EPISODE SEVEN: SHOW NOTES
Why aren't we collaborating? Silos, sewage & solutions
Featuring Maria Cristina De La Paz, Kate Harawa, Kelly Latham and Haleemah Qureshi
LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts ◦ Spotify ◦ YouTube
DESCRIPTION
Why are public health and ecological health protection efforts so siloed — and do cross-sector wastewater management solutions exist? In this episode of The Nature Conservancy’s waste(d)water podcast, host Sydney Bezanson explores how WASH and conservation sectors can collaborate on wastewater management for the health of both people and nature. Experts share insights on enabling conditions, financing strategies, and innovative models like water funds that unite stakeholders for resilient water systems. We hear from Kate Harawa and Kelly Latham from the non-profit Water for People, Haleemah Qureshi from the non-profit Aquaya and Maria Cristina De La Paz from The Nature Conservancy.
LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts ◦ Spotify ◦ YouTube
Why are public health and ecological health protection efforts so siloed — and do cross-sector wastewater management solutions exist? In this episode of The Nature Conservancy’s waste(d)water podcast, host Sydney Bezanson explores how WASH and conservation sectors can collaborate on wastewater management for the health of both people and nature. Experts share insights on enabling conditions, financing strategies, and innovative models like water funds that unite stakeholders for resilient water systems. We hear from Kate Harawa and Kelly Latham from the non-profit Water for People, Haleemah Qureshi from the non-profit Aquaya and Maria Cristina De La Paz from The Nature Conservancy.
KEY WORDS
wastewater pollution, sanitation, cholera, climate change, public health, ecology, collaboration, water management, water funds, sustainable solutions, sustainable development
wastewater pollution, sanitation, cholera, climate change, public health, ecology, collaboration, water management, water funds, sustainable solutions, sustainable development
AT A GLANCE
- 80% of the world's wastewater enters the environment untreated.
- Cholera outbreaks are linked to climate change and inadequate sanitation.
- Nearly 4 billion people lack access to safe sanitation.
- Public health and ecological health efforts are often siloed.
- Common goals and accountability measures are essential for collaboration.
- Investment is needed to improve water quality, treatment and supply.
- Water funds are effective multi-stakeholder partnerships for conservation.
- Collaboration across sectors is crucial for sustainable solutions.
- Protecting nature can also safeguard human health.
- Nature-based wastewater strategies align with climate adaptation goals.
GUEST BIOS
Kate Harawa is the Malawi Director of Influence & Scale at Water For People, where she leads strategic advocacy and partnerships to advance climate-resilient water and sanitation services. With extensive experience in WASH and community development, Kate works closely with government ministries, NGOs, and global partners to drive sustainable solutions.
Kelly Latham is Global Advisor for Climate & Water Resource Management at Water For People, where she brings deep expertise in integrating climate resilience into water and sanitation strategies, working across sectors to advance sustainable WASH solutions. With a background in environmental engineering and watershed science, Kelly focuses on bridging gaps between public health and conservation goals.
Haleemah Qureshi is Senior Research Manager at Aquaya, where she leads research on WASH systems in low-resource urban settings. She manages the Urban WASH Project, a USAID-funded initiative focused on identifying enabling conditions for equitable water and sanitation services. With expertise in city planning and civil engineering, Haleemah brings valuable insights on sustainable infrastructure management, affordable service delivery, and improving quality of life for vulnerable communities.
Maria Cristina De La Paz is the former Coordinator of the Resilient Watershed Program at The Nature Conservancy in Ecuador where she led initiatives to strengthen water security through integrated watershed management, focusing on nature-based solutions and multi-stakeholder collaboration. With expertise in climate resilience and sustainable water governance, Maria Cristina works to scale innovative models like water funds to address water stress, wastewater pollution, and ecosystem protection.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Wastewater Challenges
01:40 Cholera Outbreak and Climate Change Impact
03:09 Siloed Approaches in Public Health and Ecology
06:13 Barriers to Collaboration in Wastewater Management
10:35 Case Studies: Successful Water Management Strategies
14:43 Financing Sustainable Sanitation Solutions
21:04 Water Funds: A Collaborative Approach
27:03 Building Partnerships Across Sectors
29:25 Hope for Collaborative Solutions
EPISODE RESOURCES
Cholera: Malawi – Disease Outbreak NewsWorld Health Organization, 2023
Helping Malawians bring water, sanitation, and hygiene to their communities
Water for People
Trimmer et al., 2023
Ecuador Water Funds
The Nature Conservancy
Post-production services for waste(d)water provided by Two Aspen Audio. A special thank you to The Nature Conservancy Coda Fellows Sydney Bezanson and Juan Sebastián Gómez Gutiérrez for their contributions.