GSAC 2026 - presentations, posters and recordings

February 2026

The Center for Water and Sanitation at CEPT University organized the third edition of the Global South Academic Conclave on WASH and Climate in February, 2026. The conclave was organised in collaboration with the Faculty of Planning - CEPT University with support from the Viega Foundation and Gates Foundation.

View the presentations here -

Theme 1: Monitoring WASH outcomes and climate impacts

Recording Day 1 - Technical Session 1: Monitoring WASH outcomes and climate impacts

Recording Day 2 - Technical Session 1: Monitoring WASH outcomes and climate impacts

Strengthening Climate-Responsive WASH Monitoring in Kenya: Bridging Policy, Systems, and Data Gaps for Adaptive Governance | Jokastah Kalungu | Climate Action for Women and Vulnerable Communities - Kenya (CAWOVS – Kenya)

Climate resilient waste management services for small and medium towns in India | Jigisha Jaiswal, Priyadarshini Choudhary, Saubiya Sareshwala | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University

Waste Deep Dive Report: The Rotting Truth: How Landfills and Dumpsites Fuel Climate Change | Pranjali Chowdhary | Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development

From Service Monitoring to Climate-Responsive WASH Systems at Scale - Lessons from PAS | Dhwani Shah and Jay Shah | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University

Mapping and Forecasting Groundwater Vulnerability in Guwahati: A Multi-Source Approach using earth observation, GIS and Machine Learning | Santanu Das | North Eastern Space Applications Centre

Enabling Climate Resilient Water Reuse in Small Towns: The Reuse Readiness Framework | Ansu Susan Cherian | Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association (BORDA) South Asia

Methane in Groundwater Wells of Mexico City: A Preliminary Assessment of Occurrence, Potential Origins, and Associated Risks | Pablo Morales-Rico | Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (Cinvestav), Mexico

Preliminary Scoping Study to Estimate Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Banswara City, Southern Rajasthan | Sagar Gupta | University College of Engineering, Banswara

Faecal Sludge Management: Experiences in Implementing Performance Based Contract - Lukasa Water Supply & Sanitation Company | Mambwe Evans | Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company

Following the Flows: WASH Realities in Emerging Urban Centres of South Asia | Ansu Susan Cherian | Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association (BORDA) South Asia

CWAS-Evaluating and exploring potential methane capturing mechansims across the sanitation service chain in India | Jigisha Jaiswal, Dhwani Shah, Omkar Kane, Karan Patil | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University

 

Theme 2: Governance and financing for climate resilient WASH

Recording Day 1 - Technical Session 2: Governance and Financing for inclusive and climate resilient WASH

Recording Day 2 - Technical Session 2: Governance and Financing for inclusive and climate resilient WASH

Recording Day 2 - Technical Session 3: Governance and Financing for inclusive and climate resilient WASH

Local Governance and WaSH Priorities: A Comparative Analysis of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka & Reflections from Praxis | N.Shanthi Maduresan | DHAN Foundation

Resilient by Design: Strengthening Governance and Financing Pathways for Inclusive WASH Systems | Benny Filumba | Catalyst Development

The Invisibility of Indignity: Assessing Governance Gaps in Post-Disaster Sanitation Recovery and the Right to Dignity in Climate-Affected Coastal India. | Sujoy Chaudhury | Centre for Sustainable Solutions

Reimagining community-based climate urban water supply sanitation governance in Owerri Municipal Local Government Area,(LGA), Imo State, Nigeria | Basil Agoha | Chukwemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Anambra State Nigeria

Closing the Urban Water Loop: Municipal Regulatory Approaches for Advancing Water Circularity | Dr.M.Snehalatha | Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI)

Strengthening Governance and Financing for Inclusive and Climate-Resilient WASH in Madagascar: Challenges and Pathways. | Fanomezantsoa Giscard Pascal RABEMANANJARA | HARONA NGO

Rethinking O&M Financing in Urban WSS: Bridging the Cost Recovery Gap in India | Tushar Chakrabarty | Janaagraha

Enabling the Adoption of Climate Resilience Water-Efficient Sanitaation Solutions - Developments in Global Policy and Practice | Jay Bhagwan | Water Research Commission

Financing for climate resilient WASH services | Upasana Yadav, Saubiya Sareshwala | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University

‘Where to spend’ matters a lot for service delivery: A case of SWM services | Shishir Gupta | Centre for Social and Economic Progress

Enhancing community access to climate finance through water payments for ecosystem services | Edmond Clark Tsiresy | Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development in Madagascar

Circular Cities in Practice: Transforming Plastic Waste through Community Innovation | Manish Karpe, Utkarsha Kavadi | All India Institute of Local Self Government

Climate-resilient WASH governance: Forecasting-based, community-owned adaptation in Jaipur and Bhubaneswar (2018–2025) | Rajib Das | Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR)

Operational Expenditure Sustainability in Solid Waste Management: A Monitoring Framework in North Western Himalayas | Diksha Rana | Waste Warriors Society

 

Theme 3: WASH innovations in technology and service delivery

Recording Day 1 - Technical Session 3: WASH innovations in technology and service delivery

Recording Day 1 - Technical Session 4: WASH innovations in technology and service delivery

Recording Day 2 - Technical Session 4: WASH innovations in technology and service delivery

Safe Water at the Point-of-Use: Continuous UVC-LED Disinfection to Overcome Prevalence and Re-contamination of Bacterial Indicators | Jemi Gandhi | M G Science Institute

“Beyond Recharge: Climate-Adaptive Rainwater Storage Options for Drinking Water Security and Strengthening School WASH in Hilly Regions of Palghar, Maharashtra” | Manish Kulkarni | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University

"Catch the Rain” – “Sponge Soil” - Distributed Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) – Terrain based | G Ramkumar | Cost Effective RWH (Individual), RWH - Eco Terrain based Solutions

Eco Act and Green Culinary Initiative: Community-Based Innovation for WASH Improvement in Urban Culinary Businesses of Jakarta | Ria Triany | Environmental Agency of Jakarta City Government

Mechanisation in Sanitation Services: Opportunities and Barriers for Safe, Dignified, and Climate-Resilient WASH Systems | Meghna Malhotra, Abhranil Munsi | Urban Management Centre

Digital Transformation of Urban Sanitation Governance Implementing an Open-Source Integrated Municipal Information System (IMIS) in Lakshmipur Municipality, Bangladesh | Makfie Farah | Global Water & Sanitation Center

Designing Climate resilient urban waterscapes: hydrological adaptation for equitable cities in a warming world | Agyei Darko Kelvin | Regional Water and Environmental Sanitation Center - Kumasi

Greywater management and reuse potential in selected five States of Rural India | Uzra Sultana | ARGHYAM

Integrating GIS and Remote Sensing to Assess Groundwater Availability and Population Pressure in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province for urban water security | Tsitsi Prudence Humanikwa | Lupane State University, Zimbabwe

Circular Economy in Urban Solid Waste Management: The Case of Ahmedabad | Apoorva Vaz, Anil Kumar Roy | CEPT university

Case Studies of bioengineering using NbS for strengthening resilience in WASH | Kaushik Ghosh | Netaji Subhas Administrative Training Institute, Government of West Bengal

Moving towards water secure and climate resilient cities | Priyadarshini Choudhary, Arwa Bharmal, Dipti Tanna | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University

Operationalizing Water and Sanitation Regulation in Nepal: A Participatory Reform Journey | Satish Jung Shahi | United Nation’s Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Nepal Office

Building Resilience in small town disadvantaged communities through decentralized WASH infrastructure and services: Learnings from Chikkaballapura and Chintamani, Karnataka | Anjali Wagle K | Technology Informatics Design Endeavour (TIDE NGO)

Smart tech approach for WASH | Aditi Dwivedi, Jigisha Jaiswal | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University

 

Theme 4: Inclusive and climate resilient WASH

Recording Day 1 - Technical Session 5: Inclusive and climate resilient WASH

Recording Day 2 - Technical Session 5: Inclusive and climate resilient WASH

Strengthening Urban WASH Service Delivery: Evaluating the Role of SHGs as AMRUT Mitras and Jalasathis | Anurag Anthony | Urban Management Centre

Women-Led Private Sector Innovations in Municipal Waste Management: A Case of Batawaraniya Sundar Nepal Pvt. Ltd., Butwal, Nepal | Srijana Karkee | Batawaraniya Sundar Nepal Pvt. Ltd

Mainstreaming Climate Responsive Water and Sanitation Systems for Planning Resilient Cities | Xerxes Rao | Urban Management Centre

Reliable and Equitable Water Supply in a Sustainable Manner through Innovative Hydraulic Isolation Structures | Anuj Ghorpade | Ajivam Water Private Limited

Landscape assessment of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) of Sanitation Workers in Vikasnagar and Haldwani, Uttarakhand | Vanshika Bajaj | National Institute of Urban Affairs

Digital lake monitoring in Ahmedabad / Vadodara | Aditi Dwivedi, Aishwarya Makwana | Center for Water and Sanitation (CWAS), CRDF

Sponge Infrastructure Integration For Urban Flood Resilience: A Design Framework | Evangelin Joy | College of Engineering Trivandrum

Bridging Gaps in Menstrual Health: Service Delivery and Governance Innovations in Climate-Resilient WASH, Jaipur (2018–2025) | Juhi Jain | Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR)

Advancing Climate Action through Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) | Alejandro Jimenez | IVL

 

Poster Presentations

Satellite-Based Assessment of Urban Environmental Stressors and Their Implications for WASH Sustainability | Mahi Patel | Silver Oak University

Assessment of Co-Benefits of Water Bodies in India | Tanay Chopra | CEPT University

Water Challenges in Central Asia: Climate Risks, Transboundary Cooperation, and Water Diplomacy in the Context of Global Change | Christian Gessl | Supporting Innovations and Developing Innovative Technologies in Agriculture "Agroinnovatsiya" Public Association

The Impact of Water Pollution in killi river affecting the Microclimate in Thiruvananthapuram | Akshay SR | College of Engineering, Trivandrum

Restoring Ecological Corridors to River Yamuna in Delhi Through Floating Wetlands, Specialized Planting, and Natural Filtration Systems | Jai Rajwanshi | MBS SPA

Paani Aane se Hone Tak: The social life of water infrastructure in a slum resettlement colony in Bengaluru | Yashna Arora | Independent Researcher

Local Governance and Service Delivery: Emerging Lessons on Rural Water Governance in Odisha and Assam | Rajas Kolhatkar | International Innovation Corps

Wash Mitra | Krushna Avhad | Center for youth development and activities

Community-Managed Resilient Drinking Water Supply System: A Case Study from Kalitar Community, Godawari, Nepal | Anand Gautam | WaterAid Nepal

Exploring New Avenues of Financing Water Utility Operations | Kapil Dhabu | International Innovation Corps, University of Chicago Trust

Smart self balancing water distribution network with integrated leak detection system | Priyansh Singh | CEPT University

nbS solution for Budhabalanga Basin located in Odisha | Amogh Coca | CEPT University

SplashNet: A hydraullic Sneakernet | Kartikee Santosh Mahadik | CEPT University

Analyzing the Water Supply System for Small Towns in Gujarat | Charmil Prajapati |

Solutions for Flood Resilience | Vaidehee P. |

Climate resilient water security for rural Maharashtra | Kasturi Joshi, Jinal Chheda, Aarya Watane, Harish Dhiwar | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University

The Hydro-Climatic-Sanitation Nexus: Assessing the Impact of Urban Flooding on Faecal Sludge Management and Diarrheal Disease Risk in Mazabuka, Zambia | Joseph Tuntepe | Self-sponsored/Independent

INTEGRATING RESILIENT SANITATION SYSTEMS IN COASTAL REGIONS | Tania Mathew | College of Engineering Trivandrum

The unseen living conditions of women sanitation workers in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, Odisha | Amita Bhakta | Hidden WASH

Challenges of Extending Safely Managed Sanitation Services in Urban Kerala: A Systems Approach | Paresh Chhajed-Picha | IRC

Understanding the economics of BORDA-designed treatment systems in South Africa: The role of non-profit organisations in filling the sanitation financing and implementation gap | Zenani Dludla |

Together for Better Sanitation: Decentralized Solutions for a Sustainable Future in Jordan | Namagembe Masitullah | WaterConsults

Rethinking Greywater: Building a Research and Governance Agenda for Community-led Water Reuse in Rural India | Alokananda Bisoyi | International Innovation Corps

Reimagining Urban Sanitation and Water Access: Community-Led Climate-Resilient Innovation in Mukuru kwa Njenga Slum, Kenya | Jokastah Kalungu |

Sughad: a community led cleanliness movement | Dixita Pariaker | Vikas Centre for Development

Optimum utilization of resources through refurbishment/upgradation of existing sewage and faecal sludge treatment facilities, for scaling up sustainable used water management across Maharashtra | Sagar Patil | All India Institute of Local Self Government, Mumbai

Landscape Review and Strategic Roadmap for Used Water Management in Maharashtra | Ram Khandelwal | Urban Innovation Lab

Citywide inclusive climate-resilient WASH | Bhushan Tawlare, Snehal Bhosle, Arfaat Attar | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University

Transforming Urban Sanitation: A Water+ Strategy for Morbi’s Sewerage and Drainage Network. | Pankaj Khandelwal | CEPT University

Examining Built Environment, Climate, Health and Well-being of Weavers of Sualkuchi, Assam | Rushabh Shah | Sarvajanik University, IDPT-SCET

Resilient Dwellings and Healthy Habitats: Monitoring WASH and Climate Adaptation in the Mishing Settlements of Assam | Maaz Imran Multani | Sarvajanik University, IDPT-SCET

Developing Climate Resilient schools designated as cyclone shelters- Based on lived Experience of Bhadrak District Odisha, India | Sradha Das | WaterAid India

Urban Water, Sanitation, and Climate Change: The Role of School Education in Shaping Sustainable Cities" | Sangita Bose Das | Hooghly Chinchurah Municipality, (UD & MA Dept. West Bengal)

Learning and Unlearning on Climate Action in Small Towns: Cases from India and Bangladesh | Anju Varghese | Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association (BORDA), South Asia

Climate-Resilient WASH in Nepal: Policy Alignment, Local Practices, and Service Provider Readiness | Anand Gautam | WaterAid Nepal

WASH and Public Health Linkages in the Slums of Ahmedabad | Yaamini R | Styka Studios, Hyderabad

Evaluation The Role of Blue-Green Infrastructure | Zeel Patel | CEPT University

Monitoring WASH Outcomes in a Changing Climate: Insights from Global Systems and Policies | Deep Chandraprakash Sharma | HK College of Pharmacy, Mumbai University

Virtual Platform for Capacity Building and Peer-to-Peer Learning: Moving Technology, Not People | Ashish Kumar | Water For People India

Strengthening Accountability in Climate Adaptation Projects: Perspectives from Rural Farming Communities | Danley Colecraft Aidoo | University of Ghana

Climate resilient waste management services for small and medium towns in India | Viral Chauhan, Mansi Shinde, Mayuri More, Sagar Gamit, Devanshi Shah | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University

Climate resilient solid waste management for rural Maharashtra | Apoorva Bhate, Gautamee Sayamwar, Raju Kothangire, Vishal Jadhav| CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University