August 30, 2021, Boston, MA – After close consultation with our Australian Government partners and based on the Governments vaccination and border reopening four-stage plan, we must postpone the 2022 IDRA World Congress scheduled for May 29-June 2, 2022. The new date is October 9-13, 2022, to ensure an in-person event and protect our community’s health and safety. Accordingly, we have modified the extended abstract submission deadline to February 15, 2022. The Congress remains in the magnificent city of Sydney, Australia, at the International Convention Center (ICC Sydney), a spectacular location and state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2016 at the world-famous Darling Harbour.
“We can’t wait to welcome the world’s leading minds on water desalination and reuse to Sydney next year, as borders reopen, and our international visitors once again return. Our water community is certainly looking forward to networking and collaborating on new water solutions face to face with their global peers”, said BESydney CEO, Lyn Lewis-Smith.
“While we are disappointed to make this announcement, providing a safe in-person event for all delegates and ensuring the invaluable scientific and business engagement is of utmost importance to the IDRA. The IDRA would like to thank the Australian and New South Wales Governments for their support and guidance. IDRA is looking forward to working with the entire Australian desalination and water reuse stakeholder community and welcoming participants. Our thanks go out to our corporate sponsors Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), Dupont, ROPV, Almar Water Solutions, Nanostone Water, and Osmoflo. Additionally, we are thankful to the confirmed exhibitors: SWCC, Dupont, ROPV, Almar Water Solutions, Acciona Agua, Danfoss, EBRO Armaturen, Toyobo, Sulzer, Beaudrey, Kyowakiden Industry Co., American Water Chemicals, H. Butting GMBH, LG Water Solutions, WEG, Italmatch Chemicals, Nanostone Water, H2O Innovation, and Avista, representing 40% of the show floor. We also thank the thirty-four volunteers who serve on the IDRA World Congress Technical Program Committee, lending their expertise to curate a four-day, four-track, peer-reviewed program”, said Shannon McCarthy, IDRA Secretary General.
The Congress centerpiece is its robust Technical Program covering all aspects of desalination and water reuse solutions to ensure water sustainability. With over 300 papers among ten technical topics and multiple sub-topics, the Technical Program will explore a broad range of desalination and water reuse technologies, practices, and experiences worldwide. The program’s knowledge-sharing aspect recognizes that resources and requirements vary based on need, location, climate conditions, and natural resources. The IDRA Innovation Forum is new to the World Congress; a pitch-based competition limited to eight teams with a monetary award.
The IDRA World Congress is supported by the University of Technology Sydney – Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, Australian Water Association, the Government of New South Wales, Sydney Water, Sydney Desalination Plant, UNESCO Centre for Membrane Science and Technology at the University of New South Wales, and the Water Services Association of Australia. The 2022 IDRA World Congress and Exhibition will provide knowledge-sharing and interaction for participants on a plethora of both technical and business topics, related to the use of desalination and water reuse solutions to ensure a secure water future.
Australia significantly increased its desalination investment during its Millennium drought from 2006-2012, adding over $16 billion worth of infrastructure investment. As Australia enters yet another drought period in places reporting the lowest recorded rainfall levels, more significant investments in desalination and water reuse are required to keep up with additional water demand. This latest investment will come with a continued sustainability focus, building on the track record of primarily wind-powered, renewable energy offset at many of Australia’s large-scale desalination plants.
Through its biennial World Congress and Exhibition, the IDRA upholds its global commitment to sustainability and raises awareness of water’s value, protecting the environment, and conserving natural resources in line with UN SDG #6. It is the ideal forum to advance goals that ensure clean water sources for future generations.
For more information about the 2022 IDRA World Congress: Charting Resilient Water Solutions, please visit wc.idadesal.org.
