Abstract Submission
The Programme Committee of the 6th International Conference for Water Safety is pleased to invite authors to submit abstracts on the following topics:
- Resilient Water Safety in a Changing Climate
- Advanced Water Quality Management and Technology
- Next-generation Regulatory Approaches
- Enhanced Emergency Response and Preparedness
- Emerging Water Safety Challenges
- Safe Water in Public Infrastructure and Buildings
- Holistic Risk Assessment and Management
- Advances in Water Reclamation and Reuse
- Small Systems, Big Challenges
- Auditing and Implementing Water Safety Plans
- Household water treatment and storage
Key dates:
January, 2024:
Abstract submission opens
18 March, 2024:
Registration opens
1 May, 2024:
Abstract submission deadline
4 June, 2024:
Notification to authors
14 June, 2024:
Authors confirm participation
1 July, 2024:
Deadline – Early bird registration
3 July, 2024:
Programme is published
4 September, 2024:
Conference starts in Montevideo
16 September, 2024:
Full paper submission (to IWA journal)
1. Resilient Water Safety in a Changing Climate
Water suppliers face increasing challenges with the provision of safe and reliable drinking-water services due to an uncertain and changing climate. This thematic area will welcome abstracts that explore these practical challenges, and share frameworks, tools and strategies towards the successful development and implementation of water safety plans as a management instrument for climate resilient water supply.
Theme chairs
Margarita Pintos
Asoka Jayaratne
2. Advanced Water Quality Management and Technology
Abstracts included in this thematic area will discuss how incorporating technology can improve the way we monitor, analyze and respond to water-related risks. Including for example, online monitoring and laboratory methods. Preference will be given to case studies related to water safety improvement and linkages to water safety planning monitoring and control.
Theme chair
Alejandro Iriburo
3. Next-generation Regulatory Approaches
Abstracts should include regulatory experiences related to risk management approaches in drinking water supply systems, their oversight, regulatory impact analysis and the role of interested parties. Of particular interest are the regulations in development, their range, context, associated institutions and organizations that will be in charge of their control, and the challenges associated with implementing such regulations.
Theme chair
Sandra Rodriguez
4. Enhanced Emergency Response and Preparedness
Abstracts included in this thematic area should discuss experience with development, planning, preparation related with emergency and contingency plans, including action plans to mitigate the results and effects of any emergencies. Preference will be given to case studies related to water safety planning concepts and experience with crisis management.
Theme chairs
Margarita Pintos
Kizito Masinde
5. Emerging Water Safety Challenges
Water suppliers are increasingly challenged by emerging risks such as microplastics, mycobacterium, chemicals of emerging concern (CEC) and climate induced contaminants. Abstracts included in this thematic area should discuss new and/or emerging hazards and hazardous events, highlight case studies related to emerging risks and challenges in managing such risks.
Theme chairs
Alejandro Iriburo
Asoka Jayaratne
6. Safe Water in Infrastructure and Buildings
Abstracts included in this thematic area should discuss risk management practices and/or case studies related with ensuring safe water in residential, commercial and/or public buildings (for example, understanding and management of opportunistic pathogens and plumbing challenges).
Theme chair
Marcos Bensoussan
7. Holistic Risk Assessment and Management
Health Risk Assessment and Management involves evaluating potential health hazards associated with water sources, treatment processes, distribution systems, and consumption. This assessment includes identifying contaminants, understanding their sources and pathways, estimating exposure levels, and evaluating the associated health risks to consumers.
Overall, the goal is to ensure that water supplied to communities is safe for consumption and does not pose significant health risks to the population.
Abstracts included in this thematic area should discuss risk evaluation and risk management approaches from source to consumer and challenges associated with such (example multiple stakeholder engagement). Case studies are welcome.
Theme chairs
Rui Sancho
Fasil Ejigu Eregno
8. Advances in Water Reclamation and Reuse
Wastewater is regular discharged into water sources for drinking water supply, and is also an emerging source necessary due to increased water shortage. Water reclamation and reuse need to carefully assessed in water safety planning. In this conference abstracts should consider the application of water safety planning frameworks to water reclamation and reuse (for example, direct and indirect potable reuse, wastewater reuse, grey-water reuse and stormwater reuse).
Theme chair
Thomas Pettersson
9. Small Systems, Big Challenges
Abstracts included in this thematic area should specifically discuss strategies for safe drinking-water management as they relate to small drinking-water supplies. This may include non-piped and piped water supplies, managed for example by households, communities or professional entities. Submission for this theme may include risk assessment and management strategies for small water supplies (including for example water safety planning or other approaches such as sanitary inspection), training and capacity building efforts, development of tools or templates, overcoming challenges with sustainable implementation, operations and maintenance, monitoring, and ensuring ongoing financing. Case studies describing benefits and lessons learned for sustainable and effective implementation are welcome.
Theme chairs
Rui Sancho
Rory Moses McKeown
10. Auditing and Implementing Water Safety Plans
Abstracts for this thematic area should include case studies related to water safety plan implementation specifically on operationalising aspects. These will include verification activities including internal and external audits and sustainable WSP. Abstracts should highlight challenges in operationalising, implementation, institutionalising and introducing WSP focussed regulations
Theme chairs
Sandra Rodriguez
Asoka Jayaratne
11. Household water treatment and storage
Abstracts include in this topics, should discuss the challenges and benefits of including household water treatment and safe storage (HWTS) in a water safety plan (for example consumer awareness and sustainable treatment technologies), and how the Water Safety Plans approach add value to HWTS implementation.
Theme chairs
Alejandro Iriburo
Kizito Masinde