A Preview Of IDA World Congress 2015

From August 30 to September 4, the International Desalination Association (IDA) will be hosting its biennial world congress in San Diego.  An industry expo designed for the desalination and reuse communities, this 15th iteration consists of a technical program, “IDA Academy” courses, and sponsored networking events.

Since 1987, the world congress has earned its moniker by trotting the globe. The first incarnation opened in Cannes, France, and subsequently attendees have found themselves in global capitals as diverse as Yokohama, Japan (’93); Manama, Bahrain (’01); Dubai, UAE (’09); and Tianjin, China (’13). San Diego, which also played host in 1999, was not chosen for its palatial convention center and balmy weather alone.

“California is suffering from the historic drought that continues to grip the region, so the need to develop sustainable, reliable sources of water outside the traditional supplies has never been greater,” said Patricia A. Burke, Secretary General of the IDA. “The San Diego area is considered to be the epicenter of desalination and water reuse development in the United States, a hotbed of innovation and the home of many of the industry’s leading membrane manufacturers, universities, research and development centers, project developers, and industry leaders.”

To make full use of its host city, the IDA has invited some of its 1,500 expected attendees to take exclusive tours of two state-of-the-art facilities in the area. The first, the Orange County Groundwater Replenishment System, is the world’s largest water purification system for direct potable reuse. The next is the yet-to-be-commissioned Carlsbad desalination plant.

The opportunity to get behind the scenes in Carlsbad, a facility that the San Diego County Water Authority has called “the nation’s largest, most technologically advanced and energy-efficient” of its kind, is undoubtedly the marquee event of the conference.

“During the tour, guests will walk through the plant along the path that saltwater is treated to drinking water,” said Mark Lambert, CEO of IDE Americas, which is hosting the tour. “The tour will include stops at the control room, intake pumps, pretreatment static mixer, and more.”

But only a select sample of the developers, researchers, and academics gathered in San Diego will be able to take either tour. The others will split time between a wide range of presentations, exhibitions, and events open to all.

Opening day will include nine discussion panels and workshops. An “innovation theater” will host 12 new product and service spotlights. Throughout the congress, the Convention Center will feature an 11,000 square-meter exhibition floor.

The IDA has invited 400 local middle school students to get their first look at desalination and water reuse during an “education day”, and on “public outreach day” area civic leaders will receive a special presentation on the industry’s most recent developments.

The four-day technical program will examine methods for providing a clean source of water to the world’s growing population and economies, how to keep energy costs down through ongoing technology advancements with the aid of renewable energy sources, and the challenges of designing and operating plants with environmental stewardship in mind.

IDA will also launch a video series of conversations with early industry pioneers during the conference. This will begin with an oral history from a dozen thermal desalination experts.

If nothing else, this latest incarnation of the IDA World Congress, the organization’s biggest ever, illustrates how far the organization and the industry have come.

“On a personal level, I have been part of IDA since its founding more than 40 years ago, from its being a one-person operation to its growth into the world’s leading organization focused on desalination and water reuse,” said Burke. “For nearly a half-century, IDA has helped raise awareness about the important role [these play] in ensuring a sustainable water supply for future generations. Its success is my legacy and I am delighted to celebrate that in San Diego.”