Iwater 2018 flags up need to modernise hydraulic infrastructures to guarantee smart water management

Iwater 2018, which has just ended, has highlighted the need to modernise hydraulic infrastructures to guarantee smart water management for cities, industry and agriculture.

Digitalization and sustainability were the main themes of Iwater’s second edition, held last week in Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue.

Over three days, the trade fair brought together companies, professionals, institutional representatives and experts in water cycle management. With a total of 88 exhibitors from 8 countries, Iwater presented a wide range of technologies, products, solutions and services which form part of the different phases of the water cycle. More than 170 brands were represented at the trade fair which saw more than 4,000 visitors.

Held alongside Smart City Expo World Congress and Smart Mobility Congress, with 21,000 visitors from 120 countries, attendees from urban management and public services, city representatives, experts and other professionals also visited Iwater to learn about technologies for improving water management in cities.

Iwater 2018 highlighted the need to modernise hydraulic infrastructures to guarantee smart, sustainable water management for cities, industry and agriculture. The trade fair showcased greater use technology of water management and treatment through the use of industry 4.0 technologies, such as the Internet of Things, Big Data and Blockchain solutions, which provide real-time information about consumption both for users and managers.

The event also saw 500 business meetings held between the exhibitors and the delegations from 10 countries, directly invited by the organization, which were aimed at boosting exports of Spanish water cycle products, services and technology.

The Trade Fair also hosted the Water Market Europe, organised by the European Water Technology Platform (Wsstp). This was a day involving short presentations about digital water transition and bilateral meetings in which 50 SMEs, start-ups, investors, universities, technology centres and representatives of cities within the framework of the Brokerage Event participated, organized by Acció, and shared with Smart City Expo World Congress, with 400 attendees.

Iwater laid the foundations to increase the convening power of the trade fair in countries of the Mediterranean basin for future editions, with the signing of an agreement with the Association of Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCAME), for the 2020 Mediterranean Water Forum.

In addition, Iwater included the ninth edition of the Water Economy Forum, a University of Alcalá initiative which analysed the importance of water security, the digital revolution in water services, the financing of infrastructure and sanitation and the regulation of water and water services in cities.

Fifteen speakers, including Miguel Ángel Moratinos, current President of the Spanish Sustainable Development Network (REDS), Dustin Garrick, Director of the Oxford Water Network at Oxford University and Oriana Romano, OCDE analyst, participated in this event, attended by around 200 people.

Iwater had backing from the main professional associations in the Spanish water industry, as well as support from the International Water Association, IWA, which recognises the trade fair as the industry’s benchmark event in our country.

The next edition of Iwater will take place in 2020.