Spotlight on water reuse-related technologies

Event organisers have announced that WaterWorld Middle East Conference and Exhibition will run in tandem with POWER-GEN Middle East from October 12 to 14 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

The twin events will bring together the region’s plant owners and operators, consultants, utilities, investors and academics, with representatives of over 80 companies from 30 countries, the announcement said.

With Abu Dhabi’s population currently forecasted to exceed five million by 2030, the Emirate’s demand for potable water is reportedly expected to double. In order to address this rapidly growing demand, Abu Dhabi is investing in wastewater reuse and wastewater recycling projects to ensure the sustainability of its water supply, the event organisers informed.

In light of this, The Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company (ADSSC) has revealed that it is currently undertaking an extensive expansion of its collection network, including the strategic tunnel engineering project (STEP). The project will reportedly deliver wastewater collection capacity, which is expected to be sufficient to meet anticipated growth in the coming decades.

“In the past, both in the region and around the globe, water deficits have been met by just adding additional desalination capacity into the mix,” said Tom Freyberg, Conference Director for WaterWorld Middle East. “A cheaper alternative that helps bridge the gap between demand and supply is water reuse. One of the goals of our conference is to introduce decision makers in the region to leading water reuse-related technologies that will not only save investment dollars but will directly contribute towards the protection of the local environment.”