Forum calls for developing domestic water technology industry

"Having a strong technological capability in a domestic water industry is both a national security and economic imperative to the Kingdom," Dr. Khalid A. Aleissa, director, Atomic Energy Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), emphasized during one of the forum sessions.

Improved water technologies are of highest priority to the Kingdom to ensure adequate water supplies for human, agricultural and industrial use, and to support national self-reliance in water-related research and development. "It is also necessary for the Kingdom to reduce dependence on foreign technology," he said.

The presentation of the SWPF Award for Innovation and the Marafiq Award for sustainability highlighted the forum's fifth annual event, in which several experts and top executives from national and international companies gave their presentations. They focused on strategies for efficient and sustainable power and water production, opportunities in the improvement and upgrade of existing assets, impact of the global financial crisis on utilities and prospects for alternative energy sources for utilities water re-use and environmental management, aside from demand management, tariff policy and consumer relations. The challenges of privatization and decentralized solutions for production and services were among the other topics discussed. Site visits to Jeddah Desalination plants and Bushnak Academy technical seminar and workshops were held on Wednesday.

At the exhibition held alongside the forum, several foreign and national water and power companies displayed their strategic priorities and solutions, as well as equipment for water and power technologies; Kazinform cites the Arab News.

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