dws-aiww2017-programma-batten2-770px‘Regard storm water as an asset not as a nuisance. Turn it into an asset. If you replumb your city, you can make it cooler’, says John Batten, Global Cities Director at consultancy firm Arcadis.

At the launch of the conference program of the Amsterdam International Water Week, Batten (on top photo) showcased an impressive number of global cities, such as San Francisco, Singapore, Wuhan, Melbourne and Philadelphia, that have started to tone down the grey and bring in the green.

The program of the AIWW conference was launched in Amsterdam on 23 June.

dws-aiww2017-programme-silvis-350pxOn behalf of the organizers, NWP managing director Lennart Silvis challenged the international water sector to come to Amsterdam and create real breakthroughs.

Many case sessions
Mayors, CEOs, investors, policy makers and leading experts have been invited to come to Amsterdam on 31 October and 1 November for a joint search for new opportunities in urban water management that meet the demands of a world with nine billion people by 2050.

This issue will be addressed in 18 real case sessions and 9 workshops in which participants will be challenged to create real breakthroughs in urban water management.

The kick-off meeting addressed the two main topics of the conference were addressed: urban climate adaptation and the circular economy.

Enthusiastic citizens
In his introduction on urban water management, John Batten also mentioned the changing attitude in his hometown, New York. The city has earmarked 1.5 billion dollar for a new, greener, infrastructure. Landscape designers have been brought in to challenge the asphalt jungle.

According to Batten, the city has been also been successful in engaging its citizens. He says block associations are now competing to have the most green infrastructure installed.

dws-aiww2017-programma-loosdrecht-350pxProfessor Mark van Loosdrecht discussed the circular economy, calling for the recovery of products with the highest market value.

Product recovery from waste water
The other main topic at the AIWW Conference will be the circular economy.

Preluding on the conference, Professor Mark van Loosdrecht of Delft University of Technology mentioned that the recovery of energy and product from waste water is no longer theoretical. 

By using membrane technology it is possible to create a permeate of clean water and a concentrate that contains all potential products for recovery.

According to Van Loosdrecht waste water treatment requires a new mindset. All current efforts are focused on the discharge regulations and operators that need to stay below certain effluent concentrations. Instead, in his view, when it comes down to recovery, the process control should focus on a certain concentration range.

dws-aiww2017-programma-kruize-350pxAlso on behalf of the organisers, Roelof Kruize, CEO of Amsterdam water utilityWaternet, highlighted the programme and invited industry, utilities and authorities to rethink solutions and accelerate the move from a linear water supply to a circular.

Recovery for the highest value
Recovered products have to compete with existing products, so their quality is crucial, Van Loosdrecht said.

His advice is to recover products with the highest value. He mentioned the example of iron phosphate. ‘Iron phosphate is used in batteries and has a high market value. Why not recover phosphate in this form?’

The AIWW Conference will be held on 31 October and 1 November as part of a week-long water event, including the Aquatech trade fair on water treatment and the new Floodex trade fair on storm water and flood defenses.

The previous edition of this bi-annual event attracted approximately 25,000 professionals.

See the full conference programme in the new AIWW brochure (as a pdf-file).

Registration for the AIWW Conference is open.

Read also on this website
AIWW conference: Showing leadership in finding solutions to address water and 9 billion people, 24 May 2017
AIWW Aquatech 2015: Look back on an impelling Amsterdam International Water Week, 12 November 2015
AIWW Aquatech 2013: Collective call for integrated water solutions at opening ceremony, 5 November 2013

More information
Amsterdam International Water Week
www.internationalwaterweek.com

Aquatech Amsterdam
www.aquatechtrade.com/amsterdam

Floodex Europe
www.floodexworld.com

AIWW Young Water Professionals
www.young-iww.com