THUR, AUGUST 02 2018-theG&BJournal-Lloyd Fisher-Jeffes, a Civil Engineer with global engineering and infrastructure advisory company Aurecon, has been elected to the Emerging Water Leaders Steering Committee of the International Water Association (IWA). The election recognises his outstanding role in coordinating a committee of 30 Young Water Professionals as part of the 8th International Young Water Professionals Conference (IYWPC), held in July in Cape Town.
Fisher-Jeffes will attend several global meetings where he will have the opportunity to influence how the IWA engages with young water professionals and contribute to the IWA’s current activities at an international level. Besides being able to network with various IWA leaders and committees, he will be able to contribute to best practice frameworks while developing his competencies as a leader and water engineer.
James Cullis, Aurecon’s Global Service Leader for Water, says Fisher-Jeffes’ election to the IWA’s Emerging Water Leaders Steering Committee is a reward for his exceptional ability as a young professional in the water sector, as well as a future leader in the industry.
“Lloyd did an excellent job as Chair of the local organising committee of the IYWPC. He is not only a critical part of our Cape Town water resources team, but will also be a key player in the future of Aurecon’s water consultancy,” says Cullis.
“One of the takeaways from the IYWPC event was the urgent need for Young Water Professionals to have a seat at the table,” says Fisher-Jeffes. “We need to be more involved in planning the future of water infrastructure in our countries. I hope that my role as the YWP Specialist Group Coordinator will allow me to facilitate and encourage Specialist Groups to invite YWP’s to become involved in their initiatives,”
He also hopes his role will help inspire other Young Water Professionals to take a more proactive role in infrastructure planning.
“I want to motivate Young Water Professionals to get involved in designing the solutions of the future. Water resource planning typically has a 30-year horizon and the current generation will either benefit from or suffer the consequences of decisions made in the sector today. As under 35-year-olds, we will be leaders 30 years from now, so it’s important to get involved in the decisions that will shape the infrastructure we will be managing and operating,” says Fisher-Jeffes.
He is currently working on a project advising the City of Cape Town on its drought response and future water resource planning. Some of his former projects include flood studies and 2D modelling.
“As the IWA membership includes environmentalists, sociologists, activists, scientists and engineers, I’m looking forward to being exposed to diverse ideas and innovative thinking on water management. The diverse solutions that are presented on this platform will help me broaden my competencies and become a better water engineer,” concludes Fisher-Jeffes.
