Symbiosis Conference Calls for Sustainable Urban Water Management; Ecosan in Practice Launched
Pune, 16th October 2026: A two-day international conference titled “From Circular Economy to Ecological Sanitation: Re-centring Nature in Urban Water Systems” concluded at Symbiosis International University, Lavale, Pune. Theme of the conference “Rethink, Restore, Reconnect for a Water-Secure Tomorrow,” brought together national and international experts to explore sustainable sanitation, wastewater recycling and resource recovery.
Led by Dr. Dayanand Panse, Director, Ecosan Services Foundation (ESF), Dr. Manikprabhu Dhanorkar, Director, Symbiosis Centre for Waste Resource Management, and Dr. Sayali Sandbhor, Head, Department of Civil Engineering, Symbiosis Institute of Technology Pune, the conference highlighted ecological sanitation as a vital approach to addressing water scarcity, pollution and climate resilience.
The inaugural session featured Dr. Johannes Heeb, Senior Partner, Seecon GmbH, Switzerland, who emphasised circular economy solutions in sanitation, and Ms. Santha Sheela Nair, former Chairperson, Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission, who advocated integrating ecological sanitation into urban planning. Chief Guest Dr. Sanjay Dahasahasra stressed sustainable water management, while keynote speaker Dr. Arne Raj Panesar, formerly of GIZ, highlighted resource recovery and water conservation.
A major highlight was the launch of Ecosan in Practice, documenting two decades of experiences and innovations in ecological sanitation. The conference also witnessed the signing of academia–industry MoUs under the SENSEI Programme, aimed at strengthening collaboration.
Technical sessions and panel discussions addressed decentralised wastewater treatment, nutrient recovery, climate adaptation and circular sanitation. An interactive One Health workshop, organised under the DST-PURSE programme, engaged participants in designing sustainable wastewater solutions for a futuristic city.
Supported by Seecon, SuSanA, IWA India and ICLEI South Asia, the conference concluded with a commitment to advancing ecological sanitation through research, policy and collaboration. Its key recommendations will be consolidated into a policy brief outlining actionable strategies for climate-resilient urban water systems.
