January 28 2016, 15.32 PM IST || Pocket Press Release
· Bangalore is the first South Asian city to host the prestigious event and second in Asia Pacific
· 100 International Speakers, 600+ delegates, and over 400 organisations companies
will take part in the event
Bangalore, January 28, 2016: Addressing a national concern, the International Water Association (IWA) in association with the Indian Water Works Association (IWWA) along with support Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB), will be hosting the 8th Edition of the IWA Water Loss 2016. Bangalore is the first Asia-Pacific city to host the prestigious event, scheduled between Jan 31 – Feb 3, 2016 at The Lalit Ashok. Bringing forth an agenda that is universal this summit will focus on a central theme- Minimum Losses, Implementation of Latest Technologies, Implementing Proactive Policies and Through Sustainment.
Water is an element which is essential for our living and if the current exponent of loss is continued-India will along with the world will soon face a huge shortfall of water. India’s population is slated to reach a staggering number of 1.6 billion by 2050 thus compounding the problem to a great extent. The main objective of this international conference is to amplify the awareness and bring about an integrated solution in water loss management.
Water Loss 2016, is a critical meeting of water professionals, regulators and policy makers to address the challenges and solutions to help business and water utilities tackle water loss. The conference will be addressed by over 100 International Speakers, 600+ delegates and over 40 companies showcasing their expertise in the exhibition.
The event will have participation from over 30 countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, UK, USA and many more. ‘Water is life’-revisiting this old proverb, this conference will try to give India and the world a promise of better water security through the conference.
Over 100 International Water Loss Experts would be addressing the conference across various topics across 27+ conference sessions including Round Table Smart Financing for Cities to address NRW; International Case Studies; Apparent Losses ; Bangalore Experience; Opportunities in India; Excelling in Management; Technology and Software; Intermittent Supply; Performance Indicators; Sustainability, Contract Management, national Initiatives, Asset Knowledge, how to over Challenges to reduce water loss and many more.
Dr. M.A. Chitale- Secretary General Hon. ICID & Stockholm Water Prize Winner; Shri T M Vijay Bhaskar, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Urban Development Department and Chairman, BWSSB, Government of Karnataka; Professor Zoran Kapelan , Professor of Water Systems Engineering, Academic Lead, Water and Environment Group, Associate editor, Water Resources Research would be delivering key note address on Day 1 of the event.
One of key highlights of the event would be Water Boards Conclave which would have heads of various water boards of India from different states discussing on the core theme of the event Minimum Losses, Implementation of Latest Technologies, Implementing Proactive Policies through Sustainment.
The CEO CONCLAVE would have Industry leaders discussing on the core theme of the event. The panelists include Dr. Uday G. Kelkar, Managing Director, NJS Engineers India; Mr. N.K. Ranganath, MD and CEO, Grundfos Pumps India; S. Rajavel , Executive Vice President L&T-ECC; Dr. Ger Bergkamp | Executive Director, IWA
‘Holistic Approach towards Water Loss Reduction through Community Participation & Rural Safe Drinking Water Management’, ‘Intermittent Water Supply – The Challenge of Transitioning to 24/7’, ‘innovative technology to treat water with ZERO WATER LOSS’ are few of the key highlights of the program along with several international case studies that would be presented during the 3 daylong conference.
“Moving towards 24/7 water supply in India has benefits which are multifarious. It not only reduces contamination but also improves public health. In a country like India which has a population well over one billion, not everyone has the luxury of 24/7 and this conference will discuss ways to achieve that,” said Mr. Tom Williams Programmes Director, The International Waters Association.
Regional Director, Asia of IWA, Mr. Ganesh Pangare said, “It is a momentous occasion for India to host such an important international conference. The conference desires to give a holistic understanding of the water loss problem, India and the world is facing. I would like to cite the example of Bangalore, where water is sourced from around 180 kilometers from the city. In case of water loss the forfeiture culminates to both energy and financial loss and it is time that we understand that. 90% of the bill we pay is of the utility cost and it is time people understand that and this conference is one major step towards that”.
While speaking about the Water Loss conference, Mr. Pangare also added that the IWA will organize a Mayor’s conclave where, the dignitaries from South-Asia and largely from India will come together to understand the nuances of the water loss issue and work together on smart financing where blueprint of ideas will be created in association with the Asian Development Bank on non-revenue water