Water experts will soon flood to Brisbane

More than 5000 water experts, industry professionals and political leaders from over 100 countries will come together at the IWA (International Water Association) World Water Congress & Exhibition, to be held in Brisbane from 9–14 October.

The congress will review the latest scientific findings, share knowledge on leading-edge water technologies and propose effective regulatory systems to manage water and sanitation in a period of unprecedented water challenges. These include growing competition for water resources from industry, agriculture, nature and cities, all of which are impacted by climate change, population growth, changing consumption patterns and rapid urbanisation.

“Water security is a top global risk,” said IWA Executive Director Ger Bergkamp. “Water scarcity has become a seasonal certainty in some parts of the world.”

The congress comes shortly after governments around the world adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, which will set the global development agenda until 2030. The goals present an opportunity to ensure the sustainability of water for the future and to address the biggest challenges facing the water sector:

• Billions of people still lack access to basic water supply and sanitation.
• Increasing water scarcity and the risk of droughts and floods affecting every corner of the globe with major economic impacts.
• Rising demand for water from agriculture, industries, cities and the environment is rapidly outpacing the water available.
• 80% of wastewater is untreated, threatening communities, businesses and the environment.

“In Brisbane, the world’s leading water professionals will, for the first time, host a summit dedicated to drought action and delivering a sustainable water future,” Bergkamp said.

For more information on the event, visit www.iwa-network.org/event/world-water-congress-exhibition-2016/.