicals in the water treatment industry by offering environmentally friendly solutions. Waterplan aims to accelerate the transition to a water-secure world.
His majesty King Willem-Alexander met with innovators to hear about their solutions to address the water crisis. Those ideas came from people with various experience. For example, a group of young visionaries are launching their solution – De Jonge Watervisie.
It’s one thing to have an innovative idea and quite another to launch a solution. That is why the event included a Matchmaking networking session. Those who have tremendous solutions to solve the water crisis had the opportunity to pitch their concepts to receptive professionals looking to partner and help make those ideas a reality.
A Compelling Opening
The event at the Morgan Library kicked off with high level plenary session by author Russell Shorto. He spoke about the rich history between New York and water, from its bustling early years as a ports-based city to the down years caused by water pollution and the hope for its future. Part of the presentation was eye-catching sand art by Rosa van der Vijver, which added a dynamic element to the Water: the past, the present, and the future presentation.