IWA Lisbon 2014: Practitioners address resource recovery at world water congress
In two weeks' time the global water community gathers again. This time at the IWA World Water Congress in Lisbon from 21 - 26 September.
Two weeks ago, at the Stockholm Water Week, the water professionals talked mainly about global policies and development.
In Lisbon the focus will be more on the practical issues of water resources, water supply and waste water treatment.
Latest views and best practices
The International Water Association (IWA) has a global network of 10,000 members worldwide, spanning both scientific and practical knowledge about all aspects of the water cycle.
At this year's world congress over 350 presentations have been programmed, with many IWA-members giving their latest views and sharing the best practices.
Resource recovery
One of the main topics is recovery of resources. This refers not only to the re-use of drinking, irrigation or industrial water, but also to the recovery of raw materials, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, and the production of biogas by anaerobic digestion.
Presentations on this topic will cover new technologies that are currently being developed and piloted. Co-generation schemes, microbial electrolysis, fuel cells and pressure-retarded osmosis are amongst the waste water treatment technologies that could dramatically change the energy profile of our industry.
Mature markets for recovery products
"As the technologies are becoming available, we can focus more on the markets for products that are recovered. Especially the demand side needs more attention", remarks professor Wim van Vierssen on the eve of the event.
Van Vierssen is director of the Dutch KWR Watercycle Research Institute. Many researchers of his institute will contribute to the congress, presenting the results of their latest research.
Decentralized water systems
"In many cases the price of recovered products has to come down in order to be more compatible to existing products. This is not easy and governments have to play an important role", continues Van Vierssen.
"Decentralized water cycle systems will play a key role", foresees KWR's CEO, "but it will not be easy to sell these systems as on-the-shelf products. Innovative tendering by the public water sector and governments could give a big boost. But it is also important that governments adjust their regulations on waste and take away the barriers to trade the recovered products."
18 proven water management tools in Watershare, jointly developed and used by seven top applied research institutes.Seeking new alliances
According to Van Vierssen his institute is very much involved in seeking new alliances to share its experience, for instance in Watershare. KWR is initiator of this collaborative framework of seven top international applied research institutes.
In Watershare these institutes combine their scientific and institutional strengths to create and share sophisticated and practically-proven water management tools
During the IWA World Water congress there will be daily presentations on Watershare at the Business Forum and in booth No. 219.
Watershare is the principal sponsor of the congress.
Also read on this website
● IWA Lisbon 2014: Strong Dutch participation in IWA World water congress on shaping our water future, 12 September 2014
● Meet the Dutch water sector at IWA Lisbon
More information
IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition, Lisbon 2014
www.iwa2014lisbon.org
KWR Watercycle Research Institute
Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
+31 30 60 69 511
www.kwrwater.nl
Watershare
www.watershare.eu
Wim van Vierssen, CEO of KWR Watercycle Research Institute, introduces the Watershare framework.