Between 2013 and 2016, the GWLG published Water Leader, a magazine focusing on driving performance in urban water. The magazine shared the stories of the sector's thought-leading and top-achieving CEOs and Ministers. It also reported on the output of the Group's CEO-level workshops including the latest and most innovative leadership, management and operational performance models.
Water Leader was distributed to 2,500 CEOs, Ministers, Mayors and water sector thought-leaders in around 100 countries. The magazine was published in collaboration with Global Water Intelligence - the Publishing and Events Partner on the Global Water Leaders Group. All issues of Water Leader are described below.
The Cover: This cover features James Sano, CEO of Water Leaders Award winner, Rwanda’s WASAC. The global water sector decided this utility showed the strongest performance improvement in the developing world in 2015.
Featured Article: The water and wastewater industry is often challenged for being risk-averse and often reluctant to embrace innovation. Historically, there is little information on how important innovation is for utilities and what their critical innovation needs are. The Global Water Leaders Innovation Survey 2016 and innovation case studies from across the globe shed light on utilities’ attitudes to innovation, current innovation efforts and unmet innovation needs.
The Cover: This issue features Debra Shore, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) on the cover. Commissioner Shore reported on behalf of the water leaders at the Denver 2015 meeting on the topic of making the public case for innovation.
Featured Article:
Innovation — and building a corporate culture of innovation — has historically been ignored in the water and wastewater sector but that is starting to change, as it must. The challenges faced across the sector could be revolutionised and transformed into game-changing competitive advantages. If the corporate culture allows, innovation has the potential to be pervasive in every business and operational area. The question is: Are we really ready to embrace the change? This Feature article reports on the first stage of the Technology and Innovation Survey and how utility CEOs and thought-leaders from across North America and Australia are responding to innovation’s potential.
The Cover: This issue features Benedito Braga on the cover - Chairman of Sabesp, São Paulo State Minister of Water and Sanitation and President of the World Water Council.
Featured Article: Non-revenue water (NRW) is a persistent problem for water utilities all over the world, and for a variety of different reasons. This Feature article goes beyond existing models of NRW reduction to reveal the comprehensive set of practical NRW challenges faced by utilities, and the possible range of solutions applicable in different parts of the world.
The Cover: This issue features Mamadou Dia on the cover. He is world renowned for facilitating the transformation of Sénégalaise des Eaux. The story is detailed in the Feature Article. He now holds the role of President of Aquafed.
Featured Article: Is it possible to imagine a new universal water access model? What would it look like? The Global Water Leaders Group joined with the World Economic Forum in Athens. Together, we are creating a new model for water access and sanitation.
The Cover: This issue features Amina J. Mohammed, Special Advisor of the UN Secretary-General on Post-2015 Development Planning for the United Nations, on the cover. She reflects on the crucial role of water utilities in the implementation of the SDGs, specifically the Water Goal.
Featured Article: Although the famed “Got Milk?” campaign was launched more than two decades ago, water has yet to take the important transferrable lessons from it; lessons which could transform the value drivers of the sector. We de-construct the “Got Milk?” campaign, takes the valuable lessons for water, and tests a new format of inter-product associations for driving the perceived value of tap water.
The Cover: This issue features Harlan Kelly, General Manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), on the cover. SFPUC has become famous for its spectacular customer outreach campaign called "Learn About Me." The communications strategy has gone viral because of its use of emotional message appeals including humour and sex. SFPUC is truly re-shaping the meaningfulness of municipal messages!
Featured Article: Waste is fast becoming the most productive form of value for the water sector. The water-waste-energy nexus is well-known, but how can utilities build a business case and create real value? What are the different types of value, how can the saleable products be developed and who are the potential customers? For technology suppliers, what is the customer’s view of the value? Turning expenses into revenues is every CEO’s dream. Leaders across Europe, MENA, Australia and the USA spoke to Water Leader Editor, Samantha Yates, about how they are making their dream – and their cities’ prosperity – a reality.
The Cover: This issue features Hon. Ek Sonn Chan on the cover - Cambodia's Water Minister and former Director of the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA). He was the driving force of tyhe PPWSA's incredible transformation into a world class utility. His latest mandate is to transform, not just Phnom Penh, but the whole country's water. Find out how he plans to do it, what it will mean for the people of Cambodia, and what his successful leadership strategy entails.
Featured Article: How can water and wastewater utilities become more investible? We asked the investors themselves: Government, lenders, donors and rate-payers. Find out the results of our Global Sustainability Survey which asks rate-payers what they think about water tariffs, whether they are prepared to pay more, and where they see added value from water services.
The Cover: This issue features Carter Strickland, Commissioner of the New York Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), on the cover. His utility is in the Feature article for its resilience in the wake of Superstorm "Sandy," during which the DEP maintained full water service!
Featured Article: The Feature focuses on utility resilience in the crucial third year of recovery from natural disasters - widely thought to be the most testing year of the full recovery process. When disaster strikes, cities must respond rapidly and decisively. Utilities must take the lead in repairing urban centres so life can continue. These are the stories of the utilities which have experienced the shock waves of natural disaster - droughts, superstorms and earthquakes - and survived to serve their communities another day.
The Cover: This issue features Chew Men Leong, CEO of the Public Utilities Board (PUB) of Singapore, on the cover. PUB Singapore has led the world in reinventing the water utility, redefining water security, community engagement and industrial development. Global Water Leaders Group Chairman, Christopher Gasson, spoke with Mr. Chew about the importance and future of leadership in the water sector. The Global Water Leaders Group also joined with PUB for the SIWW Water Utilities Leaders Forum. This issue reports on reflections of the Chairpeople from the sessions, and how their visions and opinions had developed after the meeting.
Featured Article: The Feature focuses on global trends in water traiffs/rates. Water and wastewater tariffs were trending upwards in 2012–2013 to fill the budget gaps faced by utilities in the economic recovery and the ever-looming infrastructure deficit. Some utilities are having more success than others. What are their strategies for increasing rates and what will it mean for the utility’s role in sustainability, social welfare and trade-offs with other water users?
The Cover: This issue features Dr. William Muhairwe on the cover - famed for his world class transformation of the the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) of Uganda (detailed in the Feature Article below).
Featured Article: The Feature tells one of the greatest stories of utility transformation of our time. Facing dilapidated infrastructure, massive economic losses, demoralised staff and embedded organisational non-transparency, the NWSC was on the brink of collapse. Dr. Muhairwe took drastic steps to reform the ailing utility and developed the iconic 100 days transformation process, which since has proven itself time and time again throughout Africa. Join the journey and find out how the reforms were implemented, and how the staff and community responded.
