2017 IDRA WORLD CONGRESS ON WATER REUSE AND DESALINATION COMES TO SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL
Leading Global Conference Takes Place in Latin America for the First Time
TOPSFIELD, MA, USA, February 27, 2017 – With the need for a sustainable supply of clean, fresh water among the top issues facing the world’s growing population and economies, the International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA) will, for the first time, bring its World Congress on Water Reuse and Desalination to Latin America. The Congress will take place from October 15- 20, 2017 at the Sheraton World Trade Center in São Paulo, Brazil.
Held every two years, the Congress is widely regarded as the premier global event focusing on water reuse and desalination, featuring an industry-leading Exhibition, comprehensive four-day Technical Program, plant tours and networking events throughout World Congress week. It is attended by delegates from the public and private sector around the world – leaders in all sectors of the industry from end-users to technology developers and solutions providers, academics and researchers, financiers, suppliers and consultants. More than 1200 delegates are expected to attend the São Paulo event.
Several technical sessions will be dedicated to regional success stories that showcase how water reuse and desalination are helping in Latin American countries to develop the main economic sectors. Other sessions will address water policy, development, governance, finance and market challenges; water reuse practices; desalination and water reuse in industrial applications; emerging and advanced technologies; desalination and renewable energy; and desalination and the environment. In addition, IDRA is organizing a series of panels and/or roundtable discussions.
In all, approximately 350 abstracts representing 40 countries were submitted for consideration in the technical program. Additional presentations will be offered in the Congress’s Innovation Theater.
“As data from the IDRA Yearbook have been showing for years, Latin America, and in particular Brazil, has become one of the main users of desalination and water reuse technology. The potential for an increased use of these technologies is huge, and the interest is very high,” said Emilio Gabbrielli, President of the International Desalination and Reuse Association.
“Based on years of experience in seeing the positive impact of the IDRA World Congress in other parts of the world, we expect that this highly anticipated event will once again serve as a catalyst for a wider and appropriate use of these technologies in Brazil and the Latin American region. This perspective, coupled with the strong support from Brazil and the success of IDRA’s conference on ‘Water Reuse and Desalination for Latin American Development,’ which was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2015, was the reason why IDRA selected Brazil as the location for the 2017 World Congress,” he added.
“The 2017 World Congress Congress theme, ‘Ensure Your Water Future,’ underscores the importance of water reuse and desalination in solving the world’s water challenges. The World Congress presents an unprecedented opportunity for knowledge sharing, and it offers an ideal opportunity for delegates from around the world to learn more about the myriad opportunities that Brazil and the rest of Latin America offer,” said Patricia A. Burke, IDRA’s Secretary General.
Several important Brazilian organizations and institutions are strategic partners of the Congress. They include ABES (the Brazilian Association of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering), ABCON (Public Water and Sewer Services), SINDCON (the National Union of Private Concessionaires of Public Water and Sewer Services), ABIMAQ (the Brazilian Machinery Builders´ Association, and CNI (the Brazilian National Confederation of Industry). In addition, AIDIS (the Interamerican Sanitary and Environmental Engineering Association) and ANEAS (the National Association of Water and Sanitation Utilities of Mexico) are strategic partners located outside Brazil.
About IDRA
The International Desalination and Reuse Association (www.idadesal.org) is the point of connection for the global desalination and water reuse community. A non-profit association, IDRA serves more than 2,600 core members in 60 countries and reaches an additional 4,000 affiliate members. Its membership comprises scientists, end-users, engineers, consultants and researchers from governments, corporations and academia. IDRA is associated with the United Nations as part of a growing international network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
