STAFFORDSHIRE, England -- Rising demand, supply shortages, and legislation for water conservation are difficulties which increasingly threaten those who need water for cooling, cleaning, and other industrial processes. Yet, a variety of solutions are available and conference officials say IWEX '97 will be the perfect arena in which to examine them.
New technology now enables a range of 'difficult' waters to be made suitable for industrial and even potable use, for the first time. Brackish, salt, eutrophic, and karstic waters can be economically treated with microfiltration and reverse osmosis processes, which use both energy and chemicals sparingly and are virtually self-managing, conference officials said.
Raw water that would have been regarded as untreatable only 10 years ago can now be economically used to relieve supply shortages and the over-abstraction of more environmentally precious water resources. These water treatment methods also offer significant energy and chemical savings when compared to older technology.
As water resources dwindle and demand increases -- world population is set to double within the next 50 years -- legislators face increasing pressures to act. Those who use water will face a statuary duty to conserve it and those who pollute it will be punitively taxed, the promoters said.
The technology needed to resolve these problems will continue to develop and the latest and best of it will be available for inspection and comparison, together with expert advice, at IWEX '97 from 4-6 November 1997 at the NEC, Birmingham, England.
IWEX '97, the International Water and Effluent Treatment Exhibition, is sponsored and supported by British Water, The Institution of Water Offices, the Pipeline Industries Guild, the Society of British Water Industries, the Water Services Association, 'Wet News,' and Turret RAI's newest journal 'Aquatech Europe'.
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