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Water Convention 2022 Call for Papers

The Water Convention is a platform for gathering professionals and technology providers from around the world to share their knowledge, practical experiences and novel technologies to address the current and emerging water challenges under the following themes:


The Water Convention technical programme focuses on spurring knowledge sharing, fruitful discussions and engaging debates among water leaders and practitioners through high quality presentations on technological innovations, management strategies and best practices.

Important Dates

Submission deadline for abstracts

8 October 2021

Notification to authors on abstract review

15 December 2021

Deadline for author acceptance

7 January 2022

Advanced Programme

1 February 2022

Deadline for author registration

15 February 2022

Submission deadline for full papers and softcopies of posters

15 February 2022

Final Programme

1 April 2022

SIWW Water Convention 2022

17 to 21 April 2022


Submit your abstract by 8 October 2021.
 

Note:
  • Authors are required to prepare the abstract using the provided template before submitting through the online portal.
  • Special provisions will be made to allow authors who are unable to attend SIWW2022 in-person to present their papers virtually.


Call for Reviewers

Water experts are invited to register as a reviewer for the Water Convention. You will support the Programme Committee in reviewing abstracts and play a part in shaping a high-quality programme at SIWW2022. Special discounts on SIWW2022 registration fees will be extended to all reviewers.

Submit your registration by 8 October 2021.



Contact Information

For any enquiries, please email the Water Convention Secretariat at waterconvention@siww.com.sg.


Welcome Message from the Co-Chairs of the Programme Committee

Click here to view the Co-chairs message

Bernard Koh
Bernard Koh
Assistant Chief Executive
(Future Systems and Technology)
PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency
Darryl Day
Darryl Day
Chief Executive Officer
Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust

We warmly welcome you to join us for the 10th edition of the Water Convention, one of the flagship events of the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW).

Over the past editions, the Water Convention has progressed to become a key global platform for researchers, practitioners and technology providers to inspire ideas and collaborations through the sharing and discussion of their latest innovations, advances in technologies and best practices in the water industry.

During this challenging year with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Water Convention was held virtually as a part of SIWW2021 Online. We were heartened to see more than 1,400 delegates registering for the event with some 350 presentations featured in over 40 technical sessions and six poster sessions. In addition, eight Thematic Webinars were organised by the Water Convention Programme Committee, covering topics such as membrane technology, water quality, resource resilience, climate resilience and utilities of the future. These achievements were akin to previous editions despite the event being fully virtual.

Next year, Water Convention 2022 will be held as a physical event in Singapore at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre from 17 to 21 April 2022. The Programme Committee aims to continue our efforts to showcase the latest technologies, innovations, strategies and best practices for safe, sustainable and clean drinking water, effective used water management, and resilient and liveable cities. The programme will also include a new focus area on nexus and circularity to examine the system of systems approach and explore circular economy strategies to tackle global water challenges.

We hope the conversations and sharing at the Water Convention will impel you and the global water community to work towards the common goal of achieving an effective, efficient and sustainable water supply, both individually and collectively. To this end, we welcome you to submit your abstracts on the latest water technologies, innovations and best practices for the Water Convention 2022. We look forward to seeing your valuable ideas and experiences.

Programme Committee

Click to view the list

  • Bernard Koh Eng Wah.jpg

    Bernard Koh

    • Assistant Chief Executive (Future Systems and Technology)
    • PUB, Singapore's
      National Water Agency
    • (Singapore)
  • Darryl Day.jpg

    Darryl Day

    • Chief Executive Officer
    • Peter Cullen Water
      and Environment Trust
    • (Australia)
  • Adam Lovell.jpg

    Adam Lovell

    • Executive Director
    • Water Services Association of Australia
    • (Australia)
  • Puah Aik Num.bmp

    Aik Num Puah

    • Chief Specialist
      (Water Treatment)
    • PUB, Singapore's
      National Water Agency
    • (Singapore)
  • Albert Cho.jpg

    Albert Cho

    • Senior Vice President
      and Chief Strategy
      and Digital Officer
    • Xylem
    • (USA)
  • Amir Cahn.jpg

    Amir Cahn

    • Executive Director
    • SWAN Forum
    • (UK)
  • Andrew Shaw.jpg

    Andrew Shaw

    • Associate Vice President
      and Global Practice
      and Technology Leader
      in Sustainability & Wastewater
    • Black & Veatch
    • (USA)
  • Chee Meng Pang.jpg

    Chee Meng Pang

    • Chief Engineering
      and Technology Officer
    • PUB, Singapore's
      National Water Agency
    • (Singapore)
  • Daisuke Sano.jpg

    Daisuke Sano

    • Associate Professor
    • Tohoku University
    • (Japan)
  • David Cunliffe.jpg

    David Cunliffe

    • Principal Water
      Quality Advisor
    • SA Health
    • (Australia)
  • Dragan Savic.jpg

    Dragan Savic

    • Chief Executive Officer
    • KWR Water Research Institute
    • (The Netherlands)
  • Fahad Ahmed Saeed.jpg

    Fahad Ahmed Saeed

    • Director, Drainage Projects Department
    • Dubai Municipality
    • (United Arab Emirates)
  • Fiona Waller.jpg

    Fiona Waller

    • Head of Water Quality
    • Affinity Water
    • (UK)
  • Gary Gu.jpg

    Gary Gu

    • Senior Global Technology Director
    • DuPont Water Solutions
    • (USA)
  • Hadas Mamane.jpg

    Hadas Mamane

    • Associate Professor
    • Tel Aviv University
    • (Israel)
  • Professor Hamanth Kasan.jpg

    Hamanth Kasan

    • General Manager, Scientific Services Division
    • Rand Water
    • (South Africa)
    • Vice President
    • International Water Association
  • Inga Jacobs-Mata.jpg

    Inga Jacobs-Mata

    • Regional Representative – Southern Africa
    • International Water Management Institute
    • (South Africa)
  • Jennifer de France.jpg

    Jennifer de France

    • Technical Officer
    • World Health Organization
    • (Switzerland)
  • Kartik Chandran.jpg

    Kartik Chandran

    • Professor
    • Columbia University
    • (USA)
  • Mads Leth.jpg

    Mads Leth

    • Chief Executive Officer
    • VCS Denmark
    • (Denmark)
  • Mark Fletcher.jpg

    Mark Fletcher

    • Global Water
      Business Leader
    • Arup
    • (UK)
  • Min Yang.jpg

    Min Yang

    • Deputy Director,
      Research Center for
      Eco-Environmental Sciences (RCEES)
    • Chinese Academy of Sciences
    • (China)
  • Nikolay Voutchkov.jpg

    Nikolay Voutchkov

    • President
    • Water Globe Consultants, LLC
    • (USA)
  • Nupur Bahadur.jpg

    Nupur Bahadur

    • Fellow
    • The Energy and
      Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi
    • (India)
  • Piet Dircke.jpg

    Piet Dircke

    • Global Leader - Resilience and Water Management
    • Arcadis
    • (The Netherlands)
  • Raziyeh Farmani.jpg

    Raziyeh Farmani

    • Associate Professor
    • University of Exeter
    • (UK)
  • Regina Sommer.jpg

    Regina Sommer

    • Associate Professor
    • Medical University of Vienna
    • (Austria)
  • Richard Lewis.jpg

    Richard Lewis

    • Asset Ownership Director
    • Tideway
    • (UK)
  • Ridzuan Ismail.jpg

    Ridzuan Ismail

    • Director,
      Water Supply (Network)
    • PUB, Singapore's
      National Water Agency
    • (Singapore)
  • Robert Bos.jpg

    Robert Bos

    • Senior Advisor
    • International Water Association
    • (Switzerland)
  • Publication1.jpg

    Robert Nicholls

    • Director
    • Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
    • (UK)
  • Seungkwan Hong.jpg

    Seungkwan Hong

    • Professor
    • Korea University
    • (South Korea)
  • Suresh Rohilla.jpg

    Suresh Rohilla

    • Senior Director
    • Centre for Science
      and Environment, New Delhi
    • (India)
  • Susan Moisio.jpg

    Susan Moisio

    • Vice President & Global Water Director
    • Jacobs
    • (USA)
  • Tao Li.jpg

    Tao Li

    • Director of Water Intelligence
    • International Water Association
    • (China)
  • Tony Wong.jpg

    Tony Wong

    • Professor of Sustainable Development and Chair of Water Sensitive Cities Think Tank
    • Monash University
    • (Australia)
  • Xavier Litrico.jpg

    Xavier Litrico

    • Group Chief Research
      and Science Officer
    • SUEZ
    • (France)
  • Zdravka Do Quang.jpg

    Zdravka Do Quang

    • Innovation Officer - Technical Performance Manager
    • SUEZ
    • (France)

Themes and Topics

Theme 1: Delivering Water from Source to Tap (Network)

As water distribution networks become denser with increasing water demand, utilities are placing more emphasis on network planning and design to ensure an efficient and resilient network against black swan events. Smart technologies are employed to manage and optimise the networks. Online sensors and meters are widely deployed for real-time performance monitoring. Condition assessment tools aid utilities in identifying leaks and prioritising pipe rehabilitation and replacements to reduce non-revenue water loss. In tandem, advanced metering infrastructure solutions are tapped on to examine leaks at customer sites. The data are also utilised to study end-user consumption behaviour and influence water conservation strategies. These efforts are coupled with sustainable water cycle management to augment the benefits. Abstracts on latest innovative technologies, applied research, best practices and case studies on water supply network management and water conservation are welcomed.

1.1 Planning, Design and Implementation
1.1.1 Master planning and water demand predictive management tools
1.1.2 Sustainable and resilient networks
1.1.3 Key performance indicators for network management
1.1.4 Networks in developing countries
1.2 Efficiency of Operations
1.2.1 Tools for overall efficiency optimisation
1.2.2 Towards “low disturbance networks”: minimising nuisances during network repairs
1.2.3 Innovative solutions for cleaning of networks
1.2.4 Tools for optimising field services: workforce management, reducing time and cost
1.3 Asset Management and Network Renewal
1.3.1 Preservation of ageing infrastructure
1.3.2 Anticipation of network residual lifetime
1.3.3 Tools for network renewal CAPEX optimisation
1.3.4 Proactive pipe and asset condition monitoring and assessment
1.3.5 Advanced leak detection and management
1.3.6 Fast and trenchless pipe rehabilitation technologies
1.3.7 Innovative pipe materials
1.3.8 Impact of network materials on water quality (and vice versa)
1.3.9 3D mapping of underground services
1.4 Metering
1.4.1 Metering policy
1.4.2 Asset management and renewal strategy for meters
1.4.3 Technological innovations in Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)
1.4.4 Transformation of smart metering business models
1.4.5 Next generation meters with intelligent features
1.5 Smart Water
1.5.1 Advanced sensor technologies
1.5.2 Digital solutions for network modelling
1.5.3 Real time simulation and real time control using metering and other data
1.5.4 Digital twin and its finetuning using live sensor data
1.5.5 Machine learning algorithms for enhanced detection and prediction (data science, advanced alarms)
1.5.6 Open networks/virtual DMA for water balance accounting
1.5.7 Real-time monitoring of water quality in distribution systems
1.5.8 Water safety, security and quality incident management
1.5.9 The real cost of smart infrastructure (maintenance of sensors, databases)
1.5.10 Role of Data-as-a-Service in the water sector
1.6 Water Conservation and Efficiency Measures
1.6.1 New regulations for sustainable water cycle management (resource scarcity, incentives for Water-wise Cities)
1.6.2 Strategies, approaches and new technologies for reduction of water usage in household and industries
1.6.3 New services to manage and reduce water consumption for customers using AMI data
1.6.4 Network efficiency and non-revenue water: flow and pressure monitoring and management, real-time monitoring of NRW
1.6.5 Methods and tools for water loss reduction and sustainable water consumption
1.6.6 Private installations and networks, and plumbing systems
1.6.7 Environmental impact of water distribution

Theme 2: Delivering Water from Source to Tap (Treatment)

With limited global freshwater supply, cities are challenged to diversify their water sources by looking at alternatives such as seawater, used water and brackish water etc. As treatment technologies mature, the focus is also shifting to making them more sustainable by, for example, reducing their energy requirements, exploring beneficial reuse of brine and harvesting energy from waste streams. Considerations are also made for treatment technologies to be adaptable to future impacts of climate change. While ensuring sufficient and sustainable water supply, achieving safe quality water remains paramount for water treatment. Robust advanced technologies have been increasingly developed to target at the treatment and removal of contaminants of emerging concern and specific groups that are recalcitrant to conventional processes. Concurrently, utilities are employing more novel sensors and digital solutions to support them in their plant operation, maintenance and optimisation. With these in mind, Theme 2 aims to profile innovative and smart water treatment technologies and solutions in the following areas:

2.1 Basic and Advanced Water Treatment Processes
2.1.1 Characterization, impact and removal of natural organic matter
2.1.2 Treatment of emerging pollutants
2.1.3 Waste minimization and management in water treatment
2.1.4 Advanced oxidation processes
2.1.5 Advances in membrane technologies and applications
2.1.6 Challenges in adoption of treatment technologies in rural communities and in low-income countries
2.2 Innovations in Desalination
2.2.1 Breaking desalination cost and energy barriers
2.2.2 One Water – joint desalination and reuse
2.2.3 Brine concentration and beneficial reuse
2.2.4 Advances in brackish groundwater treatment
2.2.5 Recent planning and implementation experience
2.2.6 Pre- and post-treatment and other process innovation
2.2.7 Process innovations by membrane technology
2.2.8 Industrial wastewater desalination
2.3 Augmenting Water Supplies by Water Reuse
2.3.1 Innovations in direct and indirect potable reuse
2.3.2 Ecological reuse
2.3.3 Non-potable urban reuse
2.3.4 Planning and implementation of water reuse projects
2.3.5 Process intensification and improvement by membrane technology
2.4 Brine Concentration and Mining
2.4.1 Innovative technologies for membrane brine concentration
2.4.2 Zero and near zero liquid brine discharge systems
2.4.3 Extraction of valuable minerals from brackish and seawater brines
2.4.4 Case studies for brine concentration and mining
2.5 Digitalization of Water Treatment Plants
2.5.1 Source and product water quality monitoring
2.5.2 Predictive and corrective automated process operation and optimization
2.5.3 Asset management with smart technologies
2.5.4 Artificial intelligence systems for remote monitoring and control
2.5.5 Application of virtual/augmented reality systems in plant operations and training
2.6 Water Conservation and Efficiency Measures
2.6.1 Water treatment technologies for achieving net-zero CO2 emission
2.6.2 Adaptation of water treatment systems to climate changes in the future
2.6.3 Electrically-driven advanced water treatment technologies
2.6.4 Drinking water production from unconventional water sources (e.g., humidity in the air)

Theme 3a: Effective and Efficient Wastewater Management (Treatment)

In our pursuit of a sustainable future, the perception of wastewater has changed from being something unwanted to a beneficial resource. This shift drives the desire to extract as much energy and valuable materials from wastewater as possible. A growing number of technologies have been developed to enhance energy generation during wastewater treatment. Meanwhile, to mitigate climate change, attempts are made to reduce the overall carbon footprint of wastewater management including nitrous oxide and methane emissions. There is an upward trend in recovering and reusing material resources from waste streams. For the remaining wastewater effluent, a high quality is targeted for reuse applications, potentially in part by the adaptation of membrane processes from the drinking water sector. Besides looking into new innovations, efforts are also placed in improving the efficiencies of existing processes to enhance sustainability. This theme welcomes abstracts examining best practices and innovative technologies for sustainable and economically viable centralised or decentralised treatment and management of wastewater and the resources embedded therein.

3a.1 Basic and Advanced Wastewater Treatment Processes
3a.1.1 Treatment of emerging chemical and microbial contaminants and resistant bacteria (including ARG and ARB)
3a.1.2 Application and integration of novel molecular biology tools (DNA fingerprinting, etc.)
3a.1.3 Membrane technologies
3a.1.4 Reducing carbon footprint (control of N2O and CH4 emissions, chemical consumption, energy balance)
3a.1.5 Achieving Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD): addressing the implementation challenges
3a.1.6 Resource-neutral or resource-positive treatment
3a.1.7 Sludge treatment, biosolids management and resource recovery
3a.1.8 Reduction of sludge generation
3a.1.9 Odour control
3a.2 Process Intensification
3a.2.1 Novel integration and combinations of processes to achieve process intensification
3a.2.2 Advances in aerobic granular sludge and biofilm processes
3a.2.3 Applications of process intensification for improved and low-footprint wastewater management and resource recovery
3a.3 Wet Weather Flows
3a.3.1 Excess flow management
3a.3.2 Treatment of overflow from conveyance systems
3a.4 Asset Management
3a.4.1 Aging infrastructure
3a.4.2 Efficient management of existing and future assets
3a.4.3 Asset management for vertical assets
3a.5 Sensors for Wastewater Monitoring
3a.5.1 Biosensors and other novel sensors for effluent discharge quality management
3a.5.2 VOC/SVOC detection and identification in real time
3a.5.3 Monitoring of biological systems through wastewater epidemiology and biosensing
3a.6 Next Generation of Intelligent Plant
3a.6.1 Digital twins, treatment plant simulations, advanced control systems and forecast
3a.6.2 Artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics for process optimisation
3a.6.3 Integrated control of conveyance and treatment plant
3a.6.4 New sensing models for process monitoring and control
3a.6.5 Workforce engagement, retention, staff training, current and future skills related to digital transformation
3a.7 Wastewater Treatment and Management in Developing Countries
3a.7.1 Integrated approach to enhance water reuse
3a.7.2 Augmentation strategies for WWTPs within existing infrastructure: relevance to developing countries
3a.7.3 Treating difficult wastewater and other waste streams

Theme 3b: Effective and Efficient Wastewater Management (Conveyance)

Sewers are vital for the sanitary conveyance of wastewater to treatment facilities. To ensure that sewers can carry out their function well, proper operation and maintenance are necessary. Utilities are taking a more proactive approach in these areas with the help of digitalisation and intelligent technologies. In sewer operation, analytics and management tools are employed with real-time sensors and meters for detecting and predicting blockages and inflows and infiltrations. It is equally important to examine the quality of the wastewater discharged into sewers as it affects downstream treatment processes. In maintenance, advanced inspection equipment are deployed for sewer inspection, cleaning and rehabilitation. The necessity for cutting-edge technologies becomes more apparent as large sewers are laid more deeply in the increasingly urbanised cities. Such deep tunnel sewage systems demand innovative solutions for monitoring the tunnel’s structural integrity and conveyance condition. Abstracts looking into novel technologies, best practices and applied research for wastewater networks in the areas below are welcomed.

3b.1 Networks
3b.1.1 Integrated network modelling, understanding your system from the network to the receiving water
3b.1.2 Climate change impacts to the sewer network (rainfall, inflow/infiltration, sea level rise, storm surge)
3b.1.3 Climate change, how do we predict asset performance
3b.1.4 Separating traditionally combined sewer systems
3b.1.5 Construction materials, automated or mechanised processes for pipe laying
3b.2 Asset Management, Renewal and Rehabilitation
3b.2.1 Next generation of condition assessment, maintenance and pipe rehabilitation technologies
3b.2.2 Innovation in shortening maintenance interventions
3b.2.3 Challenges of upgrading aging infrastructure
3b.2.4 No-dig technology
3b.3 Operations
3b.3.1 Data analytics, digital twin, simulations and application tools for forecasting, network planning, optimisation and operations & maintenance
3b.3.2 Next generation of wastewater network management (machine learning, optimisation, automation)
3b.3.3 Advanced chokage detection capabilities/strategies
3b.3.4 Point source pollution abatement strategies
3b.3.5 Non-point source pollution abatement strategies
3b.4 Deep Tunnel Sewerage Systems
3b.4.1 Tunnel structural integrity and condition monitoring strategies/technologies
3b.4.2 Maintenance and access to deep tunnels
3b.4.3 Large sewer inspection and maintenance using smart technologies
3b.5 Sensors for Wastewater Monitoring in the Network
3b.5.1 Biosensors and other novel sensors for discharge quality management
3b.5.2 VOC/SVOC detection and identification in real time

Theme 4: Cities of the Future

The key focus in the Cities of the Future theme for Water Convention 2022 is "Fostering Urban Transformation". In the face of increasing population and the pronounced impact of climate change, the impetus for governments, utilities, industries and communities to work together to foster urban transformation and create a water-sensitive, liveable and resilient city is growing stronger. Holistic urban planning through a circular economy approach is key to ensure that water systems are properly designed and managed for sustainability. As cities develop, one consideration is to achieve balance while integrating multi-functional blue-green-grey infrastructures to meet the complex needs of cities. Another concern is the effect of climate change. On one hand, some cities are facing rising sea levels and floods, which requires coastal protection measures and stormwater management plans. Conversely, other cities are suffering from drought and need to build water resilient communities. Cities ought to be prepared with robust and adaptable strategies for the unpredictable future. We welcome success stories and applied concepts and strategies on urban planning and policy implementation for liveable, resilient and sustainable water-sensitive cities. Abstracts on case studies and innovative technologies related to the following topics are also encouraged.

4.1 Multi-Functional Water Infrastructure and Services
4.1.1 Growing role of nature-based solutions
4.1.2 Creating hybrid systems (blue/green/grey infrastructure)
4.1.3 Prepare for the unexpected: combining climate resilience, and other resilience measures in the urban (blue/green) public space and critical infrastructure
4.1.4 Stormwater management
4.1.5 Innovative hard engineering and nature-based coastal protection measures and solutions
4.1.6 Reinforcement measures for dams/dykes
4.2 Water Master-Planning for Cities
4.2.1 Promoting a water circular economy in water infrastructure planning and water services delivery
4.2.2 Linking land-use master-planning with water master-planning
4.2.3 Managing sub-surface infrastructure and groundwater systems
4.2.4 Sustainable urban coastal development
4.2.5 Adaptable coastal protection measures for future increase in sea level rise
4.2.6 Impact and risk of sea level rise on various aspects of the water loop
4.3 Digital Developments for Water Management of Cities
4.3.1 Internet-of-things for integrated water management and real time control
4.3.2 Digital land-use information/Digital twin for spatial water system design and management
4.3.3 Digital tools for community-deliberative decision making, system transparency and water-sensitive behaviour
4.3.4 Sensors, data analytics, and application tools for rain/weather forecasting, flood prediction, network planning, optimisation and operations & maintenance
4.3.5 Integrated catchment modelling for flood, water collection and water quality management
4.3.6 Coastal and sea modelling for forecasting storm surge
4.3.7 Predictive wind, wave and coastal erosion modelling
4.3.8 Automation of flood prevention measures
4.4 City Water Resilience and Adaptation Strategies
4.4.1 Building social resilience at the community and institutional levels
4.4.2 Adaptation for a warmer future
4.4.3 Mapping governance across the water cycle
4.4.4 Adaptation to changing demographics and other unexpected events (e.g. pandemic)
4.4.5 Reclamation and city expansion under rising sea level; urban waterfronts, urban shoreline extensions
4.4.6 Increasing resilience of water infrastructure to rising sea level
4.4.7 Effect of climate change on source water quality
4.4.8 Urban Climate Action: combining climate mitigation and climate adaption measures in urban climate/water projects
4.4.9 Preparing for and learning from emergency responses

Theme 5: Water Quality and Health

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 6 ("ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all") and 3 ("good health and well-being") provide a One Water, One Health umbrella with a common objective: protecting and promoting public health by ensuring water security and the supply of safe and clean drinking water. The challenges this poses are big and they are exacerbated by extreme weather events, declining ecosystem integrity and biodiversity, rapid urbanisation, increasing human mobility and pandemics. As a result, the quality of our water resources and of our drinking water is under threat. This necessitates a systems approach and the implementation of comprehensive water quality assessment and management strategies to cover each aspect of the water and wastewater cycle. It also requires a dialogue between professionals from different disciplines. The development of new technologies, methods, techniques and tools, that enhance assessment accuracy, sensitivity and speed, is critical to maintain effective water quality management and make water supply services more resilient. Recent molecular and genetic advances in detection, identification and tracing of conventional and emerging pollutants and pathogens have created new opportunities for water quality management. Regulatory frameworks, source management strategies, and advanced and automated detection technologies are central to this theme. This is a call for papers directed at policy- and decision-makers, planners, practitioners and researchers dealing with one or more of the sub-topics listed below:

5.1 Water Quality Assessment and Management Across the Full Water Spectrum
5.1.1 Status of and trends in environmental water, irrigation water, drinking water and wastewater quality – options, opportunities and reciprocal lessons for better water quality monitoring and management
5.1.2 Water quality in SDG6, and its links to other SDG targets, in particular the public health targets in SDG3
5.1.3 Water quality/food safety nexus: from safely managed drinking water through WSP to HACCP for food safety, including Codex Alimentarius for bottled water
5.1.4 Methods and procedures for managing health-relevant determinants of water quality in catchments: human waste, agricultural pollutants and contaminants, industrial pollutants, medical waste
5.1.5 Water quality and health in the context of “smart cities”: integration of “big data” water quality and quantity data collecting within the water infrastructure
5.1.6 Securing drinking water quality through multi-sector integrated assessment and management in water-stressed settings in support of sustainability and resilience
5.1.7 Advances in risk assessment (QMRA, QCRA), including community-based approaches
5.2 Systems Approaches to Service Delivery: Building Blocks, Enabling Environment, Institutional Arrangements
5.2.1 Systems approach to address the needs of access to quality services in rural, remote, informal and fringe communities
5.2.2 Building blocks and enabling environment for sustainable and resilient WASH systems: policy frameworks, legislation, institutional arrangements and financial mechanisms – experiences from different countries
5.2.3 What can water and sanitation service delivery learn from 40 years of systems approaches experience in the health sector?
5.2.4 The dialogue: getting engineers, microbiologists, IT specialists, utility managers and epidemiologists to communicate effectively on water quality and health issues.
5.2.5 Integration of WASH and health sectors in the face of public health challenges – studies on specific components of the systems approach, with reference to water quality and health in different settings
5.3 Wastewater-Based Epidemiology
5.3.1 Role of wastewater-based epidemiology in monitoring and controlling epidemic outbreaks and pandemics
5.3.2 Testing and treating pathogenic parasites, bacteria and viruses in water for human consumption
5.3.3 Antimicrobial resistance development and transmission in the aquatic environment
5.3.4 New developments and trends in wastewater monitoring and management
5.3.5 Lessons learned from the pandemic in responding to water quality challenges
5.4 Microbial Source Tracking
5.4.1 Decision-making tools for public health programmes – management of source water reservoirs, recreational waters and aquifers at risk of contamination
5.4.2 Tracking and managing contaminants in high-density livestock production areas
5.4.3 Monitoring of effective medical waste management procedures
5.4.4 Latest experiences in the field of microbial source tracking
5.4.5 Current research and development agendas and how they address the tracking challenges
5.4.6 Status and trends in genomics: has it come of age as a source tracking tool?
5.4.7 Strengthening source tracking methods and procedures for viruses in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic
5.5 Disinfection and Disinfection By-Products
5.5.1 Testing and validation of the efficacy of microbicidal products used in disinfection processes across the water spectrum: achieving the desired disinfection results (efficacy)
5.5.2 Assessing and managing the public health risks related to disinfection by-products
5.5.3 Environmental impact of microbicidal products on the integrity of the aquatic ecosystems
5.5.4 Health-related impacts on recreational water bodies
5.6 Emergence
5.6.1 Emerging pollutants in water and wastewater: microplastics, AMR/ARG, PFAS, complex mixtures of pollutants – monitoring and management; standards, norms and good practices; public health importance
5.6.2 Emerging methods and approaches to measure conventional and emerging pollutants: rapid detection, biological assays, real time monitoring, metagenomics, wastewater surveillance
5.6.3 Protocols for Water Quality Management responses to epidemic outbreaks and pandemics in water sources, treatment plants, distribution systems and wastewater effluents
5.6.4 Impacts of global climate change: securing drinking water quality in the aftermath of extreme events (floods, windstorms, bush fires, droughts, heatwaves).
5.7 Digitalisation, Automation and AI in Water Quality Assessment and Management
5.7.1 Microbial and chemical risk assessment
5.7.2 Real-time sensors (bio-sensors and sensors for chemical contaminants)
5.7.3 Automated sampling technologies and bio-assays
5.7.4 Robotics for source water quality monitoring
5.7.5 Compatibility challenges with conventional water treatment and distribution systems
5.7.6 Affordability aspects
5.7.7 Social applications of new technologies, methods and approaches to monitor and manage water/wastewater quality and health in the context of mass gathering events such as sports events, concerts or public demonstrations
5.8 Distribution Systems Inside and Outside of Residences
5.8.1 Contact with specific materials (chromium, nickel)
5.8.2 Manufacturing standards – are they up to scratch?
5.8.3 Water recycling in the home: risks of cross-connections and back-siphonage into the distribution system
5.8.4 Climate change robustness of distribution systems
5.8.5 Health impacts that can be traced back to distribution system features

Theme 6: Nexus and Circularity

In line with the global movement for circular economy, the water sector ought to take an integrated approach to achieve sustainable development. After closing the water loop through advanced treatment processes, the immense focus is now on closing the resource and carbon loops within and beyond water systems. In doing so, besides technological aspects, a system thinking on policy and planning, stakeholder engagement, application and marketability are equally important. As the water sector works towards circularity, the nexus approach to consider the interdependency between systems and collaboration with other sectors is critical. This theme welcomes abstracts on sustainable frameworks, strategies and case study on next-generation solutions for the water sector to support a circular economy.

6.1 Policy and Planning
6.1.1 Policy, standards, regulations, implementation strategies and incentives needed to achieve circularity
6.1.2 Sustainability concepts and economic benefits assessment methodologies for water and resource circularity
6.1.3 Policy coherence and institutional coordination needed in the circular economy
6.1.4 Organisational and societal changes to create a circular economy
6.1.5 Water circularity and carbon footprint – balance and optimisation in conflicts
6.1.6 Digitalisation, smart accounting and systems to understand the actual circular economy
6.2 Stakeholder Engagement and Cross-Sectoral Collaboration in the Circular Water Economy
6.2.1 Developing enabling ecosystem for circularity (multilateral collaborations)
6.2.2 Community-based approaches (stakeholder driven approaches/alternative models) to achieving the circular economy
6.3 System of Systems for a Circular Economy
6.3.1 Different combinations of nexus – water, energy, food, waste, land, etc.
6.3.2 Urban-rural nexus
6.3.3 Integrated management of the water cycle
6.4 Resource Circularity
6.4.1 Applications and marketability of water embedded resources
6.4.2 Testing and environmental standards for waste-derived products, e.g. from sludge
6.4.3 Zero waste utilities
6.5 Carbon Circularity
6.5.1 Carbon reduction opportunities and case studies in the water sector
6.5.2 Carbon capture, utilisation and storage technologies for the water sector – incorporation or synergy with water processes
6.5.3 Net-zero carbon utilities
6.5.4 Role of the water sector in the transition to a hydrogen economy

Abstract Submission Procedures

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  • Prospective authors can submit abstracts for either oral or poster presentations.
  • Abstracts should be limited to three A4-sized pages including figures, tables and references, and must contain adequate information to allow a sound referee review.
  • The author must fill in all the information requested by the submission system and attach the abstract using the provided template.
  • Submission should be made online through the submission system.
  • The deadline for submission of abstracts is 8 October 2021. The abstracts will be peer reviewed for selection and the authors will be notified about the acceptance of their paper for presentation in December 2021.
  • Selection criteria include high technical quality, relevance to the themes/topics, and high information content. Abstracts which are deemed commercial in nature will not be accepted.
  • The authors are strongly encouraged to submit the full papers once their abstracts have been accepted. Full papers will be further reviewed and considered for publication in IWA’s Journal of Water Practice & Technology. The selected abstracts will be included in the Water Convention 2022 Conference Proceedings.
  • All accepted oral and poster presenters are required to register for the Water Convention and pay for the conference registration fees. The presentations will only be listed in the Convention programme upon receipt of the registration fees.

Co-organisers

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Co-organisers of Water Convention:

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PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency

PUB is a statutory board under the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE). It is the national water agency, which manages Singapore’s water supply, water catchment, and used water in an integrated way. From April 2020, PUB also took on the responsibility of protecting Singapore’s coastline from sea-level rise as the national coastal protection agency.

PUB has ensured a diversified and sustainable supply of water for Singapore with the Four National Taps (local catchment water, imported water, NEWater, desalinated water). PUB leads and coordinates whole-of-government efforts to protect Singapore from the threat of rising seas and the holistic management of inland and coastal flood risks.

PUB calls on everyone to play a part in conserving water, in keeping our waterways clean, and in caring for Singapore’s precious water resources. If we all do our little bit, there will be enough water for all our needs – for commerce and industry, for living, for life.
IWA.png International Water Association (IWA)

The International Water Association is the organisation that brings together science and practice of water management in order to reach a world in which water is wisely managed to satisfy the needs of human activities and ecosystems in an equitable and sustainable way.

The IWA is a global knowledge hub and international network for water professionals and anyone concerned about the future of water. We bring together know-how and expertise to instigate ground-breaking solutions.