2019 IDRA WORLD CONGRESS: Crossroads to Sustainability – Connecting People and Innovative Ideas to Water Solutions. We Are Getting Ready, Are You? By Imad Makhzoumi
My dearest friends, colleagues and members, as we are waiting for the biennial IDRA International Conference on Water Reuse and Recycling in Valencia to happen this June, it is with great excitement and anticipation that we are getting ready for the 2019 IDRA World Congress, to be held in Dubai and hosted by the Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA), a globally recognized sustainable, innovative and world-class utility.
The countdown has started – at the time that I write this, almost 470 days to go!
The ultra-modern landscape of Dubai, the city of the future, always stepping ahead of the innovation curve through its latest ground-breaking solutions and infrastructures, moving from water homes and floating restaurants to passenger drones is the perfect location for IDRA 2019 World Congress.
In Dubai, innovation is not a solution but a way of thinking, a mind-set, enabling the vision of the future to become the present, and the present to be the perfect pathway to sustainability.
As a part of Dubai’s Expo 2020, the emirate announced its Smart City project, with the aim to be one of the world’s most connected and sustainable cities developing smart infrastructure across life, society, mobility, energy, environment and economy.
In this framework is rooted DEWA’s commitment to sustainability and raising awareness about the importance of rationalizing water consumption, protecting the environment and conserving natural resources. Water sustainability is an important aspect of the IDRA World Congress, providing an ideal forum to help advance these goals not only for the benefit of the industry but, more importantly, for the prosperity of communities, nations and future generations.
DEWA is one of the best promoters of the Dubai Energy Strategy 2050, which sets a target of 75% usage of clean energy within the total Dubai’s energy mix by 2050. Actions and achievements towards this goal are the adoption of the Independent Power Producer (IPP) business model to enhance public-private partnerships, the promotion of renewable energy projects, and the decoupling of power and water production.
Let me share with you only a few of the latest achievements of our host DEWA, such as the lowest Customer Minutes Lost per year worldwide at 2.6 minutes, and the reduction of water line losses from 42% to 8%.
IDRA 2019 World Congress couldn’t have found a better home or a better partner!
I am excited by the high potential that can be unlocked by such an encounter of minds and people, as the IDRA World Congress, aiming to create innovative, sustainable and inclusive ideas to water solutions, is perfectly in line with IDRA’s aim to promote the maximum practical use of non-polluting renewable energy sources to power desalination and water processing for reuse.
Indeed, it is IDRA’s mission to expand strategic relationships, providing knowledge and value to the communities it serves through the engagement not only of technology providers, but also of government policy-makers, technology users, the international finance community, global think tanks and NGOs.
Inspired, influenced and empowered by the spirit and vision of Dubai’s leadership, I am proud to lead with the co-chairs, a World Congress 2019 Technical Program Committee that reflects the composition of our industry – men and women from around the world, comprising industry luminaries as well as the next generation of innovators whose perspectives and areas of expertise form the framework for a groundbreaking agenda. This committee – highly focused on human capital empowerment, efficiency and excellence – is already working together to making our 2019 IDRA World Congress unique.
I look forward to welcoming you to the 2019 IDRA World Congress, here in Dubai, the city of the future, for an unforgettable experience. I thank you for all the innovative ideas, suggestions and challenges you will bring to the gathering.
We are getting ready, are you?