IN MEMORIAM: Piers Cross, drinking water and sanitation icon, passes away at his home in South Africa

On 29 March 2017, Piers Cross, for thirty-odd years a key actor on the global stage of drinking water and sanitation services for all, passed away after a brief illness.  Anyone who has been engaged in the promotion of water and sanitation services in low- and middle-income countries will remember Piers as the tireless, inventive and humorous force behind many successful initiatives – he was the “consummate water professional” who not only had the passion and enthusiasm to always move ahead, but who also bestowed his motivation on many young professionals entering the sector.

For many years Piers had an initiating and leading role in the World Bank’s Water and Sanitation Program; later in his career he was the “éminence gris” driving the Sanitation and Water for All initiative. His participation in the 2004 IWA World Water Congress and Exhibition in Marrakech marked the start of IWA’s collaboration with the World Bank.

On behalf of the IWA family, we want to convey our sincere condolences to his wife, children and grandchildren. We are sharing their sadness, but know that Piers’ ideals will live on in the large contingent of young water professionals.