Key Takeaways

• 1. Expert Presentations & Panels – SEED convened leading technologists, policymakers and financiers to share cutting edge practices in urban sanitation. Participants saw live demonstrations of low energy desludging pumps and modular treatment wetlands, showcasing how compact, nature based systems can handle septage with minimal power inputs. These sessions were complemented by in depth policy dialogues on "green financing" models—examining innovative funding streams that reward infrastructure delivering measurable ecosystem co benefits, such as carbon sequestration and water quality improvement.
• 2. Hands On Breakouts – In small group "design sprints," stakeholders collaboratively mapped out alternative sewering solutions tailored to flood prone wards. Each team sketched plans integrating rain gardens to detain and infiltrate stormwater, alongside community scale composting hubs that transform organic waste into soil amendments. By working through real world constraints—land availability, maintenance capacity and budget—participants co developed practical blueprints for climate resilient sanitation at the neighbourhood level.
• 3. Field Demonstrations – Attendees visited a pilot co treatment wetland where planted reed beds and young mangrove saplings jointly polish septage effluent before safe discharge. On site experts explained how root zone microbial processes break down pollutants, while the mangroves specialized pneumatophores and rhizospheres enhance nutrient uptake. This hands on tour brought theory to life, illustrating the efficiency and ecological synergy of living treatment systems.
• 4. Collaborative Road Mapping – To translate insights into action, SEED facilitated structured sessions to draft a "Climate Smart Sanitation Charter" for municipal adoption. Working together, participants set clear targets for pollution reduction, adaptive management triggers and performance metrics. The resulting roadmap laid out phased timelines, assigned responsibilities across agencies and outlined mechanisms for ongoing monitoring—ensuring that innovative sanitation solutions become entrenched in city planning and budgets.