IDA Global Connections – Spring 2019

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Spring 2019

IDA GLOBAL

CONNECTIONS IDA Launches the IDA Sustainable Water Resources Foundation (SWRF) Page 52

SWCC Committed to Environmental Stewardship with Stateof-the-Art Desalination Program Page 15

Adapting to Massive Hydrological Change for Survival or Sustainability

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Dr. Miriam Balaban

The Woman, the

Legend



TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 | MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY GENERAL 6 | MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT 8 | COVER STORY Miriam Balaban: The Woman, The Legend 14 | UTILITY LEADERS VIEWPOINT 15 | SWCC Provides Stewardship to the Aquatic Enviroment by Applyng Advanced Technology and Science 18 | EXECUTIVE INSIGHT 19 | Survival or Sustainability? Adapting to Massive Hydrological Change 22 | ANALYST CORNER 23 | SDG 6 and Investing in Our Industry 26 | THE STATE OF DESALINATION, WATER REUSE & ENVIROMENTAL STEWARDSHIP 27 | New IDA Water Security Handbook Points to Increases in Desalination and Water Reuse 31 | ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND ADVANCED WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES: VIEWS FROM THE EXPERTS 42 | 43 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 |

50 | IDA NEWS 52 | IDA Sustainable Water Resources Foundation Works to Address World’s Water Challenges 54 | Nomination Period for 2019-2021 Board of Directors (Term19) to Open June 6, 2019 56 | 2019-2021 IDA Young Leaders Program Committee 56 | IDA Action4Good Conference Focuses on Social Responsibility 58 | Report from the 2019 IDA-WFES Water Forum: Disrupting the Water-Energy-Food Nexus to Optimize Efficiency, Security and Sustainability 60 | AFFILIATE SPOTLIGHT 61 | ALADYR Is Optimistic with the Next Challenges about Water Treatment Advances in Latin America 63 | Water Sciences and Technology Association 63 | Indian Desalination Association (InDA) 64 | IDA WELCOMES OUR NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS 65 | CALENDAR OF EVENTS 67 | MEET THE TEAM

IDA WORLD CONGRESS COUNTDOWN Updates on the 2019 World Congress The IDA Majlis Forums Introducing the IDA World Congress Leaders Summit Reserve Your Space Now in the IDA World Congress Exhibition What People Say about the IDA World Congress Sponsors and Media Partners Sponsorship Opportunities

IDA Global Connections is published quarterly in September, December, March and June. The views expressed in articles contributed to IDA Global Connections Newsletter are not necessarily the views of the International Desalination Association. IDA assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and/or artwork.

Editorial Director Shannon McCarthy Editorial Consultant Ann Seamonds Editorial Offices International Desalination Association P.O. Box 387 Topsfield, MA 01983 USA Tel: +1-978-774-0959

Editorial Inquiries +1-978-774-0959 info@idadesal.org Sponsorship Inquiries +1-978-774-0959 sponsorships@idadesal.org

This publication is produced on recycled paper in support of sustainability

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MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY GENERAL Since Fall of 2018, we have celebrated the invaluable contributions of women by regularly featuring women of our industry in our IDA Global Connections. In so doing, we join the increasing number of corporations, media and social media outlets prioritizing female recognition and empowerment. To celebrate International Women’s Day, our cover story is an in-depth interview with industry legend Dr. Miriam Balaban. We hope you will enjoy reading about her career, her advice to young professionals, and what she one day hopes will be her legacy. Promoting environmental stewardship in desalination is also central to IDA’s broader mission, and we’ve included a special section on environmental concerns from professionals around the world in this issue. Of particular note is a piece by Christian Holmes, Senior Advisor to the Boston Consulting Group, which discusses the alarmingly high rates of hydraulic change. In addition, His Excellency Eng. Ali Bin Abdulrahman Al-Hazmi notes how Saudi Arabia’s Saline Water Conversion Corporation has set a new standard of environmental responsibility, explaining the development of their new “green” desalination program. 4

For over four decades, the IDA World Congress has played a unique and critical role in fostering intellectual innovation, technical development, and business exchange among stakeholders. To further opportunities for such collaboration, we have added two exciting new events to our 2019 World Congress: The World Congress Leaders’ Summit and the IDA-Affiliate Majlis Business Forums. These new aspects of the Congress are sure to enhance attendees’ experience, taking stakeholder exchange to unprecedented heights. In addition to the 2019 World Congress, IDA’s Action4Good International Conference: Creating Resilient Solutions to Water Needs is fast approaching. This conference underscores IDA’s longstanding commitment to both social and environmental responsibility and the connection between the two. Held from May 12th to May 13th in the beautiful Santa Margherita Portofino, Italy, this event is under the patronage of the City of Genoa, developed in cooperation with the Rotary Club of La Spezia and Lunigiana, as well as IDA’s SWRF. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors for their


generous support and dedication to societal only as an NGO affiliate, but also a partner organization of the Food and Agriculture and environmental needs. Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Indeed, at IDA we understand that and its WASAG—the Global Framework on environmental stewardship and societal well- Water Scarcity in Agriculture—initiative. In being are inextricably linked. As a result, we recognition of World Water Day, we would have established the IDA Sustainable Water like to note the UN’s 2019 World Water Resources Foundation (SWRF)—and we are Development Report, “Leaving No One pleased to announce that SWRF’s website Behind.” (www.idaswrf.org) is now live. Please take time to visit the site and discover the new programs The report observes: “Improved water we are building: from technical assistance and resources management and access to safe training programs for developing countries; water and sanitation for all is essential for to educational programs such as fellowships, eradicating poverty, building peaceful and scholarships, and internships; to our Engineers prosperous societies, and ensuring that ‘no one and Technicians Without Borders program, is left behind’ on the path toward sustainable aimed to foster both corporate and individual development…” At IDA, we are proud to be social responsibility with industry support working toward a world where water solutions offering impactful volunteer opportunities. are sustainable and water itself is accessible— and truly, no one is left behind. You can help SWRF’s aims of promoting innovative water solutions and sharing our We hope you enjoy this issue of IDA Global vision of a well-watered world by following us Connections, and as always, we invite your on Twitter and Linkedin. If you would like to feedback. join the effort as a volunteer or intern, please contact info@idaswrf.org. Sincerely, As many of you know, IDA has forged a close relationship with the United Nations—not

Shannon K. McCarthy Secretary General 5


MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Preserving Natural Water Resources and Increasing Desalination Projects No single factor is catalyzing the boom of desalination projects in Middle East. It is a conjunction of elements that is driving the boom in an area where natural water resources are limited and decreasing every year. This region is developing the 50% of desalination world demand. The first factor is high population growth rate and the subsequent water demand. Population is expected to grow 250% from 2000 to 2050. The second driver is the policy to preserve natural resources, especially ground water. Another important reason is the necessity to renew old and low efficiency desalination facilities: in 1990, there were over 1,500 plants producing around 8,000,000 m3/ day in GCC countries, mainly based in thermal technologies. The evolution and high efficiency of new desalination plants based in reverse osmosis has enabled the production of water using 3 or 4 times less 6

energy than with thermal technologies while being more respectful of the ground or marine environment and without needing to be coupled to a power plant to receive the steam needed for thermal processes. In addition, the crude oil crisis of recent years that reduced revenues in the GCC region and other countries has forced desalination plants to be more efficient in energy consumption and water production, while removing the subsidies in both elements, and giving real value to fuel and energy costs. The global trend of renewable energies producing electricity at cost as low as 20 US$ per MWh has finally put into the market a trend to reduce drastically the production cost of desalinated water, where the energy is half of the tariff. In the case of the UAE, another special catalyzer is the next commissioning of nuclear power reactors that will force the end of coupling conventional power plants to thermal desalination.


Finally, all these factors have shifted the balance towards building new mega plants, producing water more efficiently, and drastically reducing the cost by economy of scale, “aligning the planets” in a very short period and causing this desalination boom. The Middle East and North Africa are leading desalination in the world. Today the market is showing a record in production capacity over 100,000,000 m3/day, and it’s expected that installed capacity will double in 12 years. Thirty to forty percent of new investments will be ensured by private financing. Water reuse is also growing at good velocity, helping to preserve precious natural resources in complement of desalination. That’s a very good perspective for our industry.

The International Desalination Association and its affiliates are collaborating in the development and promotion of the appropriate and sustainable use of desalination and water reuse technologies, always based in the strict respect of the environment. IDA promotes good practices and new technologies in all our actions, publications and events developed worldwide, as we will do in the next World Congress to be hosted in Dubai from October 20-24, 2019. We wish to see all of you in Dubai at IDAWC2019! Miguel Angel Sanz President

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The Woman, the

Legend COVER STORY For more than half a century, Dr. Miriam Balaban has been a pillar of the global desalination community. IDA Global Connections spoke with Ms. Balaban to get a look at the woman behind the legend.

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Q

Please tell us about your background and how you got involved with desalination.

After studying chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania, I got into the field of science editing and became very involved with the editor's associations. Eventually, I became the President of the International Federation of Science Editors. So this was the entrance into desalination. How? Because in 1965 there was an International Symposium on Water Desalination in Washington, D.C., organized by OSW, the Office of Saline Water. It was the first big conference on desalination, when I was told "There's no journal." "Oh," I said, “I'll make one!"

1966-1975

That was the way I got into desalination. Being a science editor and also in the field of chemistry, I enlisted some of the prominent people at the time to gather an editorial board. Then I went to Elsevier and I said, “I want to make a journal." I gave it to them for free – can you imagine – and that's how it started. I also handled the composition, the preparation of the articles, and the editing of the journal, which was called Desalination. That's how I got into the field.

Q

Well we're very glad you did.

The first issue of Desalination was published in 1966 and was presented to US Secretary of the Interior Stewart L. Udall. In 1967, I attended the first international conference on desalination in Athens, sponsored by the European Federation of Chemical Engineering. There, I met some key players, like Professor Robert Silver from Glasgow, who invented the multi-stage flash system, and also Sidney Loeb, famous for his work in membranes and reverse osmosis. I was off to a good start to a whole career in desalination. Six more conferences were held in this series and in 1975 I attended the meeting of IDEA (International Desalination and Environment Association) in Ponce, Puerto Rico organized by Prof Robert Bakish. This was the forerunner of IDA which boosted the international participation of the desalination community and led to joint collaboration.

1975-2009 and continues

2009

Within those 45 years, I published within Desalination the proceedings from about 80 events, and that has become the archival record of all the first desalination conferences over those years. In fact, I insisted that the proceedings be printed inside the journal, because I prepared the papers that I received for the conferences for publication prior to the meeting itself, and they were printed and made available to all participants on site. If I remember correctly, this really contributed to the success of the journal.

Q

Please tell us what you're doing now.

Too much! Every time I do one thing, it becomes three or five. But right now, first of all I'm editing the journal, Desalination and Water Treatment, which covers research and development from about 100 countries around the world including proceedings or papers that were presented there. I am pleased that The journal was called Desalination for 45 years. But this journal has helped raise the impact factor of then in 2009, I founded a new journal, Desalination the Desalination journal. I also maintain a website, and Water Treatment, which I have edited and desline.com, which I established in the 70s to keep track of experts, events and further information published to this day.

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in desalination and water treatment which can be location, the geography, the possibilities. There are so many areas that are water deficient, like used freely for exchange of information. North Africa, and the Middle East, the Southwest Primarily, as Secretary General, I run the European in the United States, and so on. Fortunately, solar Desalination Society (EDS). Our major efforts processes in those places are becoming an option. are organization of conferences in Europe, dissemination of information worldwide, provision of courses and collaborations around the world. EDS is a partner in several projects of the European Union for dissemination of information. I'm looking forward to the time that somebody else will continue this work. The society is the center of a wide range of activities and international collaboration.

Q

Let’s talk about the industry. How much has it changed and what are the biggest changes that you've witnessed? I got into the field in its infancy. Since then it has grown in so many ways – more people who develop more technologies, more application of the technologies and more use. I think the main thing is that it has grown tremendously in terms of its significant innovations and scope in response to the great need for clean affordable water. In the early days, desalination plants were producing about 90 thousand cubic meters a day of water, and now it's over 95 million.

Q

Miriam receiving IDA Lifetime Achievement Award at 2009 IDA World Congress, in Dubai

Getting back to your career - what do you consider your greatest accomplishments?

Maybe as someone who over half a century helped document development of the science and technology of desalination and water treatment. I am most proud of my ability to connect the community behind the innovations and developments and help disseminate their knowledge.

The field has also grown in terms of processes. I am most grateful to receive recognition for my There is significantly growing interest in universities work from different parts of the community. around the world and, of course, greater growth in Those include: industry and business. So, I think the main change is that there's just more desalination, and that creates different ramifications, more research, more technology, more innovation, more activity, and businesses finding their niche in very specific parts of the industry.

2003 Honorary Member Membrane Society (EMS)

of

the

European

2009 Lifetime Achievement Award of International Desalination Association (IDA)

the

Q

What do you think are the greatest challenges 2012 Order of the Star of Italy (Knighthood) from and the greatest opportunities for the the President of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano industry today? 2014 Sidney Loeb Lifetime Achievement Award I think it's just improving the product and reducing from the European Desalination Society (EDS) the cost – I mean, lowering energy requirements. This is where renewable energy comes in. Solar 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award from the desalination, once considered too expensive and Desalination Branch of the China Water Enterprises land-consuming, is now a growing process, but we Confederation have to make it more accessible and reasonably 2016 Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award priced. Of course, solar, like many things, depends on the from the Philadelphia High School for Girls

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2016 50th year of the journal Desalination Feeling the mutual regard of these people has dedicated to Miriam, its founding editor and editor been especially rewarding. It has also been most rewarding to help disseminate accumulated for 45 years knowledge, bring people together, and help close the gap so that clean water will be widely available 2017 IDA Presidential Award and affordable. 2017 S. Korea appreciation for great contribution What advice would you give to young to the International Desalination Workshop (IDW) professionals who are entering the business? and world community

Q

Q

Overall, what has been the most rewarding MB: Consider the objective and don't leave until tomorrow what has to be done today. Have aspect of your career? a passion for what you're doing. Be aware of the First, I would say that I’ve worked in an industry science and the business. And most important, work that's good for people. I remember Pat O'Meara from as collaboratively and compassionately as possible. OSW once said, "I can sleep at night. I'm working on What do you see in your future? a good cause – water.” I have enjoyed serving as Secretary General of the European Desalination Society and Associate to the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT with Prof. John Lienhard, who has revived desalination studies and built a major center following the pioneering early days with Prof. Ronald Probstein. Also, special thanks to Prof. Diego Barba, desalination pioneer, for providing a home for EDS at the Faculty of Engineering, UCBM University in Rome.

Q

I would like to be able to clear my desk at the end of each day while still being involved in our challenging field and continue to be in contact with great colleagues around the world. I also finally would like to have time for leisure and my many other interests.

Q

Finally, what would you like your legacy to be? How do you want to be remembered?

Perhaps as someone who over half a century helped document the development of the science and technology of desalination and water treatment and helped connect the community behind the innovations and developments. And hopefully dissemination of knowledge will help lead to affordable water for all of the growing And I have developed relationships with so many population and, just as water knows no borders, people from different countries – and I am still help people to live in peace within and across meeting new young experts joining the field. borders. I’ve also established and run two successful journals and an extensive database www.desline.com to build up that part of the industry where scientists and technologists can exchange information and provide an archive.

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UTILITY LEADERS VIEWPOINT 14


SWCC PROVIDES STEWARDSHIP TO THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT BY APPLYING ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE A Word from the Governor of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), His Excellency Eng. Ali Bin Abdulrahman Al-Hazmi Protecting the environment and human health are and is a condition of issuance of certificates for the two key pillars of our operational strategy, social project construction to all contractors involved in responsibility and legacy to future generations. SWCC desalination projects. Besides in-house discharge water quality monitoring by environmental experts located at each desalination plant, the marine scientists of the Desalination Technology Research Institute of SWCC (DTRI) complete periodic marine surveys and water quality studies to independently verify discharge compliance and environmental health of During desalination project inception and the marine environment. planning phases, all SWCC projects undergo thorough Environmental Impact Assessment The state-of-the-art desalination processes (EIA). Compliance with the mitigation measures employed in the SWCC plants use a very limited delineated in the EIA is monitored and enforced by amount of chemicals, and if chemicals are added, SWCC construction management and regulatory they are biodegradable and are specifically compliance oversight teams throughout the selected not to cause any aquatic marine life project construction and commissioning process, toxicity. For SWCC, safeguarding the marine environment in the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea is of primary importance and is a subject of continuous monitoring of the discharge water quality and tracking of the health of the environment in the vicinity of plant discharges.

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In addition, over the past several years, SWCC’s Desalination Technology and Research Institute has initiated the implementation of a comprehensive program for green desalination, which has resulted in a further reduction of the amount and type of chemicals used in the production of desalinated water.

of SWCC. Over the past five years, the chemical use of our thermal desalination plants has been reduced by 80%, exceeding international standards.

The green desalination program spearheaded by DTRI ultimately aims to convert all of the SWCC facilities into chemical-free seawater desalination plants by implementing the latest advancements of desalination technology and science.

From the early 1980s, the SWCC has implemented advanced design configurations of the desalination discharges that result in an accelerated mixing of the concentrated seawater produced in the desalination processes with the ambient seawater such that within 50 meters of the discharge, salinity levels and temperature reach ambient conditions.

SWCC’s green desalination initiative has already received very tangible results. At the Umluj reverse osmosis desalination plant, the continuous addition of chemicals has been discontinued for over three years to verify the long-term validity and benefits of chemically free desalination. The innovative process modifications aimed at chemical-free seawater treatment are currently being applied at the rest of the reverse osmosis desalination plants

The water quality and environmental experts of DTRI closely track the levels of all metals contained in the marine environment and in the desalination plant discharges. Usually, the discharge levels of metals that could potentially cause toxicity are significantly lower than the limits established by the KSA discharge regulatory requirements and the thresholds identified by international regulatory agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO).

About the Author

Since Nov., 2016, H.E. Eng. Ali Bin Abdulrahman Al-Hazmi has been the Governor of Saline Water Conversion Corporation, responsible for the desalination of seawater, producing electric power and supplying various regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with desalinated water. Eng. AlHazmi has a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering from Western Michigan University, United States, and Master Degree in Mechanical Engineering

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from University of Michigan. He has 31 years of professional and senior leadership experience in the refining and industrial sectors. He possesses strong leadership and management skills, and is technically competent in handling and managing complex assignments at strategic Kingdom refining and industrial facilities such as Ras Tanura Refinery (Kingdom’s biggest refinery), Riyadh Refinery, Saudi Aramco Shell Refinery (SASREF) and Luberef.


A wide range of industries spanning 46 countries trust us for managing their water needs. Our 60 plus years experience could be just

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EXECUTIVE INSIGHT 18


SURVIVAL OR SUSTAINABILITY? ADAPTING TO MASSIVE HYDROLOGICAL CHANGE By Christian Holmes Think about two different days in the distant • Rainfall Patterns. A study prepared by the future. Day One, enough water just to survive. Day National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency’s Two, enough water for a sustainable existence. Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory One on our present course, Day One is the future. projects that precipitation will increase in the On a different course, where we navigate massive near-equatorial regions, which tend to be hydrological change successfully, Day Two is the wet in the present climate, and will decrease future. in subtropical land areas—places that are already relatively dry—creating more extreme We are indeed in the midst of massive hydrological environments. change. How we understand and adapt to the magnitude, speed, and impact of this change • Water Quality. The International Food Policy will affect the lives of billions of people. This Research Institute projects that water quality shift manifests in critical ways: declining water will continue to deteriorate over the coming storage, changing rainfall patterns, diminishing decades due to such factors as the release of water quality, growing water shocks, accelerating major pollutants into the waterways, including climate change, vanishing biodiversity, and ever heavy metals, nitrogen and phosphorous, increasing human suffering. organic chemicals, and oil. In addition, microbial pathogens in water and sewage • Water Storage. According to the Food and systems are expected to remain prevalent, Agriculture Organization, groundwater harming human health. provides drinking water to at least 50% of the global population and accounts for • Water Shocks. According to the UN, water43% of all of the water used for irrigation. related hazards account for 90% of all natural Worldwide, 2.5 billion people depend solely hazards, and their frequency and intensity on groundwater resources to satisfy their is rising. These hazards include catastrophic basic daily water needs. Satellite observations floods, landslides, and seawater rise. made by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), a joint mission of NASA • Speed of Climate Change: The UN and the German Aerospace Center, led to Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change understanding that 21 of the world’s 37 largest reported in 2018 that if the increase in global aquifer systems have crossed over their greenhouse gas emissions continues at the sustainability tipping points. Countries have current rate, atmospheric warming by 2040 pumped ground water at far greater rates than could cause coastal inundation and intensify can be naturally replenished from such critical droughts. aquifers such as the Arabian Aquifer System, the Indus Basin aquifer of northwestern India • Biodiversity. Diminishing water supply and and Pakistan, and the Murzuq-Djado Basin in quality causes the loss of biodiversity and Northern Africa. This results not only in less the degradation of a wide range of ecodrinking water but also in a reduction of water systems. Ecosystems provide critical services needed for irrigating crop lands above the to sustain life outside the ecosystem itself. aquifers. Degraded watersheds, for example, can no

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longer provide sustainable supplies of water • Technology can convert saline and waste water to meet at scale drinking, agricultural, to downstream villages, towns and cities. industrial and domestic water requirements. Large-scale, affordable, solar-powered • Human Suffering: Looking ahead, more than 5 desalinization for both ocean and saline billion people could suffer water shortages by terrestrial waters is a game changer. With solar 2050 due to climate change, increased demand power in the Middle East now in the $0.02/ and polluted supplies, according to the United Nations. KWH range, solar powered desalination units, with nighttime access to the grid, are already becoming an alternate to hydrocarbonSo, what to do? powered desalinization. Major cities are now treating waste water to help sustain Countries can undertake a combination of agriculture and industry. traditional and advanced approaches to meet the water needs of some 10 billion people by 2050. • Coastal cities can replenish aquifers contaminated with salt water by injecting • Traditional, if not ancient, methods of water treated waste water into the aquifers so as conservation include surface and ground to reduce salinity and create a barrier against water catchments, check dams, rainwater salt water intrusion. harvesting, spring protection, aquifer replenishment, and terraced agriculture. • Such technical and strategic measures, supported by enabling policies, innovative • Advanced technical and strategic approaches finance and governance, will not, though, be include conservation and water efficiency; soil enough. management; drought, saline and high temperature resistant crops; integrated water management; the application of smart water systems that utilize • Climate change could catastrophically alter the earth’s delicate water cycle and its artificial intelligence and big data to strengthen precipitation patterns. Key watersheds and water management; and improved irrigation, terrestrial precipitation sheds could lose including large-scale drip irrigation.

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their productivity. To adapt, countries may have to undertake enormously expensive and complex approaches to store and also transport water over great distances. • Climate change and population growth could also irreversibly change critical elements of our water supply system, such as the permanent depletion of major aquifers. If so, resilience efforts will have to address the reality of reaching such points of no return and create new pathways to meet water needs. All in all, I think we—a population of approximately 10 billion people in 2050—will meet our water needs so as to ensure survival. However, survival and sustainability are by no means the same. The ultimate challenge will be bridging the gap between water related survival and a sustainable existence.

About the Author

Christian Holmes became a Senior Advisor to The Boston Consulting Group in 2017. A core member of BCG’s Social Impact and Public Sector practices, his focus is on strengthening the social and environmental impact of public and private sector organizations in the United States and developing world. At BCG, he has supported teams on the development of public private partnerships; the commercialization of water and disaster assessment technology; and new business development and financing model for sustainable development goals.

natural resource management, with responsibility for leading the agency’s five-year, $2 billion water supply and sanitation program. He has also held two US Senate-confirmed positions at USEPA, including serving as the agency's third ranking in his capacity as EPA’s chief financial officer. Other positions include: director of the US Trade and Development Agency, acting director of USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, and principal deputy assistant secretary of State for Refugee Programs.

In the private sector, he was executive director for Mr. Holmes most recently served at the US Agency environment, health, and safety at Tenneco Inc., for International Development as global water a conglomerate in the manufacturing and energy coordinator and deputy assistant administrator for sectors, and vice president for EHS, Tenneco Energy.

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ANALYST CORNER 22


SDG 6 AND INVESTING IN OUR INDUSTRY By Thierry Noel Around 2007, the term "impact investing" emerged to describe investments incorporating a commitment to measure social and environmental performance, as well as financial performance. Impact investing grew quickly from around US$50 billion in assets in 2009 to more than $500 billion today, a tenfold increase. Impact investments occur across all asset classes (Equity, Bonds, Venture, Infrastructure, Ownership, etc.) and investment amounts.

value. It also true that the ultimate beneficiaries (individuals, pension funds, insurance companies, etc.) demand, more and more, that the interest of future generations be taken into account. Investors are also now convinced that it is good for business. A study by MIT Sloan Management Review shows that $1 invested in high sustainability companies in 1992 was worth $23 by 2010, whereas low sustainability would have given a return of just $15. Ninety-four percent of millennials want to work in a sector or a company that has a positive impact. A survey by ShareAction to 52 institutional investors globally found that:

The Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), initiated by the United Nations in 2006, are now signed by more than 2 000 investors representing over $80bn of assets under management. The CEO of BlackRock (the largest asset manager globally and a proponent of long-term investment) • 95% of respondents plan to engage in invested explained in his annual letter to shareholders companies about issues covered by the SDGs. that to grow in the long-run, a company needs to produce financial results and also demonstrate • 84% will allocate capital to investments how it is positively contributing to society. supporting the SDGs.

The 193 member states of the UN adopted 17 • 89% will support regulatory reforms that Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promote the SDGs. 169 targets in September 2015. With such an ambitious agenda set by the global community, it • 78% of citizens were more likely to buy goods is now accepted that countries, NGOs, companies and services from a company that signed up to and investors all need to work together. the SDGs. But why should investors care? At a macro-level, investors holding diversified portfolios will be exposed to the global challenges that SDGs represent and the corresponding macro-financial risks. But it also represents a major opportunity, as achieving SDGs will be a key driver of global economic growth, which is the ultimate source of financial return.

We have the privilege to work in the water industry, where we have been cleaning water, providing access, ensuring sanitation and protecting the environment for a long time – even before the term of sustainability was coined in the 1980s. Investing in our industry is impact investing, because each company, asset or dollar in this industry contributes to making water cleaner for people or for the environment. We have our own SDG # 6, even if we contribute to many of the other SDGs.

At the micro-level, very specific regulatory, ethical and operational risks will have material impact on companies and industries – but they will For SDG6 alone, it is estimated that $1.5 trillion will also create opportunities for companies moving be needed by 2030. Some even suggest that the towards more sustainable practices to create main role of public money injected in the water

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be interesting to measure the impact of desalination and reuse on SDGs and each associated target. And who knows, measuring this may actually enhance the image of our industry, attract new capital flows, bring longer-term investors and originate procurement processes that are price and SDG As SDGs become clear indicators of a company’s impact driven. and industry’s performance for investors, it would In closing this article, should I dare to ask 3,000,000 our president and 2,500,000 friend, Miguel Angel 2,000,000 Sanz, if one of IDA’s 1,500,000 roles could be to 1,000,000 measure the impact of the desalination and reuse industry and 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 demonstrate what a Public International Finance Public Domestic Finance huge positive impact our members have on Private Domestic Finance Private International Finance the SDGs? USD (Millions)

and sanitation sector should be mostly focused on making projects sufficiently attractive and safe for bankable projects and long term returns beyond supporting the enabling environment and service providers.

A

Source: United Nations. 2014. Report of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Develompment Financing. Report A/69/315

About the Author

Thierry Noel is the Founding Partner of Amane Advisors www.amaneadvisors.com. An advisory firm dedicated to the water industry, Amane Advisors provides strategy and market intelligence consulting, fund raising and M&A services, asset funding and PPP advisory, as well as digital transformation offerings, to the players of the water industry who want to innovate, transform and grow.

water companies before becoming an entrepreneur in 2009. In addition to Amane Advisors, he has founded successful companies in the biotech industry and digital service business in the green energy sector.

Thierry is passionate about innovation, transformation, growth and contributing to the future of the water industry. “Designing tomorrow’s He has dedicated the majority of his career to the successes” in our industry is the tagline of Amane water industry working internationally for large Advisors.

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The State of Desalination, Water Reuse and Environmental Stewardship

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New IDA Water Security Handbook Points to Increases in Desalination and Water Reuse In late 2018, IDA and Global Water Intelligence (GWI) introduced the IDA Water Security Handbook, a new publication that grew out of the IDA Desalination Yearbook, the industry’s flagship guidebook. While the Water Security Handbook contains a comprehensive overview of the desalination industry, it also goes deep into the market for water reuse. It also touches on smart water as another tool to help manage the world’s water resources.

As reported in the Water Security Handbook, the latest market overview for the worldwide desalination and water reuse markets projects robust increases for both in 2019, as nonconventional advanced water treatment solutions are seen as critical aspects of coping with growing water scarcity. The handbook reports that, after three years when the overall desalination market remained steady, experts project that 2019 will see the most active growth in seawater desalination, since the late 2000s. At present, according to the 31st desalination inventory (which covers July 2017June 2018), the total global installed desalination capacity stands at 97.4 million m3/d while the total global cumulative contracted capacity is 104.7 million m3/d. As of June 30, 2018, over 20,000 desalination plants had been contracted around the world.

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At the same time, water reuse has become an increasingly important part of water resources management around the world. The global contracted reuse capacity has almost doubled since 2010, with cumulative contracted capacity increasing from 59.7 million m3/d in 2009 to 118 million m3/d in 2017. “IDA has always advocated solutions to water scarcity by supporting the development of the desalination and water reuse industry to secure sustainable water and natural resources. Over the past decades, our industry has achieved an important reduction in non-conventional water costs and increased quality to ensure water sustainability,” says Miguel Angel Sanz, IDA President. “As climate change continues to impact our world, along with industrial and population growth, the demand for clean water increases. Desalination and water reuse: non-conventional, environmentally sound water supply solutions are in keeping with the circular water economy and offer solutions to water scarcity. The trends we are seeing point to a broad recognition that these advanced water treatment solutions are essential to the health and well-being of people and economies around the world, both now and in the future,” Shannon McCarthy, IDA Secretary General. Christopher Gasson, Publisher at GWI, offers further insights. “The big breakthrough in the past year has been on the cost of desalination. Recent project tenders in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi have seen the price fall below $0.50/m3 for the first time. After a decade in which price drifted upwards as a result of high materials costs and higher energy costs, this is very good news. Indeed, we expect 2019 to be the best year ever in the desalination market. In terms of water reuse, prices for indirect potable standard water are in the $0.30-$0.40 range, but the market is still held back by public perceptions.”

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Desalination Market Overview The expected surge in desalination is largely a result of gathering momentum in construction plans in the Middle East, especially the GCC countries. According to the 2018-2019 IDA Water Security Handbook, 1.9 million cubic meters per day (m3/ day) of seawater capacity was contracted in the first half of 2018, up 26% over the same period in 2017. Since that time, preferred bidders have emerged on projects totaling well over 1 million m3/d in additional new capacity in the region. However, not all the contracted large seawater plants are located in the Middle East. The largest seawater desalination award listed in the 31st desalination inventory is the 378,000 m3/d seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) project in Rosarito, Mexico. This was followed by projects at Hamriyah (Sharjah, UAE, 272,760 m3/d), Shoaiba 3 expansion 2 IWP (Saudi Arabia, 250,000 m3/d) and Al Khobar (Saudi Arabia, 210,000 m3/d). Globally, contracted capacity for brackish water desalination declined by 19% year-on-year, but in the USA, contracted brackish water desalination rose significantly, totaling 205,600 m3/d, the highest level since 2012 and a 26% increase over 2016, with a fairly even split between municipal and industrial plants. Desalination of lower-concentration feedwater, such as wastewater and low-concentration surface water, also increased, comprising almost 25% of total capacity in 2017 compared to approximately 15% in 2016. The majority of this capacity is made up of large wastewater treatment plants in China and India. The handbook also reports that the industrial desalination market grew by 21% in contracted capacity between 2016 - 2017. Increased activity in upstream and downstream oil & gas accounted for over one third of contracted industrial capacity in 2017, while rising commodity prices have revived desalination activity in the mining industry, with 201,000 m3/d of new capacity contracted in the first half of 2018 alone. Rapid growth in the microelectronics industry is also creating opportunities for desalination technologies, with contracted capacity in this sector more than doubling from 2016-2017.

From a geographic perspective, contracted capacity in the Middle East – the largest market for desalination – fell from 2016 to 2017, but was offset in 2018 by the awarding of several large projects in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and the awarding by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) of a 181,840 m3/d SWRO expansion at its Jebel Ali power and desalination complex, and a 272,360 m3/d SWRO expansion of Federal Electricity and Water Authority’s (FEWA) Hamriyah desalination plant in Sharjah. The Asia-Pacific desalination market grew in 2017, for the most part due to the Chinese desalination market where contracted capacity reached its highest level since 2010. In the Americas, 2018 was the most active year for desalination since 2013. In sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya’s Mombasa County awarded two projects of 100,000 m3/d and 30,000 m3/d, while three smaller projects were awarded in Cape Town to help avert ‘Day Zero’ when expected water reserves were projected to run out. In terms of technologies, membrane technologies continue to dominate the desalination market. 90% of desalination capacity contracted since 2010 employs membrane technologies, with the use of thermal technologies for large scale projects remaining concentrated in the Middle East

Water Reuse Market Overview The importance of water reuse as a solution to the world’s growing water issues has escalated significantly in the past few years. Increasingly, many regions are looking to wastewater reuse over large-scale desalination as a solution to droughtinduced water scarcity. For example, both Cape Town and California are pursuing potable water reuse of wastewater, and reuse of wastewater in industry plays a vital part of policy responses to degradation of water resources in China and India. As contracted capacity continues to rise, the epicenter of the global wastewater reuse market has shifted from North America and Asia, with China accounting for 49% of capacity contracted between 2010 and 2017. However, new capacity in India and Taiwan is also significant. India is now the fastest growing market in the region with new environmental legislation one of the drivers.

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About the IDA Handbook Building on the IDA Desalination Yearbook’s market analysis and reference directory, the IDA Water Security Handbook (http:// globalwatersecurity.org/) is a new customer-facing publication that gives end-users dealing with water scarcity the information they need to future-proof their operations for 2050 and beyond. Copies of the 2018-2019 IDA Water Security Handbook are available free to IDA members or can be purchased directly from IDA or Global Water Intelligence. For more details about IDA membership, or to purchase copies of the IDA Handbook, contact IDA at membership@idadesal.org.

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The Americas is the second largest region according to installed capacity, with the majority of water reuse focused on the agricultural and industrial sectors in the USA, which remains the world’s second largest market by contracted capacity at 10% of the total. However, the awarding of three projects in Latin America accounts for the majority of the region’s increase in contracted capacity: the 2 million m3/d Atotonilco wastewater treatment plant in Mexico and two primary treatment plants totaling 1.75 million m3/d in Peru. Water reuse is gaining traction in the Middle East as well, although desalination remains the primary unconventional water source for arid countries in the region. Large-scale upgrades of sewage treatment plants in the Gulf and Egypt have driven strong growth in reuse. Spain has led the European wastewater reuse market since 2010, with large projects aimed at agricultural users in that country. However, a proposed EU directive that would require treatment of microbiological pathogens to facilitate water reuse for agricultural irrigation has the potential to increase water reuse in the EU from 3 million m3/d to 18 million m3/d. Industrial water demand is a key driver of the wastewater reuse market. This is especially true in water-intensive manufacturing and extraction industries and in regions where population growth has created a conflict between industrial and municipal water users, and has driven industry to seek alternative water sources as municipal users are typically prioritized, especially in times of drought.


Environmental Stewardship and Advanced Water Treatment Technologies: Views from the Experts Ten years ago, IDA launched the industry’s first Environmental Task Force – now called the IDA Energy and Environmental Committee (EEC) – with the goal of examining best practices, as well as available and future technologies, to address environmentally-related aspects of desalination such as energy consumption, safeguarding of marine life, concentrate disposal, and promoting ways to mitigate potential environmental impacts of desalination around the world.

The focus of the task force has become a Special Committee of IDA “Environment and Energy Committee. The initiatives are symposia and conferences focused on environmental issues. The 2019 IDA World Congress: Crossroads to Sustainability will offer a track dedicated to environmental topics. IDA posed a series of questions to committee members on the environmental impacts of desalination plants. Their responses are recorded in this special section.

Mr. Leon Awerbuch Chair of EEC

Tell us about the IDA Energy and Environmental Committee – its purpose and aim. What do you see as the most common myths and misconceptions about the environmental impacts of desalination – and in your opinion, what are the facts?

The goal of the Energy and Environment Committee (EEC) is to encourage energy efficiency and environmental stewardship in desalination and water reuse projects by brokering knowledge of the best available and most appropriate technologies and practices. The EEC draws from experts from the water industry, academia,researchandtechnology institutes, consultancies, regional government water producers, and regulatory bodies.

In partnership with relevant IDA committees, EEC through its publications, meetings and conferences will continue to educate and advocate the critical importance of energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy and consideration of environmental impact in desalination and water reuse. We work closely with Global Clean Water Desalination Alliance – H2O minus CO2, of which IDA is the founding member, and the Global Solar Council.

The desalination industry is serious in its commitment to environmental responsibility and, in fact, it has already done much to mitigate potential environmental impacts. While the demand for desalinated water is growing at a pace of 15% per year, care of the environment, sustainability considerations and energy efficiency are playing an increasing role in the type, configuration, siting and energy source for desalination plants.

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Modern seawater desalination has a 60-year history and demonstrated ability to provide new clean water for continuous development of communities around the world.

The 31st GWI/IDA Worldwide Desalting Inventory, plants contracted to June 2018:

Plants

Desalination Plants 31st Inventory

Capacity m3/day

Among the primary issues to be addressed in terms of environmental stewardship are strategies to reduce in energy consumption and minimize the carbon footprint, protect marine life and manage the disposal of the brine (concentrate) that results from the desalination process.

20,283

Total Plants

105,331,309

3,817

Off Line

7,115,761

15,962

In Operation

87,471,951

504

Under Construction

10,743,597

16,466

Under Construction + Operation

98,215,548

Reduced Energy Consumption The desalination industry has already done much to decrease energy consumption and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Since the mid1990s, energy requirements have been reduced by over 50 percent because of technological improvements. Technological advances include development of more efficient energy recovery devices (ERDs); improved efficiency, increased RO flux designs; pressure centers designs; improvement in pretreatment and posttreatment; introduction of large-scale high-performance thermal distillation plants (MED); higher recovery processes to minimize concentrate disposal; and indirect and direct coupling of renewable energy and desalination on a large scale. The dramatic advances in the use of renewable energy will have significant impact on desalination, not only to reduce the carbon footprint.

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Advanced seawater intake designs reduce the threat of entrainment or impingement of marine species. Improved outfall designs efficiently discharge and diffuse the concentrate, and the desalination industry has also developed new methods for While the industry has been able backwash solids handling and to reduce power consumption disposal. and significantly lower or eliminate GHG emissions, Seawater intake options include numerous research projects now offshore intakes, sub-seabed underway promise to further intakes, co-located intakes, and reduce energy requirements passive intakes. Habitat restoration and minimizing environmental – the process of restoring an area impact of concentrate and equivalent to that impacted by brine discharges. These include an intake or outfall – is another projects that creatively couple alternative that has been proposed desalination plants with at some locations. renewable and alternative energy sources like wind, solar, Improved Concentrate osmotic power, wave, or nuclear energy sources to provide the Disposal Strategies required energy input. There are several options that can be employed to reduce Protection of the impact of concentrate, or Marine Life brine discharge that results from the desalting process, Protection of marine life is and new technologies offer the also a key consideration. promise of further reductions. It is becoming an economical solution in comparison to use of fossil fuel to generate electricity and heat for desalination with high design standards for environmental requirements and monitoring.


These options include multiport diffusers, co-location with facilities to blended discharges with cooling water and treated wastewater effluent; deep well injection; evaporation and salt/ mineral recovery; and many new technologies for green solutions minimizing or eliminating chemical use, reaching high recovery allowing Minimum Liquid Discharge (MLD) or Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD).

Monitoring An important aspect of any desalination plant operation is the ongoing monitoring of the environment surrounding the facility. Improved monitoring technologies and practices allow for more accurate observation of potential impacts and enable the facility operator to change operating conditions to respond to environmental responses.

Public Outreach It is important to include early public outreach in any planned desalination project, to educate stakeholders regarding the facility and its relationship with the environment. This practice will de-stigmatize desalination and any potential concerns regarding the facility and the environment can be addressed and mitigation measures put in place early-on the project development. As the need for desalination continues to grow around the world, it is critical that desalination plants be constructed and operated in an environmentallyfriendly manner. Facilities around the world have proven this can be achieved.

Myths & Misperceptions In spite of proactive outreach, some myths and misperceptions about desalination persist. In my opinion, the following are the most common myths and misconceptions about the environmental impacts of desalination.

Myth: Brine/concentrate is toxic. Fact: In fact, the brine consists of the same salts that are diluted or dispersed in the discharge points – but more concentrated. Myth: Desalination is an enormous consumer of energy. Fact: Desalination today is one of the most efficient energy technologies, where seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) can consume only less than 3.5 kWh/m3 and Multi-Effect Distillation (MED) consumes only .9 kWh/m3 of electric power and is able to produce 15 tons of distillate per ton of steam. Myth: Chemicals and other products used in desalination are routinely discharged into the sea, where they cause harm. Fact: In normal operation, chemicals and other products are biodegradable and are not discharged to the sea. Myth: Desalination has an impact on climate change. Fact: Today and in the future, desalination will move from fossil energy sources to renewable energy, wind, solar, geothermal. Myth: Desalination is harmful to the marine environment. Fact: Several studies in different parts of the world have demonstrated the lack of impact in the marine environment if the good practices are followed.

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Mr. Devesh Sharma Co-chair of EEC

In your opinion, what are the most pressing issues and opportunities regarding environmental stewardship in the field of advanced water treatment as it relates to meeting growing industrial water needs?

The pressing issues for industry include managing the cost of discharge, addressing reliability as feed water quality sources worsen, and balancing the costs of environmental stewardship while ensuring continued economic viability and profitable operations.

has made the complete recycling of any industrial effluent possible. This water can be used for virtually any application, from cooling tower make up to ultrapure water. A great example of this is Kuwait, where the waste reject from one of the largest sewage recycle facilities in the world is being Where industrial end-users treated and recycled into very once simply discharged their high purity water for oil field waste water, the opportunities development. to continue this practice are dwindling. This is either because Recycling industrial waste water of more stringent regulation, is not new, but doing so and increased costs to discharge, improving overall economics is. or in most cases, both. To This is the inflection point that compound this, the accessibility will catapult the water reuse to abundant and fresh water industry. There is a lot of ongoing sources for operations is development work to reduce constantly thinning. energy consumption, reduce chemical consumption, and make This evolving landscape membranes and consumables provides some unique last longer. All of this is directly opportunities to apply advanced linked to environmental water treatment technology‌. sustainability improvement. The specifically, increased recycle next horizon will be converting and reuse. The improvement of waste to valuable resources, for various membrane technologies example, recovering valuable

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minerals from the concentrated brine streams generated from water reuse. This just the tip of the iceberg for industrial water management. The biggest opportunity is applying the ongoing developments in advanced water technology to be an enabler for an industrial end user’s core operations. Purer water can lead to better production yields and thus, more profits. The intersection of water scarcity and increasing environmental regulations is increasing water risk for industry but tackled head on can be a great opportunity to reduce environmental discharge and fresh water usage costs, improve production yields with higher quality water, and exhibit world class environmental stewardship all at the same time.


Dr. Ahmed Al-Arifi How has Saudi Arabia monitored environmental impact issues related to desalination, especially with the spectacular expansion of the use of desalination in your country? What lessons can you share with the global community?

With over 30 desalination plants in operation producing more than 5.6 million m3/day of drinking water, SWCC has strong commitment to secure a reliable water supply for millions of our customers while preserving and safeguarding the marine environment along the Red Sea and Gulf shores. SWCC desalination experts address potential environmental impacts

during all phases of project development and implementation – from planning and design, to construction, commissioning and operation. All desalination plants of SWCC have in-house environmental specialists who continuously track plant compliance with the strict regulations and discharge water quality standards set by

the government of KSA. The Desalination Technology and Research Institute of SWCC (DTRI) has a multifaceted group of environmental scientists, marine biologists and desalination technology experts that conduct frequent near- and offshore surveys of the marine ecosystems near the plant discharges to monitor and sustain their vitality and biodiversity.

Mr. Borja Blanco As a global consultant, could you provide some examples where desalination has been implemented with the highest respect for the environment?

In today’s world, respect for the environment is a very high priority for everyone designing, building and operating desalination plants. One particular example of good practices is Australia, a country that has built large scale desalination facilities in every major city.

Australia began construction of its first desalination plant in 2005 for the city of Perth, followed by Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and a second large-scale plant for Perth. They call them the “Big 6.” These plants were implemented with the Australian “triple-

bottom-line” (economic, social and environmental) mentality, and quickly demonstrated their sustainability with regard to energy consumption and environmental impact. Australia engaged independent members of academia and universities to monitor the main areas of

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environmental concern consisting of dilution of the brine discharge, toxicity of the brine, a perceived threat to dissolved oxygen levels in some areas, waste products, and energy consumption.

technology, and often the carbon footprint was neutralized by sustainable energy sources such as wind farms.

With regards to environmental impact, multi-year studies Energy consumption was minimized published in Water Research using optimized designs and the magazine found that brine latest advances in energy recovery discharge from water desalination

plants into the ocean does not have a toxic impact on marine life. The use of well-designed diffusers that return the highconcentrate salt water to the ocean at high velocity are so effective at diluting the brine that salinity was almost at background levels within a short distance from the outfall.

You can read more about these studies at the following links: http://awa.asn.au/AWA_MBRR/Publications/Fact_Sheets/Desalination_Fact_Sheet.aspx https://watersource.awa.asn.au/environment/natural-environment/desalination-plants-not-harmfulto-marine-life-long-term-study-reveals/

Dr. Mike Dixon Does brine disposal from desalination facilities cause Harmful Algae Blooms?

Brine disposal from desalination plants won’t cause harmful algae blooms (HABs). HABs are generated when nutrient (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) in seawater is elevated and are mostly associated with a rise in seawater temperature. Saline concentrate from desalination plants contain low levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. Additionally, state of the art outfalls are designed to maximize rapid mixing with surrounding seawater, so any affects are localized to within a 100m radius (or less) in best practice scenarios. The extremely large HABs

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commonly found in place such as the Gulf or immediately outside the Straight of Hormuz are due to either naturally occurring high nutrient concentrations or in

some cases agricultural run-off. A far greater threat to causing HABs is climate change as overall seawater temperatures are rising at increasing rates.


Dr. Masaru Kurihara What are some of the most important R&D programs now taking place that if successful, will have the greatest positive impact from an environmental perspective in relation to the use of desalination technologies?

One of the most important R&D programs now taking place is the reduction of marine pollution by facilities and less chemical cleaning of the plant through optimization of chemical usage by implementing biofouling monitoring technology of the “Mega-ton Water System” project for green desalination.

large amounts of brine discharge contaminated with chemicals. For reliable desalination, systems with lower environmental impact, membrane-processing technology including biotechnology (such as marine bacteria) were examined as national research in Japan in the “Mega-ton Water System” project.

Sustainable seawater reverse osmosis desalination in the 21st century requires: (1) reduction of energy resources, (2) high efficiency seawater RO system, and (3) desalination drainage to reduce marine pollution. The goals of the “Mega-ton Water System” project were: (1) energy saving (20%), (2) low environmental impact (no chlorine & no sodium bisulfite (SBS) dosing, (3) low water production cost, and (4) reliable plant operation. Goals (2) and (4) are directly related to environmental impact.

We examined the influence of chlorination on marine bacteria using the fluorescence microscopic observation method and found that the effect of chlorination is limited. Another finding is that chlorination sterilization triggers biofouling, and SBS dosing as a dechlorinating agent also triggers biofouling. So, a process with no chlorine and no SBS dosing would reduce biofouling. As polyamide SWRO membranes have low chlorine resistivity, such a process would enable longer membrane life in real plants.

The “Mega-ton Water System” project envisions that sustainable desalination and reclamation. Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) operation lacks reliability due to heavy biofouling and

system of the plant system and predict the number of chemical cleanings. A lower number of chemical cleanings also contributes greatly to reducing the chemical consumption of the plants and the reduction of pollution. * Japan’s national research Funding Program for WorldLeading Innovative Research & Development on Science and Technology (FIRST Program) promoted in-depth research of water treatment core technologies, the “Mega-ton Water System”, and included research on basic and system technologies.

This biofouling monitoring technology using mBFR with no chlorine and no SBS dosing was verified in a pilot test, at first in Japan, then the technologies were also verified at the Desalination Technology Research Institute (DTRI) of We used a biofouling monitoring SWCC, Al-Jubail (Arabian Gulf), technology to evaluate the Saudi Arabia during one year. biofouling possibility of RO feed seawater by the Membrane The next step of the Mega-ton Biofilm Formation Rate (mBFR). project is the verification of this The mBFR value is very important technology at a full-scale plant in to design the pretreatment Ummluji (Red Sea), Saudi Arabia.

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Prof. John H. Lienhard V How is academia helping to advance environmental stewardship in desalination, now and for the next generation? Especially on the issue of brine disposal and Environmental Impact Assessments?

Academic researchers are keenly aware of the importance of understanding and limiting the environmental impact of desalination. These efforts are multifaceted and wide-spread, including university researchers all around the world, often working in multi-national teams. Major government research centers are contributing as well, in the US, the EU, the Middle East and beyond. Energy efficiency has been a major theme of academic research for many years, with rapidly rising interest in the past decade. These efforts have encompassed new system configurations and hybrids, as well as the integration of renewable energy sources — especially solar energy and wind power. Brine management has seen rising interest as well, including work to increase water recovery and to capture valuable by-products from brines. The latter include ideas such as salts-recovery, valuable metal harvesting, and the production of industrial chemicals such as sodium hydroxide. Finally, academic researchers have conducted direct field studies of the impact of desalination plants on local marine life and

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of the effectiveness of brine diffusers. On the latter point, ocean engineers have developed a deep understanding of the buoyancy, transport, and dispersion of brine plumes, leading to methods of safely returning ocean salts to the ocean. The work of universities in this area focuses around creating and vetting new ideas. Ideally, these ideas will reach a sufficient

level of development and economic analysis that industry can comfortably take them forward into deployed products and practices. But we must not overlook the other very important mission — the central mission — of universities: to help young engineers and scientists learn about these challenges and develop the skills and knowledge that will make them our future leaders in the area.


Mr. Juan Miguel Pinto Besides renewables, what is being done to enhance energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of desalination?

First, we need to define carbon footprint and energy efficiency. A carbon footprint is defined as the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to, directly and indirectly, support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). Energy efficiency is the goal to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products and services.

For example, insulating a home allows a building to use less heating and cooling energy to achieve and maintain a comfortable temperature. With regards to reducing carbon footprint in the desalination industry, the most common solutions are using renewable energies, optimizing operational processes, designing desalination plants to minimize carbon footprint, or looking at emerging technologies.

Optimization of the operational process

environmental impact. For example: insulate the building, VFDs for the pumps, select pumps with high efficiency, isobaric energy recovery devices, select the location of the SWRO plant as close as possible to the seawater, new membrane technology to reduce osmotic pressure, pretreatment solution to reduce osmotic pressure, and other options

Emerging technologies: • New RO membrane technology – new materials • New high-efficiency pumps – Positive displacement pumps with higher flow capacity • New chemicals – To optimize SWRO plant operation • Others

A desalination O&M company needs to operate the plant to minimize the carbon footprint generated by the day to day operation; optimization of chemical dosing; optimizing plant operation to reduce osmotic The most energy efficient pressure. systems designs are not necessarily the most costDesign desalination effective design. Designing plants to minimize systems to minimize carbon carbon footprint: footprint is a challenge for EPCs. However, future advances in The EPC and end-user need technology will continue to drive to design the SWRO systems down the energy consumption and building to minimize of the SWRO systems.

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Mr. Miguel Angel Sanz Can you share with us the philosophy of Suez toward environmental impact in the use of desalination and water reuse technologies?

Respecting the environment and safety is a “must” and the first priority in our company. It has always been in the “DNA” of Suez, not only in the design phase but also during construction and longterm operation. Plants like Perth and Melbourne in Australia; Mirfa and Barka 4 in Middle East; Barcelona in Spain; and West Basin in USA are the best examples to demonstrate how we have treated the subjects to minimize any potential environmental impact. Some of them are environmental flagships in the desalination or water reuse industry, being frequently mentioned in best practices documents.

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The first step is to follow the environmental regulations of the local authorities and project environmental impact assessment recommendations for on-shore and off-shore works and activities – and also to considerer any air impact.

treatment of any byproduct, as sludge, is present in all of our plants.

Since energy is the main driver in water cost and sustainability, we invest important resources in minimizing energy consumption and reducing carbon footprint of DB and O&M HAZOPs are usual the plants. We were pioneers in tools to improve analysis and the use of renewable energies implement solutions. We take in this field. special care in the design of water intakes and in the brine To finish this point, I’d to discharge to avoid any impact in underline that environment, sea life (vegetal or animal) and we energy and carbon footprint use the most advanced models are the main drivers to develop and specialized companies in new products and solutions for the design and operation of the future in Suez Innovation discharge diffusion and follow Centers. up. Reduction of chemicals and


Mr. Nikolay Voutchkov Regarding brine disposal – what is the status of current approaches to environmental impact for both seawater and brackish water desalination?

Today, desalination industry and regulators have comprehensive systems to predict, monitor and control the potential environmental impacts during all phases of project development and implementation – from planning to design, construction and

operation. Safeguarding aquatic environment and ecosystems in the vicinity of desalination plant discharges is an essential component of good operation practices of the desalination industry. The desalination plants in operation worldwide continuously

monitor and comply with the strict environment regulations and discharge water quality standards set by the country’s governmental bodies in charge of protecting aquatic environment.

respect the

enviroment

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Hosted by

IDA WORLD CONGRESS 2019 Dubai, October 20-24

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Updates on the 2019 World Congress As our countdown to Dubai continues, IDA is pleased to announce several new programs for the 2019 World Congress: Crossroads to Sustainability These include a Leaders Summit and the IDA Majlis Forums with IDA affiliate organizations.

• Attendance at IDA-Affiliate Majlis Forums • Lunch and refreshment breaks each day • Events: Welcome Reception, Opening Ceremony, Gala Dinner, Closing and Awards Ceremony • Plant Tours (participation is limited and based on first-come / first-served basis) Registration is now open. Take advantage of our • World Congress program book and proceedings early registration discount, which is available through March 31. We have also added “Crossroads to the Greens,”

IDA Corporate Golf Day on the championship Majlis course at the world-famous Emirates Golf Club, the venue for the Dubai Desert Classic. The Majlis course • Attendance at all IDA Technical Sessions and is ranked among the top 100 golf courses in the the World Congress Exhibition (Monday, October world by Golf World Magazine. For more information 21-Thursday, October 24) about this extraordinary networking event, please • Attendance at day one of Leaders Summit contact IDA at sponsorships@idadesal.org Registration includes:

The IDA Majlis Forums New to the IDA World Congress “The Majlis Forums” – IDA-Affiliate Business Forums Designed to Spark Conversation and Showcase Regional Developments We are hard at work preparing new, innovative programs that will spark cross-cutting conversations and make the most of the invaluable time we have to share in person at the 2019 World Congress. One such program is the new IDA-Affiliate Business Forums to be held in the Majlis Dialogue Hall.

opportunity for IDA regional and national affiliates to take a deep dive into what is going on in the water sector in their respective regions and showcase important game-changing projects or technologies that their members are involved in.

Each affiliate will determine the format of their We were inspired by the concept of “majlis” that is presentation. These can take the shape of a panel popular in the Middle East. The word majlis, literally discussion, a single speaker presentation, or a mix. means “a place to sit and discuss”. We feel very strongly that it is important to create a The Majlis Forums will take place on Tuesday, balanced, big-picture view of issues and how they October 22 through Thursday, October 24, during the are being tackled at a regional and local level. What general program. They will be open to all registered better way to do it than in cooperation with our delegates. The Majlis Forums are meant to create an affiliates who can help us to share that story.

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Introducing the

IDA World Congress Leaders Summit IDA presents the 2019 IDA World Congress Leaders Summit – an exceptional two-day event held on October 20-21 in parallel with the Technical Program and IDA-Affiliate Majlis Forums. The IDA Leaders Summit will consist of a Leaders with Community session open to all conference delegates on

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the afternoon of Monday, October 21 and a Leaders with Leaders one-day, invitation only program Tuesday, 22 October. This is an exclusive opportunity to interact with peers from across the sector. More details about the programs will follow.

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Reserve Your Space Now in the IDA World Congress Exhibition The IDA World Congress Exhibition brings together technical sessions, plenary theater, Majlis forum scores of companies from around the world to hall, and lunch room, featuring both morning and showcase their products and services and launch afternoon networking refreshment breaks. This new offerings. central location will ensure easy access and an As one of the most popular features of the World ongoing flow of visitors to exhibitor booths. Congress, the 2019 Exhibition is located in the center of all event activities, surrounded by the Reserve your space now!

Reserve your booth now The International Desalination Association (IDA), graciously hosted by DEWA, is very excited to be hosting its 2019 World Congress in Dubai, UAE at the World Trade Centre – October 20-24, 2019. The exhibition floor is located on the same floor and within easy access to the other Congress activities. Located centrally, the exhibition area is a gateway to the technical

sessions, plenary panels, Leaders Summit, Majlis Discussions and lunch area, creating steady foot traffic during the Congress week. Over 60% of the exhibition hall is booked, so hurry to reserve your space now. To receive your exhibition package, please contact us at exhibits@idadesal.org.

Over 60% of the exhibition floor is now booked, hurry to reserve yours!

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What people say about the IDA World Congress

“The IDA World Congress is unique among the many water events worldwide for bringing together top tier companies, top tier researchers and rising young professionals in the desalination and water reuse area. The unmatched opportunities for informal networking, the experience-driven presentations, and the leading- edge exhibition all combine to make this a truly productive use of time.” Professor John H. Lienhard V

Director, Abdul Latif Jameel World Water and Food Security Lab; Director, Rohsenow Kendall Heat Transfer Laboratory; Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Water and Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

“I was delighted to participate for the first time at the IDA World Congress in São Paulo, a city that brings back fond memories from the four years my family and I spent in Brazil as part of previous responsibilities. The Congress offers a unique opportunity to meet with the leading stakeholders of reuse and desalination world, be it clients, competitors, subcontractors, R&D, professors, from all professional levels: executives, engineers, sales forces, academics, etc. As a speaker, it was a pleasure to meet all the CEOs participating at the panel session and to realize we share the same vision about market trends, key success factors and future opportunities. "I must also say, this was an extraordinary Congress for SUEZ, as we presented our new Business Unit ‘Water Technologies and Solutions’ that enriches our portfolio of solutions, especially regarding reuse—as well as for our active participation with 10 papers and posters in the technical program." Jean-Luc Alexandre

Chief Operating Officer, SUEZ Treatment Infrastructure

“In a world more uncertain each day, the solution of water scarcity problems becomes crucial. As climate variability increases, we need to explore all alternatives to cope with water scarcity. The 2017 IDA World Congress brought to our attention the importance of considering water reuse and desalination as important alternatives to face that challenge." Benedito Braga

Secretario de Estado, Secretaria de Saneamento e Recursos Hídricos

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“During a whole working week, you learn the latest in innovation and technologies, meet the leaders of the water industry. It was a great opportunity to learn about most interesting projects and most of all, meet old friends.” Ghassan Ejjeh

Senior Vice President, Besix SA, Director of Sanotec, SAFI and ASPCL Water companies

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Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Media Partners

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Sponsorship Opportunities IDA World Congress sponsors enjoy an unparalleled opportunity to gain visibility and promote their leadership and industry support among the Stakeholders in the global desalination and water reuse community. Our Sponsorship Program includes

We invite you to learn more and also to welcome our current World Congress sponsors.

Titanium Sponsor

Majlis Dialogue Hall Sponsor

Capitalize on the premier sponsorship of IDA’s eagerly anticipated 2019 World Congress in Dubai. At the crossroads of continents, you will set the tone of the entire World Congress as a speaker during the Opening Ceremony and demonstrate your dedication to the industry as a Titanium Sponsor.

Sponsorship of the Dialogue Hall affords an exceptional level of company branding, visibility and promotion during each day of the Congress. This special sponsorship of the Dialogue Hall includes the opportunity to welcome delegates to the Hall area, display your corporate logo, hand out literature, and provide promotional material to delegates.

Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze Sponsor Showcase your organization’s deep support of the global water industry as a prestigious Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze Sponsor.

Mobile App Sponsor (exclusive) Your company logo will appear on the screen of every delegate’s smart phone, tablet, and or computer every time they access the World Congress App for essential information on Congress events.

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diverse and unique opportunities to promote your company up to and during the World Congress Week.

Official IDA Awards Sponsor Sponsorship of the new IDA World Congress awards for industry and utilities highlights your support for innovation and excellence in desalination and water reuse. As the official IDA Awards Sponsor, you will deliver opening remarks introducing the award presentations that take place during the Gala Dinner, while your company enjoys prominent signage at this eagerly anticipated event.

IDA Sustainable Water Resources Foundation Evening Event Support the Evening Event of the IDA Sustainable Water Resources Foundation, a US-registered 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization to promote the development of sustainable technologies.

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Young Leaders Program Sponsor Empower the future leaders of the industry through the IDA Young Leaders Program Sponsorship. The Program promotes the industry and supports career advancement.

IDA Academy Course Sponsor Sponsorship of IDA Academy courses places your company’s name in front of participants from throughout the world.

Technical Session Sponsor Technical Session Sponsorship provides the opportunity to showcase your organization during the Technical Program. Your logo will be displayed at the session of your choice and listed in the Conference Final Program.

Corporate Supporter Become a Corporate Supporter to show your company’s support for the industry and the World Congress. This sponsorship package provides notable recognition in the program along with other benefits.

Fellowship Sponsors Equip an exceptional young professional in the water technology field with the singular opportunity to work alongside a high-profile host agency. The selected Fellowship recipient becomes a conduit for knowledge transfer between their own organization and their fellow professionals.

Scholarship Sponsors Help to encourage young engineers and scientists to further their post-graduate education in subjects related to desalination, membranes and water reuse. Applicants must have graduated from an accredited university and must be from the top 10% of their class in science or engineering.

For more information, visit https://wc.idadesal.org/sponsors/ or by contacting sponsorships@idadesal.org

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IDA SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES FOUNDATION WORKS TO ADDRESS THE WORLD’S WATER CHALLENGES

IDA’s Sustainable Water Resources Foundation (SWRF) promotes creative solutions to the world’s most pressing water challenges. With the world’s continuously growing population, innovative water strategies must rise to meet the increasing demand for clean water. SWRF promotes this innovation by advocating clean energy solutions, fostering collaboration among professionals, and supporting educational programs and projects concerning the nexus of water, energy, food and the environment.

Challenges In the face of increasing demands for water, exponential population growth and a changing climate, our water needs have never been greater. The United Nations, alongside the SWRF, prioritizes clean water and sanitation as one of the essential Sustainable Development Goals. Water touches every aspect of human life. It is the nexus where agriculture needs meet human rights and gender equality meets urban planning. Recognizing the mounting challenges of water needs, the SWRF seeks to build a future in which development and responsibility come hand-in-hand and water is a ubiquitous human right.

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Technical assistance and training programs for developing countries The SWRF recognizes that the greatest need for sustainable and forward-thinking water and energy solutions exists in developing countries. To meet the increasingly pressing needs of these nations, the Foundation hosts training programs and offers expert technical assistance. These programs bolster the water community by encouraging interaction among the local, national, and international levels and fit within the Foundation’s greater goal of educating the general public and inspiring interest in clean water and energy solutions.

Scholarships/Fellowships/Internships As part of the SWRF’s charter, we strive to promote the advancement of innovative water technology solutions to secure clean water sustainability. To this end, we directly support development through our scholarship programs, competitive fellowships and internships that allow participants to work alongside the leaders of the water industry and gain practical experience that will enable them to become future leaders themselves. To get involved with SWRF scholarship, fellowships, and internships, contact us at programs@idaswrf.org.

Water Engineers and Technicians Without Borders Alongside efforts to spread pioneering water solutions, the SWRF hosts a growing community of dedicated water engineers and technicians who volunteer their expertise for global betterment. These professionals assist critical projects involving clean water and energy solutions. To learn more about Water Engineers and Technicians Without Borders and to get involved, email us at programs@idaswrf.org.

Get Involved Join our effort to promote innovative water solutions. Share our vision of a well-watered world by following us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. For more information about how to join the effort as a volunteer or intern, contact info@idaswrf.org.

Make A Donation Help us evoke change and create sustainable sources of clean water. For more information, visit www.idaswrf.org

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NOMINATION PERIOD FOR 2019-2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS (TERM 19) TO OPEN JUNE 6, 2019 Schedule

6

26

9

27

1

June, 2019

June, 2019

August, 2019

September, 2019

October, 2019

Nomination Start Date

Nomination Close Date

Voting for the 2019-2021 IDA Board of Directors Election Opens

Voting for the 2019-2021 IDA Board of Directors Election Closes

Results Announced and Posted

Nominations All persons who have been continuous active members in the IDA since June 2018 are eligible to stand for election. One of the major criteria in considering candidates is their ability to provide leadership and make significant positive contributions to IDA. Candidates should be knowledgeable about IDA's mission and policies and be prepared to assist in further developing IDA's vision, programs and services. In addition, they should be prepared to dedicate a significant amount of time to their duties should they be elected; for example, directors are expected to prepare for and attend two board meetings per year, actively participate in IDA's programs, events and committees, undertake special assignments and respond promptly to communications from Committee Chairpersons and IDA Headquarters. All nominations should be sent to the IDA office to the attention of IDA Secretary General, Ms. Shannon McCarthy, at smccarthy@idadesal.org. Current directors who wish to stand for re-election should email Shannon McCarthy prior to 26 July 2019.

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Candidate Eligibility To be placed on the ballot, candidates must have been: (1) selected by the Membership and Elections (M&E) Committee; (2) proposed by letter or petition by at least five Class I and Class II members or their designated representatives from the same region; or (3) submit a written request to the M&E Committee to be considered for election and be sponsored by at least five Class I and Class II members or their designated representatives.

Candidates must be prepared to serve the desalination and water reuse community as a whole rather than espouse the particular interest of any single entity. They must maintain confidentiality on the business of the Board, and avoid prejudiced judgments on specific issues. The candidate should also have standing within the desalination and water reuse industry.

Regional Representation

In order to assure proper regional representation, directorships are allocated in proportion to the number of Class I and Class II members in good standing in each region. Twenty-one directors may be elected to the Board of Directors, and each region may have at least one and no more than seven. Based on the membership numbers, the regional allocation of Directors for the 2019 election is as follows:

5

Europe

4

North America

1

Latin America, Caribbean

4

Pacific Asia

7

Middle East, Africa

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GRAND TOTAL

Elections

Directors are elected by a direct vote of IDA’s Class I and Class II members. The Membership and Elections Committee asks that each candidate provide a high-resolution photo, short biography and brief description of what he or she intends to contribute to the Association. Ballots will be posted on the website on August 8, 2019 and voting will begin. IDA members will be able to log in and vote electronically. Voting will close on September 27,

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2019. Results will be posted on the IDA website (www.idaedeal.org) by October 1, 2019 and members will be notified of the results by email. For more information about the Director elections, please contact Shannon McCarthy at smccarthy@ idadesal.org

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2019-2021 IDA YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAM COMMITTEE We're looking for young professionals who want to be part of this exciting initiative by serving on the Young Leaders Program Committee. This Committee consists of five Regional Coordinators representing Europe, North America, the Middle East/Africa, South/Latin America and the Caribbean, and Pacific Asia, plus five Special Technical Coordinators. Both the Regional and Special/Technical Coordinators shall be self-nominated from existing IDA members who have been continuous active IDA members

for one year and are 35 years of age or younger at the start of the membership year (July 1). The nomination period for the 2019-2021 Committee is 6 June – 26 July 2019. For more information about the YLP and the Committee Election, please visit the YLP dedicated website, www.idaylp.org , or contact kzilinek@ idadesal.org

IDA ACTION4GOOD CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IDA’s Action4Good international conference is centered on social responsibility in providing future generations with a sustainable source of water and the need for innovation to generate new and ever more environmentally friendly options to support water needs. Once again, we are conducting this conference in cooperation Visit idadesal.org with the Rotary Club La Spezia, which offers a matching donation as part of the conference proceeds will be donated to a waterrelated humanitarian project. This event began as a “oneoff” conference in 2011 and has triggered a wave of solidarity and good will among both IDA’s Board and its members, in turn resulting in a series of “Action for Good” events that have taken place since then.

Four different conferences will have been presented in three different continents, generating a large number of projects that have and will positively affect the lives of many

SAVE THE DATE! May 12-14, 2019 Santa Margherita, Italy Registration Now Open!

IDA International Conference

Creating Resilient Solutions to Water Needs

Under the patronage of

Organized by

Foundation Partner

Regional Affiliate

Action4Good Supported by

We look forward to seeing you May 12-14th in beautiful Santa Margarita, Italy. To register: https://idadesal.org/list-events/action4good-conference/registration/

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Thanks to the sponsors: Platinium

Gold

Silver

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REPORT FROM THE 2019 WFES WATER FORUM: DISRUPTING THE WATER-ENERGY-FOOD NEXUS TO OPTIMIZE EFFICIENCY, SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY Organized in partnership with IDA, the 2019 WFES Water Forum: Disrupting the Water-EnergyFood Nexus to Optimize Efficiency, Security and Sustainability was a resounding success. Held over three days, the program focused on solutions to the world’s significant water scarcity challenges and presented the latest approaches to water supply, demand and security that can help address these issues. Sessions explored how the latest thinking and technology can optimize resource efficiency, sustainability and security in the GCC region. In addition, the Forum examined the evolving role of water in energy production and conversely the use of power in water supply and how technology advances are creating a low-carbon, more costefficient future in clean water production. Also on the agenda was discussion of the actions that will be required to achieve innovative resource sustainability, provide more water resources for food production, and grow food with a fraction of the water used today.

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Day One focused on sessions covering an Update on the UAE’s 2036 Water Security Strategy from the Ministry of Energy and Industry; Creating an Integrated Water Management Strategy to Optimize Efficiency, Security and Sustainability in GCC Countries moderated by Dr. Najib H Dandachi, CEO, AL Usul, UAE; Harnessing Renewable Technology to Reduce the Energy Footprint of Water, led by Leon Awerbuch, IDA Director and President, Leading Edge Technologies, USA; Increasing the Use of RO to Supply Low-Carbon, Cost Efficient Water, moderated by Rachid Ghamraoui, IDA Vice President, Vice President of BESIX Middle East, UAE; and The Evolving Role of Water in Energy Exploration & Production, moderated by Dr. Mike Dixon, IDA Director/CEO, Synauta, Canada. The program also featured a panel discussion on The Microgrid of Water, led by Emmanuel Gayan, CEO and Managing Director, Osmoflo, UAE.

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The program on Day Two centered on The WaterFood Nexus. It began with a panel discussion on Water and Food: UN SDGs and Resource Sustainability, moderated by Mr. Chris Holmes, Senior Advisor at Boston Consulting Group, USA. Ensuing panels addressed Water-Food and the Bio Economy: Future Challenges and Solutions, led by Dr. Olcay Unver, Deputy Director, Land and Water Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Italy; and Aquifer Management & Water Security with moderator Dr. Mohamed Hamyd Dawoud, Advisor - Water Resources Environment Quality, UAE. Other sessions on Day Two included DSM strategies to Increase Water Efficiency, Establishing Regional Targets for Leakage and a closing keynote on Water and the Environment in the Gulf Countries (GCC). Tech for Good: Disruptive Technology for Better Lives was the focus of Day Three. The centerpiece of Tech for Good Day was the “Tech for Good Forum� held in the Water Theatre at WFES. This brought together UN Agencies, NGOs and donors and technology provides and entrepreneurs to discuss how humanitarian assistance is being furthered by modern advances in renewable energy, digital technologies, autonomous and remote devices and more. The Water Hall at WFES also contained the Tech for Good Hub where agencies and companies displayed solutions throughout the week.

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AFFILIATE SPOTLIGHT 60


ALADYR IS OPTIMISTIC WITH THE NEXT CHALLENGES ABOUT WATER TREATMENT ADVANCES IN LATIN AMERICA By Juan Miguel Pinto There is increasing awareness about the implications that climate change, population growth and advancement of the economy will have on people’s access to fresh water, and that understanding will increase the need for strategic investment by public-private partnerships in key water projects in Latin America.

This region possesses 31% of the freshwater resource in the world. In comparison, Asia, where 60% of the world population lives, is home to 28% of the world’s freshwater resources. This contrast implies that water shortage in Latin America exposes the weakness of some countries in the region in managing their water resources.

The Latin American Association of Desalination and Reuse of Water (ALADYR), supports this effort with the development and exchange of technologies and facilitating meeting points to generate a community around the interest of clean water and treatment.

Despite the fact that Latin America is facing several challenges to keep up with the population’s water demand, ALADYR maintains that the region will prevail over those problems with joint solutions.

Challenges and Solutions Countries are set to invest billions not only to projects in Latin America are on the rise. Latin increase and improve drinking water supply from America has a large demand for infrastructure rivers and lakes but also oceans. For example: investment across the region, but governments cannot commit the budget to fund the huge • Mexico 2019 – Conagua - 2,560 USD million. investment costs. • Peru 2019 – Ministerio de Vivienda – 644 USD million. PPPs offer a solution by using private finance • Argentina 2019 – Ministerio de Hacienda – 614 to provide public services such as water USD million. infrastructure. Some of the countries with higher potential for PPPs are Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Large investments will take place in the region Colombia, Chile, and Panama. for water. Andean Development Corporate (CAF) estimates that to achieve the Sustainable Private investment is also a key driver for the Development Goals (SDG) in areas such as water market in Latin America. For example, Chile sanitation and access to water in Latin America is leading the seawater desalination market for in the 2018-2030 period, Latin American nations the mining industry and potable water needs. should invest each year in the sector around Some of the seawater projects are led by Minera 0.7% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Spencer, El abra Mine, Tocopilla, Quebrada Blanca II, Radomiro Tomic, and Aconcagua. Besides the government’s investment to catch Chile's copper mining industry expects its water up with water demand, there is a second solution consumption to surge 66% to 24.6m3/s by called “Public-Private Partnership” (PPP). PPPs 2025, according to a study by Cochilco. However,

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A

seawater will increase its weighting in the Arcelor Mittal, and Fortaleza SWRO are some overall supply, accounting for 36% of water used organizations behind it. in the mining sector in 2025, compared with 9% currently. These investments, and the high attendance at congresses specialized in the subject, point to an Brazil is looking for seawater desalination underlying concern among all stakeholders that as a solution to ensure water supply for the future generations will have access to water, a industry and potable water demand. Petrobras, vital resource.

Summary

Besides all the challenges for Latin America related to water shortage, some governments are moving in the correct direction by updating regulations, working with private investment through PPPs, and creating water action plans.

ALADYR will support the water industry by promoting knowledge and information related to water technologies. In 2018, ALADYR had over 1,000 attendees (from the public, private and academic environments) in their events. The attendees expressed their interest in supporting Also, the economic indicators forecast economic the market growth. growth of 2 to 2.5 points for Latin America (the International Monetary Fund). The combination of a good action plan and economic growth will let Latin America overcome those challenges.

About the Author

Mr. Juan Miguel Pinto is the President of ALADYR and Director of Water of Energy Recovery Inc., the world’s leading energy recovery device manufacturer. He has served on the ALADYR and IDA Board of Directors.

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WATER SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION

The concept of formation of the Water Sciences and Technology Association (WSTA) was the result of individual efforts of some of those concerned with water affairs in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries. The Government of Bahrain consented to register the Association in Bahrain, and the Association was formally founded in September 1987, to be the first scientific association in the field of water sciences and technology in the Arabian Gulf region.

WSTA’s 13th Gulf Water Conference – Water in the GCC: Challenges and Innovative Solutions took place March 12-14 in the State of Kuwait. The WSTA also holds symposia and workshops.

The WSTA is a non-government organization and its WSTA membership is open to all water professionals in the GCC, water-related national and international organizations, educational institutes, consultants, and companies. To learn more, visit http://www.wstagcc.org/index.php

INDIAN DESALINATION ASSOCIATION (INDA) The Indian Desalination Association (InDA) was formed in September 1991 in Madras (now Chennai) with the main goal for the development and promotion of the appropriate use of desalination and desalination technologies nationwide in water supply, water reuse, water pollution control, water purification, water treatment, other water sciences and technologies and various solute-solvent separations. For additional information, visit http://indaindia.org.in/

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PLEASE JOIN IDA IN WELCOMING OUR

NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS Mascara Renewable Water is a company specialized in innovative membranes water treatment solutions with the use of renewable energy. Mascara Renewable Water developed the world's first reverse osmosis desalination technology coupled with photovoltaic solar energy, without battery or grid regulation, producing 10 to 5,000 m3 per day of fresh water at a competitive price to any remote location. The 100% solar-powered desalination process fluctuates with sunshine variations, requiring no energy storage, and generating no greenhouse gas emission in operation. Now fully industrialized, the patented OSMOSUN® technology directly takes advantage of both the cost competitiveness of solar energy, the world's cheapest energy source, and reverse osmosis, the most efficient desalination technology. In 2016, OSMOSUN demonstrated its performances as part of MASDAR's Renewable Energy Desalination Program in Abu Dhabi. OSMOSUN displayed the lowest specific energy consumption (2.5 kWh/m3) among the world's most advanced desalination technologies. This realization drew interest from SUEZ Group, leading to the implementation of an OSMOSUN in Bora-Bora, French Polynesia. Offering a renewable alternative for water supply of remote locations, OSMOSUN units have been installed in Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa and Cape Verde, while others are being implemented in the Pacific, the northern Africa and the Caribbean. TALIS has equipped numerous SWRO desalination plants and WTP all over the world, which have reliably performed their task for a long time. Dealing with special requirements and complex installations is one of the strengths of our R&D team. The high reliability of TALIS products reduces the risk associated with large scale installations, and this ensures successful and economic on-time completion of the project. BELGICAST butterfly and check valves have been working successfully for more than 15 years in medium and large scale SWRO, water recycling and WTP in general. TALIS has adapted the products to the market need of long-life service under special requirements, such as high TDS level of the seawater and brine. Halar-coated components, high quality Super Duplex and internal EPDM rubber are some of the key features of our manufacturing range for SWRO. TRILITY is an established industry leader, dedicated to the delivery of water, wastewater, reuse, biosolids solutions across Australia and New Zealand’s municipal and industrial sectors. This leadership draws on more than 20 years’ experience of providing highquality solutions for our public and private sector clients including financing, design and construction, operations and maintenance, asset management, utility services and bespoke water treatment solutions. An Australian company with the support of its shareholders, Beijing Enterprises Water Group (BEWG), TRILITY has a growing footprint across Australia and New Zealand. As such, our capabilities span the full life cycle of water and related services, which our dedicated team of industry specialists deliver to millions every day.

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IDA EVENTS/PARTNER EVENTS

IDA Action4Good: Creating Resilient Solutions to Water Needs May 12-14, 2019 Grand Hotel Miramare Santa Margherita, Italy

IDA 2019 World Congress, hosted by DEWA October 20-24, 2019 Dubai, UAE

IDA AFFILIATE EVENTS

Australia Water Association Ozwater’19 May 7-9, 2019 Melbourne, Australia

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Did You Know? IDA Global Connections offers companies an outstanding opportunity to show their support for the IDA and advanced water treatment industry that we serve, while reaching approximately 10,000 industry professionals around the world. IDA offers a variety of sponsorship opportunities in our flagship publication. For details, please visit www.idadesal.org or contact sponsorships@idadesal.org. Download Media Kit here. 66


Shannon McCarthy

Karen Zilinek

Michele Pzsenny

Ann Seamonds

IDA Secretary General

Office Manager/ Membership Services

Deputy Secretary General

Editorial and Public Relations Consultant

Cristina Mauleรณn Social Media and Marketing Consultant

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Become a member of IDA Connecting the global desalination and advanced water treatment industry

Knowledge-sharing, exchanging ideas, expanding educational opportunities, providing solutions and always advocating for the advancement of desalination and water reuse technologies are important aspects of the IDA mission. Our work will soon be amplified by the establishment of the IDA Sustainable Water Resources Foundation. Membership Benefits: • Reduced conference registration fee at the IDA World Congress and other Association activities including conferences, seminars, and workshops • Reduced fees on the exhibition stand at IDA exhibitions and ability to reserve premium exhibition stands at the IDA World Congress • Eligibility to apply for the IDA Scholarship and Fellowship programs, IDA Young Leaders Program and participate in the IDA Mentorship and Internship Programs Complimentary publications including: • Conference proceedings (full technical papers), available on the IDA website • Subscription to Water.desalination + reuse quarterly journal • Copy of the IDA Water Security Annual Handbook • IDA Online Membership Directory IDA Global Connections a quarterly publication • Subscription to ID • An online copy of Desalination at a Glance (the latest edition of IDA’s ABCs of Desalting)

Join the IDA Community Today! IDA is a non-profit organization, bringing together people, ideas, and knowledge to advance sustainable water solutions. We are a UN recognized non-governmental organization (NGO) and partner of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization WASAG – Global Framework on water scarcity in agriculture. For more information on membership, please contact membership@idadesal.org.

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“Crossroads to the Greens” IDA Corporate Golf Day at Emirates Golf Club

IDA is pleased to announce “Crossroads to the Greens” the IDA Corporate Golf Day on the championship Majlis course at the world-famous Emirates Golf Club. Don’t miss this opportunity to have some fun on the greens with colleagues at the IDA World Congress. Emirates Golf Club has two, 18-hole par 72 championship courses, both carved out of the desert. These include the Wadi and the much-loved Majlis, venue for the Dubai Desert Classic. The Majlis course, is ranked as one of the ‘Top 100 Golf Courses in the World’ by Golf World Magazine.

For more information, please contact us at sponsorships@idadesal.org

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have you visited our new

website? We’re excited to announce that both IDA’s new website and the World Congress’ microsite are now live! Both sites enhance user experience by providing streamlined navigation and easier access to information. Explore both sites at www.idadesal.org or wc.idadesal.org, and let us know what you think! As always, feedback is appreciated.

idadesal.org

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Connecting People and Ideas to Water Solutions

Address P.O. Box 387 Topsfield, MA 01983 USA Phone +1-978-774-0959


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