Participants in the IB2017 benchmarking exercise for Western Europe gathered in Athens, Greece between 14 – 16 November 2018, for the 12th edition of the annual benchmarking workshop. The gathering was an initiative of the European Benchmarking Co-operation (EBC) who work to offer drinking and wastewater utilities a professional benchmarking programme to improve their services by learning from each other.
Representatives from around Europe and beyond, including guests from regional benchmarking hubs in the Danube region, the EIB and Aqua Publica Europea, participated in this lively, dynamic and inspirational workshop. Athens’s Water Supply and Sewerage Company (EYDAP) kindly offered to sponsor and host this event. Almost 90 delegates from 16 different countries were gathered in the National Library at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre in Athens, to discuss the annual benchmarking results, to share best practices and common challenges as well as to exchange experiences with their colleagues.
Turning data into action – knowledge picnics
This year the workshop focused on turning data to solutions, with a focus on how to improve the water sector with performance data. One of the possible solutions launched during the workshop was the concept of knowledge picnics. During these short expert meetings (small groups of max. 10 to 15 people) participants shared best practices around specific themes. In-depth discussions then define improvement potential and help identify best performers. An ideal format for EBC’s commitment to ‘assess – learn – improve’.
NextGen in focus
Dr. Samios, Head of the Research and Development Department of EYDAP, shared insights and results from several EU funded projects in which EYDAP participates. Within the context of the presentation, he provided an overview of the NextGen project and referred particularly to the technologies that will be implemented in the scope of the project.
