Indian sanitation innovator awarded 2009 Stockholm Water Prize

Co-founders of the Stockholm Water Prize and initiators of Water for the World programme and leading providers of innovative, value creating plastics solutions, Borealis and Borouge, are delighted by the nomination of the 2009 laureate, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh Sanitation Movement in India.

As the founder of the Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Dr. Pathak is known around the world for his wide ranging work in sanitation, where he sets out to improve public health, advance social progress, and improve human rights in India. Dr. Pathak has, for instance, led the development of cost-effective and culturally acceptable public toilets and waste water treatment systems which are now used daily by 10 million poor people in India.

He is also spearheading hygiene and health education models for urban slums and poor communities aimed at improving the lives of million of people, creating economic opportunities, decent standards of living, and social dignity.

In welcoming the announcement, Borealis Chief Executive Mark Garrett says: “More than 2.5 billion people don’t have access to basic sanitation with massive consequences on people’s health and development. This prize demonstrates that innovation and smart solutions can truly make a difference to people lives. This is what Borealis and Borouge set out to do by co-founding this award.”

Committed to going beyond business, in addition to their involvement in the Stockholm Water Prize, Borealis and Borouge initiated Water for the World, a programme that leverages the companies’ expertise to better manage water resources and improve the access to water and sanitation around the globe.

Borouge leads several Water for the World projects in India such as the connection to secured water supply to 30 000 villagers in the State of Maharashtra.

“We can make a substantial contribution to addressing the water and sanitation challenges,” says William Yau, CEO of Borouge Pte. “Durable cost-effective and corrosion free, plastics solutions are core to water and sanitation systems. By leveraging our know-how and partnerships, we accelerate the transfer of technologies and adoption of sustainable solutions in poor rural communities and large modern cities alike.”

Co-founders of the Stockholm Water Prize since 2007, Borealis and Borouge are committed to further advance water science and best-practices. At the same time Professor Anthony Allan was awarded the prize in 2008 for his work on water footprint, Borealis announced with Uponor, a leading supplier of plumbing and heating systems, the first pilot application of his concept in the plastics industry value chain. Borealis will present further findings at the next World Water Week in August 2009.

The Stockholm Water Prize annual laureate is announced each March in connection with the UN World Water Day and honoured at a Royal Prize Ceremony under the patronage of H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden during the World Water Week in Stockholm each August. The prize, administered by the Stockholm International Water Institute and founded by international companies in co-operation with the City of Stockholm includes a USD 150,000 award.

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