Technical Session and Workshop Programme

Technical Sessions
TS 2.1 Biorefineries for Organic Waste Valorisation
Monday, 05 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room K
Anaerobic processes are increasingly applied to transform wastewater and organic residues into valuable products within circular bioeconomy frameworks. This session presents recent advances in anaerobic treatment and biorefinery approaches for waste valorisation in water resource recovery facilities. This session highlights emerging reactor configurations, microbial processes, and techno-economic considerations that support the transition of wastewater treatment plants into resource recovery and waste-to-value platforms.
Presentations:

• Advancing Ex-situ Biological Methanation For Renewable Biomethane Production In WWTPs: Integrated Development From Pilot To Demonstration Scale, Alejandra Córdova Valencia, Spain
• Co-fermentation Of Food Waste Fermentation Effluent Via Carbon-nitrogen Flow Engineering For Microbial Lipid Enhancement, Shushuang Sun, China
• Validation Of An Innovative Energy-Positive Solution For Wastewater Treatment And OFMSW Valorisation In Small Communities, Lydia Saez Garcia, Spain
• Graphene Oxide-Driven Microbial Enhancement For High-Performance Anaerobic Digestion Of Multiple Waste Streams, Pabel Cervantes-Aviles, Mexico

Poster-pitches:

• Enhancing Regional Resource And Energy Circulation Through Anaerobic Digestion Coupled With Sunlight-Driven Phototrophic Processes Derived From Activated Sludge, Taira Hidaka, Japan
• Techno-economic Assessment Of Biomethanation For Ex Situ Biogas Upgrading In A WWTP, Núria Zamorano López, Spain

TS 2.2 Membrane Bioreactors for Wastewater Treatment
Monday, 05 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room L
This session explores use of membrane bioreactors for various wastewater treatment applications, including both fundamental and applied performance analysis. Topics include process optimisation, real time techniques for fouling control, membrane resistance stabilisation, and MBR performance in removal of antibiotics and implications for anti-microbial resistance. The poster pitches cover Environmental Impact Assessment of CAS versus MBR systems and demonstration of self-forming dynamic membranes in pilot scale MBR operation.
Presentations:

• Optimizing SFE-DMBR For Water Reuse: A Pilot Plant Case Study, Giorgio Mannina, Italy
• Online Spectral Fingerprints-based Early Warning Guidance For MBR Membrane Fouling Control, Kang Xiao, China
• Membrane Resistance Resilience: New Insights From DAS-MBR Systems, Sanaz Mohebali, Canada
• Removal Of Antibiotics From Sewage In A Membrane Bioreactor: Insights Into The Microbial Community Evolution And Antibiotic Resistance Genes, Sri Harsha Narsingu, India

Poster-pitches:

• First Environmental Impact Assessment Of Conventional Activated Sludge (CAS) Vs. Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) Based On Full-scale Operation At A Large Municipal WWTP, Christian Baresel, Sweden
• Evaluating The Impact Of MBR Permeate Quality And Variability On Reverse Osmosis Performance In Wastewater Reuse, Leroy Julia, France

TS 2.3 Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health and Pathogen Monitoring
Monday, 05 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room N
This session explores the evolving landscape of wastewater-based epidemiology, emphasizing its role as a critical tool for urban public health. Presenters will examine the impact of urbanization on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and share breakthroughs in multi-pathogen monitoring systems. Discussions will highlight critical methodological advancements, including virome scanning, novel peptide-resin separation for infectious virus enrichment, and the evaluation of normalizing parameters like volatile solids. By addressing interlaboratory variability and surveillance for pathogens, this session aims to standardize and scale genomic monitoring for global resilience.
Presentations:

• Insight Into Effect Of Urbanization On Antimicrobial Resistance Genes Carried By Human Populations Through Metagenomic Analysis Of An International Transect Of Wastewaters, Petra Choi, United States
• Development Of A Sustainable Multi-Pathogen Wastewater Genomic Monitoring System In Nunavik – Canada, Cindy Hudec, Canada
• Evaluation Of Molecular Methods For Wastewater AMR Monitoring In The Context Of The Revised EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, Andreas Farnleitner, Austria
• Methodological Drivers For Interlaboratory Variability In Wastewater SARS-CoV-2 Quantification: Implications For Public Health, Nada Hegazy, Canada

Poster-pitches:

• Developing Wastewater-based Surveillance For Clostridioides Difficile, Tarja Pitkänen, Finland
• Rethinking How We Monitor For Viruses In Treated Wastewater: Implications For Full-Scale UV C LED Treatment, Hayes Emalie, Canada

TS 2.4 Pretreatment Strategies to Enhance Anaerobic Digestion
Monday, 05 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room K
Anaerobic digestion is a key technology for stabilising sludge and recovering renewable energy, yet hydrolysis limitations often constrain process efficiency. This session presents recent advances in pretreatment strategies designed to enhance methane production and solids degradation. This session provides new insights into substrate conversion mechanisms and engineering solutions that improve energy recovery and operational performance in anaerobic digestion systems.
Presentations:

• Energy Recovery From Co-digestion Of Waste Activated Sludge And Sewer Fatbergs Through Thermal And Mechanical Pre-treatment Strategies, Nopa Maulidiany, Indonesia
• Enzymatic Combined Pre-treatment Of Secondary Sludge For Improved Anaerobic Digestion, Felix Gumpert, Germany
• Enhancing Anaerobic Digestion With The Microbial Hydrolysis Process (MHP), Hetaswi Thakkar, United Kingdom
• Alkaline-slow-release Mesoporous Biochar Enhances Anaerobic Digestion Performance Of Waste Activated Sludge: Electron Transfer And Microbial Mechanisms, Yongmei Li, China

Poster-pitches:

• Improving Anaerobic Digestion Of TWAS: Comparison Of Ultrasonic, Thermal, Chemical And Bioaugmentation Pretreatments, Elsayed Elbeshbishy, Canada
• Organic Waste Co-digestion: Tale Of Two Water Resources Recovery Facilities, Simon Baker, United States

TS 2.5 Wastewater Surveillance: Integrating Advanced Biosensing and Multi-Target Network Analysis
Monday, 05 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room N
This session highlights the evolution of wastewater-based epidemiology from experimental tracking to high-technology, real-time public health infrastructure. Presenters will showcase cutting-edge detection technologies, including bio-functionalised fibre-optic immunosensors and magneto-strictive biosensing platforms for rapid monitoring. Beyond technology, the session explores the implementation of national network analyses and drainage-based frameworks for tracking a wide array of indicators: from respiratory viruses and antimicrobial resistance to illicit drugs and opioids. Participants will discuss how these diverse data streams create a sustainable, multi-dimensional map of community health.
Presentations:

• Remote, Real-Time Wastewater Surveillance Using A Biofunctionalised Fiber-Optic Immunosensor Supported By Machine Learning, Aneta Luczkiewicz, Poland
• Wastewater Herald Waves Identify Respiratory Syncytial Virus Season Onset: A Wastewater And Environmental Monitoring Approach For Early Disease Onset Detection, Élisabeth Mercier, Canada
• Wastewater-based Epidemiology: Monitoring Illicit Drugs And Pharmaceutical Consumption In Valencia, Spain, Lola Beltran Beut, Spain
• Environmental Validation And Deployment Of FLOS-LAMP, An Effective And Affordable Method For Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance, Andrew Glasgow, United States

Poster-pitches:

• Environmental Monitoring Of Community Health (EMoCH) In Kampala: A Drainage-Based Surveillance Framework For Non-Sewered Urban Areas, Linda Strande, Switzerland
• Magnetostrictive Biosensing Platform Based On Fe-Co/CoFe2O4 Clad Cantilevers For Wastewater Surveillance Of Immunoglobulin As A Community-Level Infection Biomarker, Yilei Wang, Japan

TS 2.6 High-Value Phosphorus Recovery and N2O Emission Mitigation
Monday, 05 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room K
This session addresses the dual challenge of reducing the environmental footprint of wastewater treatment while maximizing phosphorus recovery. Presenters will explore decarbonizing nitrogen removal and mitigating N2O emissions through long-term monitoring and novel pathway transitions. Complementing these climate goals, the session highlights cutting-edge recovery techniques of phosphorus and methods to mitigate N2O. In addition, by evaluating market-ready technologies for phosphorus recovery from sludge and ashes, this session showcases how modern treatment facilities can transform into sustainable hubs for green energy and circular commodities.
Presentations:

• Sustainable Production Of High-purity Crystalline FePO4 From Sludge For Battery Electrodes, Lin Lin, China
• Reporting N2O Emissions From WWT: Limitations And Next Steps, Carlos Domingo Felez, United Kingdom
• From Pilot Validation To Full-scale Implementation: Phosphorus Removal Using Moving Bed Ion Exchange, Carien Spagnuolo, Australia
• Influence Of Nitrogen Speciation And Gas Composition On Single-Cell Protein Production By Enriched Methanotrophic Cultures, Milagros Peña, Spain

Poster-pitches:

• Electrochemical Phosphorus Recovery From Real Urine Using Magnesium Sacrificial Anodes: Passivation Mechanisms And Mitigation Strategies, Juan Antoni Baeza Labat, Spain
• Seasonal N2O Trends In A Medium-sized Full-scale WRRF In Ireland: Long-term Monitoring And Mitigation Strategies, Bernardete Rodrigues, Ireland

TS 2.7 Modelling and Digital Twins for Emissions and Process Optimisation
Monday, 05 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room L
This session focuses on advanced modelling approaches to enhance process understanding, prediction, and control in wastewater treatment. Contributions include CFD-biokinetic digital twins, high-fidelity physics-based simulations, mechanistic and grey-box N2O models, and machine learning-enhanced hybrid frameworks. Applications span activated sludge, aerobic granular sludge, and MABR systems, with emphasis on oxygen transfer efficiency, nitrification performance, and proactive greenhouse gas mitigation. The session highlights how dynamic simulation and validated models can support predictive control, process intensification, and data-driven decision-making at full scale.
Presentations:

• A Kolmogorov-Arnold Network (KAN)-Enhanced Hybrid Modelling Framework For Long-Term Prediction Of Oxygen Transfer Efficiency (OTE), Liu Ye, Australia
• Process Intensification Via MABR: Dynamic Simulation Of Nitrification Performance At Spernal Sewage Treatment Works, Josep Manzano, Ireland
• Beyond Monitoring: Unlocking Proactive N?O Mitigation Through Validated CFD-Biokinetic Digital Twins At Singapore’s WRPs, Giacomo Bellandi, Belgium
• Mechanistic Modelling Of N2O Dynamics In Aerobic Granular Sludge Sequencing Batch Reactors, Benyamin Chahkandi, Poland

Poster-pitches:

• Fundamentals Of N2O Emissions: Model Prediction For WWT With Real And Synthetic Datasets, Carlos Domingo Felez, United Kingdom
• Modelling Of Nitrous Oxide Emissions In Activated Sludge Systems, Jens Alex, Germany

TS 2.8 Emerging Contaminants in Urban Wastewater: Monitoring and Assessment
Tuesday, 06 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room G
Emerging contaminants and pathogens in urban wastewater systems pose increasing challenges for environmental protection and regulatory compliance. This session presents recent advances in monitoring, prioritisation and management of chemical and biological contaminants across the urban water cycle. The selected papers present innovative analytical and modelling approaches to better understand contaminant sources, risks, and mitigation strategies in urban wastewater systems.
Presentations:

• Unravelling The Chemical Complexity Of Combined Sewer Overflows Using Non-Target High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry: Early Findings From A Multi-Catchment Study, Garry Codling, United Kingdom
• Comparative Evaluation Of Analytical Approaches For Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring In Wastewater In The Context Of The European directive., Charlotte Arnal, France
• Evaluating The Impact On Pathogen Spread Through Wastewater Following The DANA Floods In Valencia (Spain), Lola Beltran Beut, Spain
• Tool To Forecast Organic Micropollutant Removal In Activated Sludge Treatment – Alignment With The New EU UWWTD, Catarina Silva, Portugal

Poster-pitches:

• Developing A Modular Fate And Transport Model For Micropollutants In Wastewater Treatment Using Python, Pinelopi Savvidou, United Kingdom
• From Prototype To Commercialization: A Green-engineered Technology For Contaminant Removal And Ecosystem Restoration, Nooshin Barzegar Marvasti, United Kingdom

TS 2.9 Advanced Oxidation and Catalytic Process
Tuesday, 06 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room I
This session highlights cutting-edge physico-chemical technologies for advanced water purification. Topics include micron-nano structured catalysts, membrane-assisted electrochemical process, ozonation, disinfection techniques, super cavitation for in situ oxidant generation, and coupled adsorption-electrochemical oxidation systems. Contributions address both fundamental reaction mechanisms and pilot-scale demonstrations, with emphasis on sustainable design, and energy-efficient operation. Special attention is given to treating industrial and semiconductor wastewaters, azole compounds, and dissolved organic matter transformations. The session bridges laboratory innovation and practical implementation to advance resilient, low-carbon water treatment solutions.
Presentations:

• From Lab To Pilot: A Micro-Nano Structured 2D-like Catalyst For Advanced Water Purification, Xiaoyuan Zhang, China
• Membrane-Assisted Electrochemical Reduction Of CO2 From Bicarbonates In Reclaimed Wastewater For Formic Acid Production, Emmanuel Mousset, France
• Assessment Of Polyvinyl Chloride-based Microplastic Degradation Through Fe-free Electrochemical Peroxidation, Almeenu Rasheed, India
• Unraveling The Molecular Transformation Mechanism Of Dissolved Organic Matter In Wastewater By Far-UV|peracetic Acid Disinfection, Lin Wang, China

Poster-pitches:

• Treatment Of Azole Containing Semiconductor Wastewater With Waste Metal Ion — Sustainable Approach To Homogeneous Catalytic Ozonation, Muhong Sui, Singapore
• Performance Evaluation Of The Recyclo Process For Microplastics, Nanoplastics And Micropollutant Removal From Industrial Laundry Effluents, Quitterie Frechet, France

TS 2.10 Activated Sludge Systems – Greenhouse Gas Mitigation and Process Optimisation
Tuesday, 06 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room J
This session highlights innovative strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving operational efficiency in wastewater treatment plants. Contributions explore carbon dioxide removal through alkalinity addition and hydrocyclone separation, full-scale comparisons of liquid and off-gas N2O measurements, and data-driven diagnostics for emissions mitigation. Presentations also address aeration and oxidation ditch optimisation, machine learning-based N₂O prediction using long-term datasets, and process intensification to enhance nutrient removal and sludge settleability. Emphasis is placed on full-scale validation, practical utility applications, and climate-resilient process control.
Presentations:

• Comparison Between Liquid And Offgas N2O Emissions Measured At Multiple Full-scale Wastewater Treatment Plants, Mikkel Andersen, Denmark
• Assessing The Reliability Of Gas- And Liquid-Phase Nitrous Oxide Measurements In Full-Scale Wastewater Treatment Plants, Johann Poinapen, Netherlands
• Optimising Oxidation Ditch Performance Using Surface-based Cyclonic Aeration And Adaptive Mixing: Insights From Full-scale Application, Peter Leonard, Ireland
• A Densified Approach To Carbon Dioxide Removal: Integrating Alkalinity Addition With CaCO? And Hydrocyclone Separation, Riley Doyle, Canada

Poster-pitches:

• Case Studies In N2O — Applying Process Analysis And Data Diagnostics For Practical Insights And Mitigation For Utilities, Courtney Allan, United Kingdom
• Machine Learning Based Prediction Of Nitrous Oxide Emissions In Biological Wastewater Treatment Using Multi-Decadal Datasets, Kartik Chandran, United States

TS 2.11 Circular Economy Approaches for Resource and Energy Recovery
Tuesday, 06 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room K
This session focuses on innovative technologies and strategies that advance the circular economy through wastewater and waste valorisation. Topics include dark fermentation platforms, biogas upgrading, nutrient circularity, biopolymer production, heat recovery, hypersaline brine valorisation, and integrated full-scale bio-platforms. Emphasis is placed on transforming waste streams into high-value products while reducing environmental footprints and supporting carbon recycling. The session showcases practical pathways for transitioning water, energy, and material value chains towards circular models, enabling resilient, low-carbon infrastructure and sustainable resource management at municipal and industrial scales.
Presentations:

• Assessing Dark Fermentation As A Platform Technology For Biorefineries And Carbon Recycling, James Manu, United Kingdom
• Transforming Manchester’s Biogas Into High Value Resources With LOOP, Lisa Mansell, United Kingdom
• Heat Recovery Upstream Kappala Wastewater Treatment Plant — Modelling As Impact Assessment, Jonas Grundestam, Sweden
• Full-scale Example Of An Integrated Bioplatform For Resource Recovery From Sludges And Organic Waste, Davide Scaglione, Italy

Poster-pitches:

• NTPlus — Making Nutrients Circular, Mike Waite, United Kingdom
• Wastewater Biopolymers In The Circular Economy: Demonstration, Characterisation And Regulatory Pathways, Richard Clarke, United Kingdom

TS 2.12 Emerging Contaminants in Wastewater: Advanced Treatment and Control
Tuesday, 06 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room G
Emerging contaminants such as pharmaceutical metabolites and residues, micropollutants, and microplastics present growing challenges for wastewater management and environmental protection. This session presents recent advances in monitoring, mitigation and advanced treatment technologies addressing these pollutants in urban wastewater systems. Contributions include long-term optimization of granular activated carbon filtration, full-scale implementation of integrated ozonation and GAC for quaternary treatment, development of regenerable adsorption systems for pharmaceutical removal, and monitoring and risk assessment of microplastics in rivers and wastewater treatment plants.
Presentations:

• First Full-scale Reduction Of Micropollutants Using Integrated Ozonation And Continuous GAC-filtration, Jeanette Agertved Madsen, Denmark
• Microplastics On The Move: Seasonal Variability And Risk Indication In The River Avon, United Kingdom, Fisayo Olotu, United Kingdom
• Microplastics Emissions And Measures To Reduce Microplastics Pollution From Finnish And Estonian WWTPs Into The Baltic Sea, Asya Drenkova-Tuhtan, Estonia
• Ozonation For Micropollutants Removal In Europe, Duncan Wildgoose, Germany

Poster-pitches:

• Removal Of Microplastic Fibres From Wastewaters Using A Nature-based Process, Fan Gao, United Kingdom
• Membrane Bioreactors As Platforms For Resource-Efficient Quaternary Treatment And Water Reuse: Evidence From Two Long-term Pilots In Stockholm, Sweden, Christian Baresel, Sweden

TS 2.13 Advanced Biological Nutrient Removal
Tuesday, 06 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room I
This session explores advanced strategies for biological nitrogen removal to enhance wastewater treatment sustainability. Emphasis is placed on transforming toxic and refractory organic pollutants, such as chlorophenols, into readily biodegradable carbon sources into useful substrates for denitrification. Topics include catalytic hydrogenation for enhanced denitrification, hydrogel-encapsulated Comammox-Anammox system, impacts on denitrification efficiency, and techno-economic feasibility. The session also highlights innovative pathways that bridge chemical and biological processes to achieve improved nutrient removal in urban wastewater treatment systems.
Presentations:

• Full-scale Demonstration Of A New MBBR-based Technology For Nitrogen|Nutrient Removal With Reduced Environmental Footprint, Maria Picullel, Sweden
• Demonstration Of The Bio-mineral Process For Phosphorus Removal And Recovery From Wastewater Centrates, Ana Soares, United Kingdom
• Mainstream Nitrogen Removal Performance Of Hydrogel-encapsulated Comammox-Anammox System Under Different Oxygen Levels, Sun Yuepeng, China
• Resource Recovery From Distillery Wastewater: Nutrients Harvesting At Pilot Scale, Maria Celeste Gritti, United Kingdom

Poster-pitches:

• Upgrading WWTPs For Stricter Nutrient Standards In Low RbCOD|P Influent Scenarios: Retrofitting Approaches From Six Italian Plants, Nour Hamoud, Italy
• The UK’s First Two Full-Scale MABR Installations For Enhanced Nitrification, Emma Paterson-Stephens, United Kingdom

TS 2.14 Activated Sludge Systems – Performance, Emissions and Resource Recovery
Tuesday, 06 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room J
This session explores advancements in activated sludge and related biological treatment systems, focusing on energy efficiency, nutrient removal, and emissions mitigation. Topics include full-scale control strategies for dissolved oxygen, nitrogen removal optimisation, phosphorus and iron release under anaerobic conditions, and data-driven forecasting for cost and carbon reduction. Contributions also address methane emission monitoring, flexible facility design for future resilience, and nature-based and hybrid systems supporting agricultural and aquaculture water reuse.
Presentations:

• Full-Scale Comparison Of ABAC And Fixed DO Strategies: Impacts On Energy Use, N?O Emissions, And Nitrogen Removal, Marwan Al Saleh, Canada
• Operationalizing Data-Driven Forecasting To Reduce Energy, Cost, And Emissions, Jiawei Liu, United States
• Enhancement Of Sludge Dewaterability Via Paenibacillus Polymyxa Treatment: Impacts Of EPS Composition Variation And Structure Transformation, Weixin Cheng, China
• Elephants, Horses, And Hares: Incorporating Flexibility For Futureproofing Water Resource Recovery Facilities, Julian Sandino, Canada

Poster-pitches:

• Treatment Of Greywater With Integrated Fixed Film Activated Sludge, Hall Ashley, Sweden
• Why Does Low Dissolved Oxygen Favor Biological Phosphorus Removal? Oxygen Inhibition Of PAOs Is An Important Part Of The Story, Lilian McIntosh, United States

TS 2.15 Instrumentation and Control for Smart Wastewater Treatment
Tuesday, 06 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room K
This session highlights advanced sensing, monitoring, and control strategies to improve performance, stability, and sustainability in wastewater treatment plants. Topics include long-term N2O monitoring and modelling in aerobic granular sludge systems, multispectral imaging for real-time quality assessment, predictive and model-based control, and continuous online phosphate measurement. Contributions also present data-driven soft sensors for virus and pollutant detection in anaerobic MBRs, as well as machine learning approaches for membrane performance assessment, supporting smarter, more energy-efficient and resilient plant operation.
Presentations:

• Model Predictive Control For N2O Mitigation In Full-Scale Wastewater Treatment Plants, Mathieu Lamotte, Denmark
• Multispectral Imaging And Machine Learning For Real-Time Wastewater Quality Assessment, Sofiane Mazeghrane, France
• It’s All About The P – Continuous Online Phosphate Monitoring Towards More Efficient Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations, Oliver Hofmann, United Kingdom
• Long-Term Monitoring And Data-Driven Modelling Of N2O Emissions At A Full-Scale Aerobic Granular Sludge WWTP, Siddharth Seshan, Netherlands

Poster-pitches:

• Improving Effluent Quality, Increasing Energy Efficiency And Ensuring Operational Stability Through Predictive Control At WWTP Susteren, Otto Icke, Netherlands
• Regression-based Machine Learning Algorithms For Quantification Of Membrane Permeability Under Different Operational Conditions, Ahmed Elsayed, Canada

TS 2.16 Microbial Mechanisms of Micropollutant Degradation and AMR Proliferation
Tuesday, 06 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room G
Microbial processes play a central role in the transformation of emerging contaminants and the development and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance  in water systems. This session presents recent advances in understanding microbial mechanisms governing contaminant removal and resistance dynamics. This session highlights the importance of microbial ecology in shaping contaminant fate and public health risks in aquatic environments.
Presentations:

• Microbial Degradation AND Biodegradation Mechanisms OF PFAS BY Delftia Acidovorans, Kamonwan Khanthong, Finland
• Determination Of Biodegradation And Adsorption Contribution In Biological Activated Carbon Process For The Elimination Of Pharmaceuticals In Secondary Effluents, Maëllia Dubourg, France
• Antimicrobial Resistance And The Water Sector — The UK Landscape And Recommendations, Bhavik Barochia, United Kingdom
• Performic Acid: A Robust Disinfectant For Irreversible Inactivation Of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci In Wastewater, Nuha Alfahham, United States

Poster-pitches:

• Setting Health-Based Benchmarks For AMR In Hospital Effluents: A QMRA Framework To Strengthen Urban Water Resilience, Sirikanchana Kwanrawee, Thailand
• Antimicrobial Resistance In Wastewater: Current Challenges, Surveillance And Strategies For Improvement, Beltran Beut Lola, Spain

TS 2.17 Natural Based Solutions for Wastewater Quality Control
Tuesday, 06 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room I
This session focuses on innovative nature-based and bio-inspired approaches. Presentations examine the performance of constructed wetlands, algal–bacterial systems, and vermi-filtration technologies for removing micropollutants, pathogens, and chemical contaminants. Additional topics include sustainable brine management using solar-driven processes, advanced biomaterials such as chitosan-based hydrogels and aerogels for selective contaminant removal, and microbial communication mechanisms influencing biofilm function. The session also highlights opportunities for valorising biomass, including microalgae derived from wastewater, for applications such as biofertilizers and bioproducts, supporting circular and sustainable water management strategies.
Presentations:

• Evaluating The Performance Of Constructed Wetlands As Nature-Based Solutions For Removing Emerging Contaminants, Abdullahi Kabir, United Kingdom
• Optimising Of Algal Growth And Pigment Extraction For Sustainable Livestock Wastewater Management In Tropical Environment, Swati Sharma, United Kingdom
• Valorisation Of Microalgal Biomass Obtained From Wastewater For Biofertilizer And Bio Fungicidal Applications, Sharon Velasquez Orta, Mexico
• Molecular Validation Of Pathogen Reduction In Vermifilter Toilets: Insights From Long-Read Metagenomics, Nick Dawson, United Kingdom

Poster-pitches:

• Upscaling Nature-Based Solutions For Municipal And Industrial Wastewater Treatment, Stefanakis Alexandros, Greece
• Nature-based Solutions (NBS) And ‘Living Labs’ For Rural Water Reuse An Interreg Sudoe Project, Lourinho Rita, Portugal

TS 2.18 AI and Machine Learning in Advancing Wastewater Treatment
Tuesday, 06 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room L
This session examines how AI, machine learning, and digital twins are transforming wastewater treatment performance and sustainability. Presentations showcase data‑driven approaches for monitoring, predicting, and mitigating N2O emissions, optimising energy and chemical use, and strengthening operational resilience. Topics include AI models for oxidative reactivity and toxicity, data‑augmentation methods for wastewater analytics, real‑time process optimisation, and digital‑twin frameworks for predictive control and fault detection. Together, these studies demonstrate how advanced computational tools can enable smarter, more efficient, and environmentally responsible water‑resource recovery facilities.
Presentations:

• Data Augmentation And Enrichment Supporting The Wastewater Sector Towards More Efficient And Resilient Operations, Janelcy Alferes, Belgium
• Sustainable Real Time Optimization Of Energy And Chemical Consumption In A COD & Phosphorous Removing MBBR Plant, Henrik Thomsen, Denmark
• The Use Of A Digital Twin With Process Control For The Mitigation Of Nitrous Oxide Emissions, Dave Rutowski, United States
• Advancing Estimation Of N2O Emissions Using AI And Machine Learning For WRRF Monitoring And Mitigation Planning, Yuge Qiu, United States

Poster-pitches:

• Transforming Wastewater Treatment With Digital Twins: Emission Reduction, Energy Optimisation, And Predictive Control, Ziye Da, United Kingdom
• Nitrous Oxide, The Rise Of Machine Learning, McConnell Ruth, United Kingdom

TS 2.19 Decentralised Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery
Wednesday, 07 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room G
This session explores innovative decentralised and on-site wastewater treatment solutions designed to enhance resilience, flexibility, and local resource recovery. Contributions address compact and modular systems, nature-based solutions, and energy-efficient technologies suitable for rural, peri-urban, and water-scarce regions. Emphasis is placed on nutrient and water reuse, low-carbon operation, and community-scale implementation. The session highlights how decentralised approaches can complement centralised infrastructure, improve sanitation access, and support sustainable, circular water management strategies.
Presentations:

• Emissions Measurements, National Estimates And Greenhouse Gas Mitigation In Sanitation Services In Indonesia, Barbara Evans, Australia
• Measurement Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Communal Wastewater Systems In Indonesia Indicates Relationship Between Emissions Management And Sludge Management , Jack Dalton, United Kingdom
• Innovative Two-Stage Thermophilic Septic Tank System For High-Strength Mixed Wastewater: Performance Assessment And Treatment Optimization, Tatchai Pussayanavin, Thailand
• From Standards To Deployment: First ISO 30500 Certification Of A Community-Scale Non-Sewered Sanitation System In China, Yue Yang, China

Poster-pitches:

• Assessing Operational Risks In A Wastewater Treatment Plant Using Fourier Transform Analysis: Evidence From Ruciane-Nida, Poland, Klara Ramm, Poland
• Attenuation Of Antibiotic-Resistant E. Coli In A Pilot-Scale Hybrid Constructed Wetland Receiving Wastewater In Southwest Virginia, USA, Emilie Sidelinger, United States

TS 2.20 Industrial Water Recycling and Resource Recovery
Wednesday, 07 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room H
This session focuses on innovative technologies enabling circular water use across industrial sectors. Topics include advanced membranes, adsorption materials, bioreactors, renewable-powered systems, and resource recovery solutions for wastewater treatment and reuse. Emphasis is placed on sustainable process design, concentrate management, and recovery of valuable compounds to support water resilience and industrial decarbonization.
Presentations:

• Green Synthesis Of Aminated Condensed Tannins To Produce Bio-based Coagulants, Maria Fernanda de Almeida, Finland
• Enabling Circular Water Use In The Automotive Industry: Treatment And Reuse Of Cataphoresis Wastewater Using A Clinoptilolite|G-nZVI Composite, Esra Erken, Türkiye
• Concentrate Management In Industrial Water Reclamation, Josef Lahnsteiner, Austria
• Waterwhelm — Transforming Industrial Water Recycling And Reuse, Alireza Abbassi Monjezi, United Kingdom

Poster-pitches:

• Advanced MOF-based Membranes Applied On Electrodialysis Technology For Circular Phosphate Recovery In Steel Manufacturing Waste Streams, Eugenia Quirós Díez, Spain
• Electro-driven Membrane Reactor With Dual-ion Permeation Janus Membrane In Fluoride|silica Crystallization For Microelectronic Wastewaters Recycling, Jiahui Shao, China

TS 2.21 Biofilm and Microbial Ecology: Assessment and Treatment Intensification
Wednesday, 07 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room J
This session showcases recent advances in biological wastewater treatment to enhance nutrient removal, energy efficiency, and process sustainability. It highlights innovations in MBBR, MABR, SBR, and IFAS systems, alongside reactor densification, biofilm dynamics, and particle‑size effects on settling and nitrification. Speakers examine microbial adaptation to environmental stresses and strategies for reliable nitrogen and phosphorus removal under low temperatures or salinity. The session also incorporates life‑cycle perspectives and resource‑efficient approaches, including synergies with emerging technologies such as electrolytic hydrogen production to improve oxygen utilisation.
Presentations:

• Environmental Assessment Of GSBR And MBBR Reactors: A Life Cycle Perspective, Lorenzo Tombolini, Italy
• Biological Nitrogen And Phosphorus Removal To Low Effluent Concentrations At Low Water Temperature During Snowmelt In An IFAS Process, Makoto Shigei, Sweden
• Effective Densification In SBR: The Right Way To Address Stringent Performances With Less Footprint, Beatrice Fournier, France
• Identifying Critical Particle Size Ranges In Densified Systems: Effects On Settleability, Nitrification Rate, And Dewaterability, Hui Guo, Canada

Poster-pitches:

• Utilising Oxygen Generated During Electrolytic Hydrogen Production For Use In A Pure MABR As A More Sustainable Alternative To Activated Sludge, Blessing Mobolaji, United Kingdom
• How Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge Improves The Carbon Usage And Energy Balance Of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants For Nutrient Removal, Fernando Morgan-Sagastume, Sweden

TS 2.22 Bio-electrochemical and Nanotechnology for Wastewater Treatment
Wednesday, 07 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room N
This session showcases cutting-edge bio-electrochemical and nanotechnology solutions for sustainable wastewater treatment. Presentations cover innovative agricultural and municipal treatment systems, electro-enhanced microalgae–bacteria processes, and synergistic bioelectrochemical–fungal degradation of recalcitrant organics. Topics also include photocatalysis for dye removal, selenium recovery via FCDI, microbial modulation under electrical stimulation, and the influence of nanobubbles on struvite precipitation. Emphasis is placed on improving contaminant removal, resource recovery, microbial ecology, and treatment efficiency under challenging environmental and operational conditions.
Presentations:

• BFF: A Novel Coupling Of Bioelectrochemical Systems With Fungal Fenton Activity For Synergistic Degradation Of Recalcitrant Organics, Shelby Hackenburg, United States
• Piezocatalytic Degradation Of Short- And Long-Chain PFAS In Concentrated Water Streams, Andrea Veciana, Australia
• Innovative Biotechnological Solutions For Agricultural Wastewater Treatment, Kiran Tota-Maharaj, United Kingdom
• Bioelectrochemical Ammonium Recovery From High-N Strength Effluents, Guisasola Canudas Albert, Spain

Poster-pitches:

• Influence Of Nanobubbles On Struvite Precipitation In Wastewater, Brian Tarroja, United States
• Electrochemical Technology Constructed Wetlands For Wastewater Treatment: Assessment Of Biochar As Media And Biofilm Analysis, Tarvainen Laura, Finland

TS 2.23 Industrial Wastewater Treatment and Water Reuse
Wednesday, 07 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room H
This session examines innovative strategies and real-world applications for industrial and municipal water reuse under increasing water scarcity. Case studies from Brazil, Morocco, Malaysia, and Scotland highlight basin-scale planning, reuse plant implementation, and policy barriers. Technical contributions address PFAS removal, sustainable disinfection with performic acid, and pilot-scale advanced treatment technologies. Emphasis is placed on scalable reclamation models, agricultural and municipal reuse, and integrated blue-green solutions that enhance resilience, resource efficiency, and long-term water security.
Presentations:

• An Innovative Way To Fight Water Scarcity In Morocco Using Treated Wastewater For Municipal Greening Uses – Feedback From Veolia Morocc, Abdelaziz Belhaj, Morocco
• Performic Acid: Sustainable Disinfection Solution For Water Reuse And Resilience, Outi Grönfors, Finland
• Reclaimed Water Potential In Scotland: Barriers And Opportunities, Hubert Cousin, United Kingdom
• From Wastewater To Resource: The Setia Alam Water Reclamation Plant As A Scalable Model For Industrial Reuse In Malaysia, Mohamad Ilyas bin Mohd Noh, Malaysia

Poster-pitches:

• Pilot Trials With Advanced Water Technologies And Assessment Of The Technologies For Wastewater Reuse In Public Blue-green Solutions, Moshe Habagil, Sweden
• Innovative Water Reuse Strategy For The Petrochemical Industry, Tamara León Oviedo, Spain

TS 2.24 Biofilm and Microbial Ecology: Detection, Quantification, and Monitoring
Wednesday, 07 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room J
This session showcases advances in understanding microbial communities and their functions across engineered and natural water systems. Presentations span wastewater microbiomes, drinking‑water biofilms, artificial wetlands, and non‑sewered sanitation. Topics include substrate‑driven biofilm structuring, microbial contributors to antimicrobial resistance, and bacteria capable of degrading emerging pollutants such as microplastics. The session also highlights state‑of‑the‑art molecular and computational tools—from multi‑resolution sequencing and metagenomics to protein language models—to enhance microbial detection, quantification, and ecological assessment. Together, these studies offer fresh insights into microbial dynamics, water‑quality monitoring, and sustainable water‑management strategies.
Presentations:

• Function Versus Composition: Microbial Communities In Non-Sewered Sanitation, Kelsey Shaw, Canada
• Substrate Materials Shape Biofilm Bacterial Communities In An Artificial Wetland For Oil Produced Water Treatment, Arwa Al-Hadhrami, Oman
• Biofilm–Wastewater Interactions As Drivers Of Antimicrobial Resistance In Activated-Sludge Treatment: Insights From Scottish Wastewater Treatment Works, Janice Spencer, United Kingdom
• NanoSeqScope: A Multi-resolution Framework For Microbial Detection And Quantification, Ameet Pinto, United States

Poster-pitches:

• Dynamics Of SynBio And SynComs In Drinking Water Biofilms, James Croxford, United Kingdom
• Isolation And Characterisation Of Plastic-Degrading Bacteria From Wastewater Biofilms For Microplastics Biodegradation, Naja’atu Hadi, United Kingdom

TS 2.25 Electrochemical and Adsorption Innovations for Nutrient Recovery
Wednesday, 07 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room N
This session explores the convergence of electrochemical engineering and adsorption for sustainable resource management. Presentations will detail advancements in electrodialysis for selective nutrient removal and recovery. Attendees will learn about various types of electrochemical and adsorbent separation. By examining the repurposing of industrial sulphur wastes and the use of circular-economy adsorbents in constructed wetlands, the session highlights integrated solutions for nutrient balancing and zero-pollution targets within major river basins.
Presentations:

• High Nitrate Selective ElectroDialysis For The Removal Of Nutrients From Horticulture Wastewater, Simon Grasman, Netherlands
• Novel Sheet-Type Electrode Capacitive Deionization For Enhanced Desalination And Resource Recovery, Hyuncheal Lee, Korea, Republic of
• Ammonia And Acid Recovery From Urine Using Two-phase Bipolar Membrane Electrodialysis, Widya Prihesti Iswarani, Netherlands
• Electrochromically Self-perception Adsorption Platform For Smart Ammonium Recovery And Fertilizer Production From Wastewater, Rui Wei, China

Poster-pitches:

• Finding The Most Effective Substrate For VFA Production: A Comparative Evaluation Of Sludge, Food Waste, Digestate, And Industrial Waste Streams, Andrea Carranza-Muñoz, Sweden
• Repurposing Industrial Sulfur Wastes Into Targeted Electron Donors: A Property-driven Strategy For Sustainable Denitrification, Na Zhang, China

TS 2.26 Biosolids – Energy, Emissions and Resource Recovery
Thursday, 08 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room J
This session explores innovative approaches to sustainable biosolids management, focusing on advanced sludge dewatering, biodrying, greenhouse gas mitigation, and energy optimization at full-scale facilities. Contributions highlight ammonia recovery, agricultural valorisation, intelligent process control, and pathways toward net energy-positive wastewater treatment plants, supporting circular economy goals and reduced environmental impact.
Presentations:

• Can Low Energy Biodrying Of Digested Sludge Offer Improved Product Quality And Reduced Post Digestion Emissions?, Ewan Spence, United Kingdom
• Resource Recovery Excellence: Seafield WwTW Journey To Net Energy Production And Sustainable Sludge Management – Veolia UK Circular Economy Success Story, Naeem Hafeez, United Kingdom
• First Results And Experiences From Operating Full Scale Demonstration Plant For Ammonia Recovery Using Vacuum Steam Stripping, Iván Liviano, Denmark
• Harnessing Survey Data On Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventorying To Unlock Energy Savings In The Wastewater Sector, Emily Mayo, United States

Poster-pitches:

• Nitrous Oxide Mitigation With Chemical Feeding Strategies At Full-scale WWTP, Anna Kuokkanen, Finland
• Suppressing Methane Emissions From Sewage Sludge Sigestate, Hassan Muna Ibrahim , United Kingdom

TS 2.27 Sewage Sludge Treatment and Fugitive Emissions
Thursday, 08 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room G
Sustainable management of sewage sludge and biosolids is critical for wastewater utilities aiming to enhance resource recovery while reducing environmental impacts. This session presents recent advances in sludge treatment, dewatering processes, agricultural reuse and greenhouse gas mitigation. This session highlights emerging approaches for improving sludge processing efficiency while assessing potential fugitive methane emissions.
Presentations:

• Managing Methane Emissions From Anaerobic Digestion: Science-Based Policy For Biomethane Sustainability, Yadira Bajon Fernandez, United Kingdom
• Methane Emission Monitoring At Wastewater Treatment Plants In Europe And Australia, Morten Rebsdorf, Denmark
• Net Economic And Climate Impacts Of AD Biogas Leakage And Mitigation Strategies, Xiatong Li, United States
• Multi-level Advanced Sensing Methods For Fugitive Methane Emissions In Wastewater Treatment Plants, Ahmed Elsayed, Canada

Poster-pitches:

• Compressional Rheology As A Tool For Understanding Pretreatment-induced Changes In Sludge Dewaterability, Ratidzaishe Mupinga, United Kingdom
• Unlocking High-Rate Anaerobic Digestion: Overcoming Free Ammonia Inhibition Through Osmoprotectant Supplementation, Nnenna Chukwuekezie, United Kingdom

TS 2.28 Membrane Technology for Brine and Wastewater Treatment
Thursday, 08 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room H
This session explores fundamentals in membrane applications for water and wastewater systems, focussing on brine processing and dechlorination, GHG reduction, machine learning, and the water-energy resource nexus. Topics include membrane distillation crystallisation for brine mining and Lithium recovery, membrane-based energy and phosphorus recovery from WWTP side streams, low-carbon nitrogen recovery, GHG reduction during latex recovery via ceramic ultrafiltration, and dechlorination. There is a mix of fundamental analysis of mass transfer and boundary layer conditions, and performance evaluation of carbon reduction and cost in pilot and full scale membrane operations.
Presentations:

• Unlocking Membrane Distillation Crystallisation For Brine Mining: Linking Boundary Layer Dynamics To Nucleation And Crystal Growth Control, Ewan McAdam, United Kingdom
• Integrative Membrane Innovations Advancing Water-energy-resource Nexus, Ziwei Liu, China
• Enrichment Of Li+ Ions From Atacama Brine Using An Integrated Nanofiltration-membrane Distillation Crystallization Process, Cejna Anna Quist-Jensen, Denmark
• A Patch-based Deep Learning And Transfer Learning Framework For Stable Reverse Osmosis Operation In Full-scale Wastewater Reuse, Sung Ho Chae, Korea, Republic of

Poster-pitches:

• Precipitative Recovery Of Minerals From Seawater Reverse Osmosis Brine, Bhatt Muktesh, India
• BE-SALT: Minimizing Fouling And Scaling On RO Membranes By Batch Operation, Ditte Søborg, Denmark

TS 2.29 PFAS in Urban WW Systems: Monitoring and Treatment Innovations
Thursday, 08 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room I
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent contaminants that pose increasing challenges for wastewater management and environmental protection. This session presents recent advances in understanding PFAS occurrence, transport and mitigation in urban water systems. Contributions address source identification, long-term monitoring of PFAS in wastewater treatment plants, and emerging treatment strategies . Together, these studies provide new insights into the behaviour of PFAS across the urban water cycle and highlight innovative approaches to reduce emissions and support effective management of these contaminants.
Presentations:

• Monitoring And Accounting Of PFAS Pathways In Urban Areas: Insights From Germany’s Largest Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant, Gudrun Winkler, Germany
• Integrating Foam Fraction Into Existing Activated Sludge Processes For PFAS Removal, Joséphine van Ruiten, Netherlands
• Pilot-Scale Foam Fractionation For PFAS Removal From Municipal Wastewater, Andriy Malovanyy, Sweden
• Passive Sampling In Sewer Networks : An Ally For Identifying Emission Sources Of PFAS, Christophe Tondelier, France

Poster-pitches:

• Integrated Removal And Destruction Of PFAS In Landfill Leachate Using Membrane Filtration And Co-Pyrolysis, Ali Hydar, Italy
• Extending AIX Performance To Half A Million Bed Volumes: Breakthrough-Free PFAS Removal In Combined GAC–AIX Filtration At A Municipal WWTP, Christian Baresel, Sweden

TS 2.30 Biosolids – Advanced Thermal and Carbonisation Technologies
Thursday, 08 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room J
This session examines cutting-edge thermal and hydrothermal processes for biosolids treatment, including THP-AD optimisation, pyrolysis, hydrothermal oxidation, and carbonisation. Presentations address full-scale applications, biochar production, energy optimisation, and pathways to negative greenhouse gas emissions. The focus is on maximizing resource recovery, reducing environmental risks, and transforming sludge into valuable, climate-positive products.
Presentations:

• Hydrothermal Oxidation Of Digestate To Minimise Environmental Risks And Maximise Resource Recovery From Sewage Slu, Celeste Gritti, United Kingdom
• First Full-scale Biosolids Biochar Production In Sweden, Aleksandra Lazic, Sweden
• Technology To Achieve Negative Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions From Sludge Treatment Process In Wastewater Treatment Plants, Mami Tomita, Japan
• Exploring Hydrothermal Carbonisation As An Alternative Pre-treatment Route For Scottish Bioresources Valorisation, Ania Escudero, United Kingdom

Poster-pitches:

• Advanced Thermal Conversion – An Alternative Pathway For Biosolids Management, Riches Stephen, United Kingdom
• Sustainable Activated Carbon From Agricultural Food Wastes: A Dual Solution For CO? Mitigation And Water Treatment, Raza Hayat, Canada

Workshop Sessions

WS 2.1 Treatment Wetlands 2066: Stacking Benefits For The Polycrisis Era
Monday, 05 October 10:30 – 12:00 Room B
This interactive workshop takes delegates on a Visioning journey forty years in the future to identify the least-regret strategies for wetland design and implementation today. With over £3.3bn invested in nature-based solutions during 2025-2030 in England and Wales, maximizing wetland benefits is crucial. Following three tailored visual prompts, facilitated stakeholder roundtables will identify benefit priorities and enablers for wetland implementation through 2066. Participants will engage in roundtable discussions on five themes: paludiculture/biomass, carbon sequestration/GHG mitigation, water reuse, mental wellbeing/biodiversity, and regulatory frameworks. Using technology-enabled collaboration (Stormboard), outputs will inform a white paper and open-access publication identifying research gaps. Organized by the UK Constructed Wetland Association with IWA’s NbS Cluster, this workshop brings together academics, utilities, regulators, NGOs, and SMEs to future-proof wetland design.

Chair: Gabriela Dotro

Co-chair: Carlos Arias

Speakers: Gabriela Dotro, Carlos Arias, Austin Shepherd, Angela Stiegler, Anacleto Rizzo, Rob Cunningham, Ruth Barden, Elise Cartmell

WS 2.2 Global Research Perspectives On Managing CECs In Wastewater And Biosolids
Monday, 05 October 10:30 – 12:00 Room C
This GWRC workshop brings together global experts to share insights on monitoring and managing Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) in reclaimed wastewater and biosolids, and exchange perspectives across regions. The workshop starts with up to four concise presentations that highlight global perspectives, industry priorities, and research innovations on managing CECs in (reclaimed) wastewater and biosolids (including knowledge gaps). Using a World Caf format, participants then engage in small-group discussions to identify challenges, best practices, and knowledge gaps. Key topics include risk assessment frameworks, harmonizing CEC evaluation, and mitigation strategies such as treatment technologies, monitoring protocols, and regulatory considerations. Ideas are cross-pollinated as participants rotate tables, fostering collaboration and actionable strategies. Outcomes, including knowledge gaps, will be disseminated via an IWA publication to support global harmonization.

Chair: Milou Dingemans

Co-chair: Stéphanie Rinck-Pfeiffer

Speakers: Nonhlanhla Kalebaila, Peter Grevatt, David Bergmann, Mark Wong, Tavishi Guleria

WS 2.3 From Drain To Gain: Enablers For Economic Growth Through Water Reuse
Monday, 05 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room B
Reusing wastewater offers an energy and resource efficient way to meet the water scarcity gap faced by many countries, including the UK. There are some success stories, but implementation is patchy. By sharing these success stories, and exploring others’ experiences, the workshop will tease out enablers and generate action-orientated insights to support the mainstreaming of wastewater reuse.

Chair: Geoff Darch

Co-chair: Catherine Moncrieff

Speakers: John Curtin / Julia Buckley, Celeste Morgan, Lutz Johnen, Alastair Chisholm, Niki Roach, Jonathan Glerum, Vikki Williams

WS 2.4 Cross Sector Collaboration To Accelerate The Circular Water Economy
Monday, 05 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room B
This workshop will convene leaders from utilities, industry, academia, water associations and technology providers to accelerate the circular water economy through WEF’s Reduce–Recover–Regenerate framework. Participants will learn from real-world examples and engage in solutions-oriented discussions and collaborative design sprints.The desired output is actionable Reduce, Recover, and Regenerate pathways supported by cross-sector partnership models, including identified enablers such as financing, policy, and technology integration.Outputs from this workshop will inform joint projects, investment strategies, and policy dialogues beyond the conference. Key insights and commitments–such as “One Action in 90 Days”–will be shared through post-event reports, WEFTEC, WEF and IWA networks, and digital platforms to catalyze global adoption of circular water practices.

Chair: Paul Schuler

Co-chair: Laila Sukkariyyah

Speakers: Alexis De Kerchove, Miriam Feilberg, Marcel Sanches, Rasha Maal-Bared, Kwasi (Jacob) Amengor, Paul Schuler

WS 2.5 Converging On Standardization For Wastewater-based Epidemiological Surveillance
Monday, 05 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room C
This workshop will bring together key leaders from three major efforts to standardize elements of wastewater-based environmental surveillance programs. The participants will gain better knowledge how the development of standardized methods and implementation of harmonized approaches can improve uptake and public health value of wastewater-based environmental surveillance, and how they could participate on these processes.

Chair: John Scott Meschke

Co-chair: Tarja Pitkänen

Speakers: Nancy Lin, Christina Förster / Tarja Pitkänen, Dan Deere / Monica Nolan, Sophie Magnet / Kate Medlicott

WS 2.6 Soft Sensors In The Wastewater Sector: Challenges And Opportunities To Optimize The Performance And Efficiency Of Water Utilities
Tuesday, 06 October 10:30 – 12:00 Room C
Soft sensors integrating physical sensors data and data-driven approaches, can provide a surrogate measurement for difficult-to measure water quality parameters, offering a huge potential to expand the range of measurable (online) parameters, improve data collection frequency and reduce high operational costs. The estimated parameters can be used as part of real-time water quality monitoring strategies, support process optimization and decision making towards more efficient and robust wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This session will dive into the potential of soft-sensors, emphasizing their inherent challenges and opportunities within the digitalization of the wastewater sector, with focus on full-scale and practical applications, including best practices. Workshop proposed as a joint collaboration between the ICA & MIA IWA specialist groups.Outcomes:* A white/position paper (afterwards) by the organizers/participants* A workshop summary: challenges, opportunities, best practices

Chair: Janelcy Alferes Castano

Co-chair: Elena Torfs

Speakers: Janelcy Alferes, Elena Torfs, Mariane Schneider, Jose Porro, Kris Villez

WS 2.7 Celebrating 10 Years Of The IWA-ISME Biocluster Awards – Microbes, Engineering, And The Next Decade.
Tuesday, 06 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room A
A decade after its launch, the IWA-ISME Biocluster continues to bridge microbial ecology and water engineering. This workshop celebrates the 10-year milestone by announcing the 2026 awardees and featuring talks and panel discussion from past and current winners. Together they will reflect on key scientific breakthroughs and discuss the next frontier for microbial ecology in water engineering. A closing panel discussion will look ahead to 2035, envisioning how microbial ecology can drive the next generation of sustainable water solutions.

Chair: Cindy Smith

Co-chair: Per Nielsen

Speakers: Per Neilsen, Ameet Pinto, Tom Curtis

WS 2.8 Transforming Wastewater Treatment Plants Into Biorefineries — Collaborating For A Greener, More Sustainable Future
Tuesday, 06 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room F
This workshop will bring global leaders across the water sector to share their visions, and practical experience in applying resource recovery practices to wastewater treatment plants. It will review the water sector’s current efforts in delivering on net-zero commitments and explain how circular economy approaches and biorefineries will be the next phase in this journey. Progress to-date, challenges and future possibilities will be explored. The workshop will bring together the views from world Water Utilities that are leading circular economy best practice, promoting meaningful discussions.

Chair: Peter Vale

Co-chair: Ana Soares

Speakers: Davide Scaglione, Jess Alce, Morten Rebsdorf, Peter Wardrop

WS 2.9 How To Mainstream Distributed Water Reuse — Insights From San Francisco, Bangalore And Barcelona
Thursday, 08 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room E
By 2050, more than half of the urban poplution on our planet will be living in water-scarce areas. Cities thus urgently need to tap into new water source. One promising solution is reusing water within buildings and their immediate neighborhood. Over the past decade, several cities have implemented this approach, yet key question remain on how it could be turned into a well-working, safe and mainstream tool for addressing urban water scarcity. The session brings together experts from major lighthouse cities implementing distributed water reuse (San Francisco, Bangalore, and Barcelona) to share their experiences on how distributed water reuse systems can be successfully implemented, operated and maintained. It provides a unique forum for discussing opportunities and challenges in developing this approach into a standard tool for urban planners, utilities, and real estate developers.

Chair: Christian Binz

Co-chair: Gayathri Muraleedharan

Speakers: Paula Kehoe, Gayathri Muraleedharan, Djamila Lesch, Eberhard Morgenroth

Technical Sessions

TS 3.1 Leak Detection and Water Loss Control in Water Distribution Systems
Monday, 05 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room J
This session addresses technologies and strategies for detecting leaks and reducing water losses in distribution systems. Presentations cover sensor-based monitoring, acoustic and fiber-optic detection, digital twins, economic assessments, and utility approaches to manage non-revenue water and improve efficiency in water supply networks.
Presentations:

• How Far Is It Worth Reducing? Assessment Of The Economic Level Of Leakage In Porto’s Water Supply System, Flavio Oliveira, Portugal
• Long-Term Leak Detection System Based On Low-Cost Soil Moisture Sensors Distributed Along Underground Water Pipes, Benjamin Maij, Switzerland
• Smart Strategies For Water Loss Control In Milan: Integrating Digital Twins And Advanced Leak Detection, Francesca Mastromarino, Italy
• Leaks In Water Meter Assemblies: A Study In The City Of Joinville (Brazil), Andreza Kalbusch, Brazil

Poster Pitches:

• Optical Fiber-Based Acoustic Sensing For Flow Velocity Estimation In Water Pipelines, Panagiotis Pentaliotis, United Kingdom
• Estimating National Scale Distribution Of Non-Revenue Water For Evaluation Of Its Groundwater Recharge Potential With Open Data, Tijana Jovanovic, United Kingdom

TS 3.2 Biofilms and Associated Pathogens in Drinking Water Distribution Systems
Monday, 05 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room M
This session explores the biofilms, sediments, and loose deposits in drinking water distribution systems and building plumbing. Ecology of associated pathogens, including Legionlla and Mycobacteria, and effects of disinfectants, filters, and other interventions to minimize consumer exposure are considered.
Presentations:

• Hydrodynamics And Sediment Transport In Water Heaters: Pinpointing Factors That Can Undermine Pathogen Disinfection, Tolulope Odimayomi , United States
• Loose Deposits Shape Microbial Communities After Adjustments Of Water Treatment For Optimized Biological Stability Of Non-chlorinated Drinking Water, Peer Timmers, Spain
• Filtering The Facts: How Shower Point-of-Use Filters Impact Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Exposure And Water Chemistry, Sarah Jane Haig, United States
• Biofilm Formation In Showers: Influence Of Plumbing Materials In Reverse Osmosis Produced Water Systems, Nadia Farhat, Saudi Arabia

Poster Pitches:

• To Chlorinate, Or Not To Chlorinate?, Joby Boxall, United Kingdom
• Environmental And Technical Factors Behind Legionella Risk In Buildings’ Water Systems In Finland, Ellinoora Savonen, Finland

TS 3.3 Microbiomes and Biological Treatment of Drinking Water
Monday, 05 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room M
This session examines biological treatment of drinking water, including slow sand filters and biofilters, for the removal of assimilable organic carbon, nutrients, and other contaminants of concern. The role of the microbiome composition as an indicator of water quality and system status is also considered.
Presentations:

• Exploring The Role Of Microbial Diversity In Slow Sand Filters: Operational Solutions For Resilient And Sustainable Drinking Water Production Under Climate Stress, Iria Feijóo Rey, Sweden
• Proof-of-Concept For Biological Nitrate Removal In Drinking Water And Up-scaling Roadmap, Jan Struckmann Poulsen, Denmark
• Temperature Resilient Biofiltration For Decentralised Drinking Water Treatment In Cold Climates, Fabien Cholet, United Kingdom
• The Microbiome Of Drinking Water, Hege Hovland, Norway

Poster Pitches:

• Groundwater Iron, Manganese And Ammonium Biofiltration Under Tropical Conditions: Costa Rica-pilot Study, Luis G. Romero-Esquivel, Costa Rica
• Maturation Of The Microbial Community In Newly Built Drinking Water Towers: Impacts Of Stagnation And Commissioning, Caroline Schleich, Sweden

TS 3.4 Pathogen and Indicator Monitoring and Management in Drinking Water Systems
Monday, 05 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room M
In this session various viral and bacterial pathogens will be considered, along with corresponding microbial and water quality indicators of microbial concerns. Both culture and molecular techniques are considered and applied from source to tap.
Presentations:

• Viral Metagenomics Reveals Seasonal Dynamics Of Viral Communities And Functional Genes In Drinking Water Source, Xia Cheng, China
• UV254 And Turbidity As Proxies Of Microbial Faecal Pollution At Alpine Karst Springs, Katalin Demeter, Austria
• Global Survey On Genetic Microbiological Testing In The Water Sector: Why Is Adoption So Slow?, Andreas Farnleitner, Austria
• Environmental Influences On Microbial Water Quality Of Ground Water Identified By Online Flow Cytometry And Machine Learning., Catherine Paul, Sweden

Poster Pitches:

• Evaluating Automated E. Coli And Total Coliform Detection Systems For Real-time Monitoring Of Microbial Water Quality, Emalie Hayes, Canada
• Matrix-dependent Adsorption Of Somatic Coliphage ?X174 And Its Implications For Viral Removal In Drinking Water Treatment, Rachel Samson P, United Kingdom

TS 3.5 Advanced Physical and Membrane Processes for Drinking Water Treatment
Tuesday, 06 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room M
This session explores advances in physical and membrane-based drinking water treatment processes. Topics include nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, ceramic membranes, hybrid oxidation–filtration systems, and filtration interactions, highlighting innovations that enhance contaminant removal, improve operational resilience, and support sustainable drinking water production.
Presentations:

• Driving Innovation In Municipal Water Treatment: Scotland’s Leadership In Ceramic Membrane Adoption, Kenneth McGibbon, United Kingdom
• Using Experimental Methods To Assess Fouling Removal By Two Pretreatment Lines Before RO – Effect Of Coagulant Dose And PH, Segio Salinas, Netherlands
• Delayed Nitratation Reveals Hidden NO2- And Mn2+ Interaction In Drinking Water Biofilters, Suzanne van der Poel, Netherlands
• Benchmarking Scaled-up Hybrid Batch Reverse Osmosis Against Conventional 3-stage RO Process, Julia Leroy, France

Poster Pitches:

• Hybrid Ceramic Membrane Filtration With Ozonation For Enhanced Flux And Water Resilience, Eline van der Galie, Netherlands
• Chemical-Free Drinking Water Production Using Hollow Fiber Nanofiltration, Jink Gude, Netherlands

TS 3.6 Disinfection and Disinfection Byproducts in Drinking Water Systems
Tuesday, 06 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room O
This session will examine primary and secondary disinfection and decay in distriubtion systems. Innovative disinfection approaches, including UV-LED will be considered, along with disinfection byproduct control strategies and approaches to meet new regulatory standards.
Presentations:

• A UV-LED Reactor Odyssey: From Concept To Commercialization, Fariborz Taghipour, Canada
• Management Of DOC To Meet A Future HAA9 Standard, Peter Jarvis, United Kingdom
• Enhanced Biofilm Removal By Nanobubbles And Disinfectants In Distribution Pipes, Hsin-hsin Tung, Chinese Taipei
• Evaluating Potable Water Disinfection Technologies Used With Small Supplies, Tom Bond, United Kingdom

Poster Pitches:

• Sustainable Chlorine Production For Water Treatment And Environmental Cleanliness In Bangladesh – Pilot Study, Sushanta Roy, Bangladesh
• Free Residual Chlorine Decay Rate In Treated Water Distribution Network: A Case Study In Selangor, Malaysia, Augustine Yap Chung Wei, Malaysia

TS 3.7 Innovative Monitoring of Drinking Water Contaminants
Tuesday, 06 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room M
This session will consider data gaps in water quality monitoring, especially in high-income versus low-income settings. A range of contaminants, from microbes, to disinfection byproducts, to rubber leachates will be addressed, along with innovative and context-appropriate methods. These include X-Ray fluorescence, differential absorbance, low-tech coliform culture, acoustic testing, and citizen-science approaches for implementing them.
Presentations:

• Context-appropriate Microbial Water Quality Testing To Close The Data Inequity Gap, Caetano Dorea, Canada
• Factors Influencing Turbidity Estimation Using A Smartphone Camera, Chotiwat Jantarakasem , United States
• Evaluation Of Organic Contaminant Transfer From Rubber Materials Into Water Supply Systems, Vitor Cardoso , Portugal
• PEDOT:PSS-Chitosan Modified Electrode For PFOA Detection In Water, Rita Henderson, Australia

Poster Pitches:

• Distribution System Water Quality Management: Integrating Chemistry And Technologies For Enhanced Monitoring, William Becker, United States
• Proactive Manganese Control Via Real-Time DO Monitoring In Source Water, Vadim Malkov, United States

TS 3.8 Alternative Water Sources and Decentralized Drinking Water Systems
Tuesday, 06 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room J
This session explores innovative alternative water sources and decentralized treatment approaches to enhance drinking water security. Presentations highlight advances in desalination, atmospheric water harvesting, rainwater treatment, and energy-efficient electrochemical systems, emphasizing scalable technologies and climate-resilient solutions for potable water production in decentralized, resource-constrained, and rapidly changing environments.
Presentations:

• Solar-Driven Electrochemical Water Treatment Using Sheet-Type CDI: A Low-Energy Solution For Decentralized Potable Water Production, Hyuncheal Lee, Korea, Republic of
• Desalination System Using Diffuser-generated Mist, Evaporation And Condensation For Use In Hard-to-access Areas., Paula Guerra-Pinto, Chile
• Enhancing Rainwater Biostability Using Inoculated GAC–sandwich Biofiltration Treatment, Huyen Duong, United Kingdom
• Computational Simulations Of Combined Desalination And Power Generation: A Multistage Flash Case Study In Mexico, Vanessa Hernández Camarena, Mexico

Poster Pitches:

• Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing LiCl-encapsulated Channel Membranes for Scalable Atmospheric Water Harvesting, Xuzheng Ji, China
• Effect Of Managed Aquifer Recharge With Potable Reuse Water On Aquifer Microbial Community Profiles, Hanifah Choute, United States

TS 3.9 Adsorption and Oxidation Processes for Drinking Water Treatment
Tuesday, 06 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room K
This session presents advances in treatment processes for improving drinking water quality. Topics include adsorption, ion exchange, photocatalysis, oxidation processes and contaminant control in distribution systems, highlighting innovative approaches for removing inorganic and organic contaminants and protecting public health.
Presentations:

• Controlling The Iron, Manganese And Ammonium Oxidation Sequence For Next-generation High Efficiency Groundwater Biofiltration, Doris Van Halem , Netherlands
• DOC Removal Through Suspended Ion Exchange: Pilot Results From Three European Regions, Eline Van der Galie , Netherlands
• Evaluating Photocatalysis For The Degradation Of Complex Pollutant Mixtures In Drinking Water Treatment, Jaume Cotolí Sancho , Spain
• Toward Sustainable Water Treatment: Oxidant Performance And Reuse Of Recovered Manganese, Sina Younesi , United Kingdom

Poster Pitches:

• Comparative Evaluation Of Low-cost Adsorbents For Simazine Removal As A Basis For Integrated Simazine–PFOS Treatment, Silmara Sanzana, Italy
• Novel High-Performance Adsorbent Materials For Water Defluoridation And Public Health Protection, Elvis Carissimi, Brazil

TS 3.10 Outbreaks and Risk Assessment in Drinking Water Systems
Wednesday, 07 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room K
Characterization and response to drinking water associated outbreaks and risk assessment of microbial, chemical, and emerging contaminant concerns, including microplastics. Dose-response studies and translation to log-removal goals will be considered.
Presentations:

• Developing A Global Risk Based Tool For Prioritising Contaminants Of Emerging Concern (CEC) For The Water Industry, David Bergmann, Australia
• Determination Of Pathogen Log Reduction Value (LRV) Targets For Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) In The United States, Daniel Gerrity, United States
• Genogroup-Specific Norovirus Dose–Response Modelling And Tolerable Concentrations For Waterborne Exposure, Zejun Liu, Japan
• A Risk-Based, Cost-Effective Framework For Managing Multiple Constituents Of Emerging Concern (CECs) In Watersheds, Ralph Muvhiiwa, United States

Poster Pitches:

• When Zero Isn’t Enough: Revealing Residual Microbial Risks In Drinking Water Beyond Traditional Testing, Claire Thom, United Kingdom
• Wildfire-Induced Heavy Metal Pollution In Surface Water: Human Health Risk Assessment, Jakki Rao, India

TS 3.11 PFAS Removal and Monitoring in Drinking Water
Wednesday, 07 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room I
This session explores advances in monitoring and removing PFAS from drinking water. Presentations address novel sorbents, membranes, and advanced destruction processes, alongside emerging analytical tools, life-cycle assessments, and utility strategies to manage PFAS contamination and comply with increasingly stringent drinking water regulations.
Presentations:

• Selective Graphene Filtration Membranes For Targeted Removal And Concentration Of PFAS From Water, William McLean, Australia
• Highly Selective Removal Of PFAS From Wastewater And Drinking Water Using Novel Anion Exchange Resins With Long Alkyl Chains, Shubo Deng, China
• Destruction Of PFAS-concentrate At A Fire-fighting Training Site With UV|VUV-advanced Reduction Process, Rikke Bruun, Denmark
• Initiatives For Advanced Study Of PFAS In Drinking Water And Source Water By Osaka Municipal Waterworks Bureau, Satoshi Yoshimura, Japan

Poster Pitches:

• Life Cycle Assessment Of A Novel PFAS-Selective Sorbent Compared With Granular Activated Carbon, David Renfrew, United Kingdom
• PFAS And Fluoride Detection: A Review On The Emerging Tools For Environmental Monitoring And Bioremediation, Marina Prisciandaro, Italy

TS 3.12 PFAS Removal from Drinking Water: Technologies and Practice
Wednesday, 07 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room I
This session presents advances in PFAS removal from drinking water, highlighting pilot-scale studies and full-scale operational experiences. Topics include adsorption, ion exchange, membrane processes, flotation, and integrated treatment strategies implemented to manage persistent contaminants and protect drinking water supplies.
Presentations:

• PFAS Removal From Extremely Hard RO-concentrate By Granular Activated Carbon (GAC): A Pilot Study On Groundwater-based Drinking Water, Sonsoles Quinzanos, Denmark
• Removal Of PFAS From Flotation Sludge Effluent Using Anion-exchange Resins In Pilot-scale At A Large Swedish Drinking Water Facility, Christian Baresel, Sweden
• Surface Water PFAS Treatment Pilot Testing – Looking Beyond PFAS, J. Margaret Gray, United States
• Enhanced Removal Of Organic Micropollutants, Including PFAS By Nanofiltration As Posttreatment In A Conventional Drinking Water Treatment Plant, Albert Van der Wal, Netherlands

Poster Pitches:

• The PFAS Puzzle: Solving Contamination In Ultra-Trace Water Analysis, Emma Fuller, United Kingdom
• PFAS Removal In Drinking Water: Operational Experience And Integrated Management From Diagnosis To Residue Treatment, Romain Gandré, France

TS 3.13 Strategies and systems for potable reuse
Thursday, 08 October 10:30 – 12:00 Room H
This session explores strategies and technological advances supporting potable reuse implementation. Presentations address indirect and direct reuse schemes, pilot-scale innovations, membrane systems, infrastructure planning, and integrated water management approaches that enhance resilience, expand alternative water supplies, and support safe drinking water production.
Presentations:

• From Demonstrator To Reference: Early Operational Lessons From The Jourdain Indirect Potable Reuse Project, France, Philippe Sauvignet, France
• A Future-Proof Drinking Water Production Concept With Integrated Brine Treatment And Waste Water Reuse: A Pilot Case Study Of A Dutch Water Utility, Morez Jafari, Netherlands
• Moulton Niguel’s OASIS And BLUE Initiatives: Building Resilient Water Infrastructure And Digital Ecosystems For One Water Management, Matthew Collings, United States
• Minworth Strategic Resource Option (SRO) – Transition From Bench To Pilot Scale, Sandeep Bhatt, United Kingdom

Poster Pitches:

• Assessing Near-Well Reactivity In A Deep Coastal Plain Aquifer For Managed Aquifer Recharge, Rebecca Nardacci, United States
• Decentralised Drinking Water & Community Energy For Inland Suriname: Highlighting The Importance Of The Water-energy Nexus, Dores Cirne, Belgium

TS 3.14 Contaminants of Emerging Concern: Detection, Transformation, and Removal for Protecting Drinking Water
Thursday, 08 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room I
This session addresses contaminants of emerging concern in water systems, including microplastics, pesticides, and organic micropollutants. Presentations explore detection methods, transformation mechanisms, regulatory implications, and advanced treatment technologies to better understand contaminant behavior and support effective removal strategies for protecting drinking water quality.
Presentations:

• Transformation Of Polystyrene Microplastic-Derived Dissolved Organic Matter Into Hydrophilic Colloids And Microparticles, Minji Kim, Korea, Republic of
• Microplastics In Water For Human Consumption: A Triannual (2023-2025) Perspective And Future Outlook, Vitor Cardoso, Portugal
• Radical Chemistry And Structural Relationships Of PPCP Degradation At The Air–Water Interface, Jiaxin Xu, China
• Targeted and non-targeted analyses to demonstrate removal, transport, and transformation of organic micropollutants in managed aquifer recharge, Merijn Schriks , Netherlands

Poster Pitches:

• Aging Of Microplastic-derived DOM And Its Effect On I-THMs Formation Potential, Inseong Hwang, Korea, Republic of
• Microplastics Regulations And Implications Of Carbon-Based Advanced Water Treatment On Their Removal In Water Reuse, Katherine Bell, United States

TS 3.15 Modeling from Source to Tap
Thursday, 08 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room K
This session will focus on the application of modeling to improve understanding of drinking water systems, including source water, treatment, and distribution. Topics covered include PFAS mitigation, algal bloom prediction, odorous compounds, dissolved organic carbon removal, coagulant dosing, and mixing and decay of disinfectants in distribution systems.
Presentations:

• How To Grasp The Pulse Of Algae Bloom Accurately And Intelligently: Development And Application Of A Hybrid Algal Population Prediction Model, Yuxuan Xie, China
• Improved Semi-Empirical Prediction Of DOC Removal Using LC-OCD Humic Fractions For Resource-Efficient Coagulation Design, Irene Slavik, Germany
• A High-Definition Surrogate Model For The Prediction Of Junction Mixing In Water Distribution Networks, Pablo Gallo , Belgium
• Simulation-Based Coagulant Estimation For Enhanced Organic Contaminant Removal In Surface Water Treatment, Christian Ortiz Lopez, Canada

Poster Pitches:

• Evaluation Of Interference Of Coagulation-Flocculation Processes In The Removal Of MIB By Adsorption In Powdered Activated Carbon In Water, André Marguti, Brazil
• A Mechanistic Model To Predict Optimal Coagulant Dosage, Diogo Abreu, Belgium

TS 3.16 Drinking Water Safety Plans and Crisis Management
Thursday, 08 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room D
This session covers the management of multiple risks at drinking water catchment scale, with emphasis on water safety plans. Multiple drinking water system challenges will be covered, including de facto reuse, algal blooms, climate change, and drought. Innovative systems-level risk management approaches will be considered, including tailored systems and softwares, in a number of case studies.
Presentations:

• Software Solution To Support Risk Management In Drinking Water Catchment Areas, Friederike Brauer, Germany
• Integrating Water Safety Plan With ESG Excellence: SANASA’s Award-Winning Model For Sustainable Water Management In Brazil, Diego Pinto, Brazil
• The Water Safety Planning Approach To Investigating PFAS Contamination At Eccup Reservoir (Leeds, UK), Gemma Nicholson, United Kingdom
• De Facto Potable Reuse: Toxicity Amplification Of Drinking Water And Potential Health Risk To Downstream Population, Wenzheng Yu, China

Poster Pitches:

• Harmful Algal Bloom Management For Drinking Water Safety: A Global Perspective, Boris David, France, Boris David, France
• In A League Of Their Own – Performance Metrics Of New Zealand Water Service Organisations, Scott Reid, New Zealand

TS 3.17 Data-Driven Modeling and Digital tools for Drinking Water Systems
Thursday, 08 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room K
This session highlights advances in data-driven modeling, artificial intelligence, and digital twin technologies applied to drinking water systems. Presentations address treatment optimization, infrastructure monitoring, leak detection, and predictive analytics, demonstrating how smart data tools support decision-making and improve resilience of drinking water treatment and distribution networks.
Presentations:

• Full-Scale Demonstration Of A Management Tool For Crisis Situation Based On A Digital Twin Of The Drinking Water Distribution Network, Jonas Kirstein, Sweden, Jonas Kirstein , Sweden
• Digital Twin Based Commissioning For Large-Scale Automation Renewal In Drinking Water Treatment Infrastructure, Christiaan Slippens, Netherlands, Christiaan Slippens , Netherlands
• Machine Learning Driven Union-wise Safe Groundwater Depth Prediction In Bangladesh Based On Water Quality Parameters, Sushanta Roy, Bangladesh, Sushanta Roy, Bangladesh
• Modelling And Calibration Of Dry-Weather Pollutant Loads From Four Major Disaggregated Domestic Water End Uses, Sabuj Biswas, Luxembourg, Sabuj Biswas, Luxembourg

Poster Pitches:

• From Offline Insights To Online Control: Implementing An Interpretable AI Decision-Support System For Drinking Water Coagulation, Giacomo Bellandi, Belgium, Giacomo Bellandi, Belgium
• IAcoustic: AI-Powered Acoustic Sensing For Leak Early Detection, David Mellet, France

Workshop Sessions

WS 3.1 Harnessing AI To Understand Pathogenic Viruses In Water Systems
Tuesday, 06 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room D
Viruses in water and wastewater pose significant challenges to public health and the safety of water reuse. Understanding their prevalence, persistence, and removal across treatment processes remains a critical research frontier. This workshop brings together experts in environmental microbiology, water treatment, data science, and public health to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can transform our ability to detect, predict, and mitigate viral risks.Through presentations and interactive discussions, participants will identify key data gaps, emerging AI tools, and collaborative frameworks to advance viral monitoring and control in water systems. The expected outcome from this workshop is an open-access perspective/review article published on top-tier environmental engineering journals, and it will be disseminated to the community of no cost.

Chair: Danmeng Shuai

Co-chair: Tiong Gim Aw, Yun Shen, Joan Rose

Speakers: Scott Meschke, Gertjan Medema, Charles Hass, Sunny Jiang, Lara Urban, Pei-Ying Hong, Daisuke Sano, Tim Julian

WS 3.2 Antibiotic Resistance: The Role Of Water In One Health Context
Thursday, 08 October 10:30 – 12:00 Room C
The workshop focuses on the role of water in the One Health context of antibiotic resistance and the consequences of AMR for the production of safe drinking water and water reuse. The workshop is an initiative of the Global Water Reseach Coalition (GWRC) and further discusses the previously identified knowledge gaps on the consequences of antimicrobial resistance in environmental water systems for drinking water and water reuse. The potential of dedicated surveillance strategies for antibiotic resistance will be discussed as well as options for exposure and risk assessment for safe water system in the context of overall exposure to AMR will be highlighted. A panel of experts discuss the major challenges for assessing the safety of drinking water production and water reuse in light of the increasing AMR spread into environmental water systems. Furthermore, experts from water industry will share their view on how AMR might affect the availability of safe water resource.

Chair: Bas Van der Zaan

Co-chair: Stephanie Pfeiffer

Speakers: Marco Dignum, Amy Pruden, Jerome Enault, Mark Wong

WS 3.3 Understanding The Impacts Of Disinfection Residuals On Biofilms And Pathogens
Thursday, 08 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room C
The ability of biofilms to shelter pathogens from disinfectants in water distribution systems has been a topic of interest for several decades. Recent research has begun to reveal how disinfectant residuals affect the pipe biofilm community and how that community reacts under different contamination and disinfection conditions. This session will provide the latest advances in biofilm and pathogen research from several different perspectives to help participants reconsider the role of disinfectant residuals and how they might be used to mitigate pathogen risk. Discussion groups will share their knowledge and experience in managing pathogen risks for distribution systems, which will provide networking and knowledge transfer opportunities for participants.

Chair: Joby Boxall

Co-chair: Cindy Smith

Speakers: Katherine Fish, Gang Liu, Emmanuelle Prest, William Sloan, Claire Hayward, Vanessa Speight

Technical Sessions

TS 4.1 Advanced Modelling and Management for Stormwater Networks
Monday, 05 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room J
This session examines the science and practice of managing stormwater in increasingly complex urban environments. Presentations explore hydraulic behaviour, rainfall variability for storms, efficiency and maintenance of treatment facilities and design considerations.
Presentations:

• Opportunities For The Combination Of Modular Small-scale Sustainable Drainage And Real-Time Control Systems, Pablo Souto Casares, Spain
• Developing A Smart And Cost-Efficient Framework For Urban Flood Adaptation: Oslo’s Stormwater Action Plan — Action 4, Inga Potter, Norway
• Stormwater Treatment Facilities: Maintenance And Efficiency, Sofia Polo Ruiz de Arechavaleta, Sweden
• Exploring Spatial Variability In Rainfall Return Periods At A Catchment Scale: Lessons For Design Storm Generation, Chris Sweetapple, United Kingdom

Poster-pitches:

• Structural Design Considerations For The Preliminary Design Of Deep Underground Floodways, Jeong-Rae Cho, Korea, Republic of
• Influence Of Ventilation-Shaft Layout On Pressure Transients In Deep Stormwater Drainage Tunnels Under Flood Conditions, Taehyeon Kim, Korea, Republic of

TS 4.2 Resilient Urban Water Systems: Planning, Policy, and Climate Adaptation
Monday, 05 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room O
Cities worldwide are rethinking how they plan, govern, and invest in water systems under accelerating climate pressures. This session brings together innovative approaches from Gothenburg, Edinburgh, Porto, Lagos, and beyond—showcasing how integrated policy visions, adaptive master planning, and enabling governance environments can strengthen resilience. Presentations highlight practical tools for embedding water into citywide decision‑making, improving risk‑based planning, and creating investor‑ready conditions for sustainable infrastructure. Together, they offer a forward‑looking blueprint for building climate‑ready, water‑resilient urban environments.
Presentations:

• MASTER 2040: An Innovative, Sustainable, And Resilient Approach To Water Supply In Porto, Susana Garcia, Portugal
• City Water Resilience Approach: Moving From Climate Diagnostics To An Enabling Environment For Urban Water Investment In Lagos State, Kirsten Smith , Germany
• Integrating Sustainability Assessments Into Cloudburst Adaptation — The VASA Method From Gothenburg, Sweden, Lina Ekholm, Sweden
• Creating Water Resilient Places; Edinburgh’s Water Vision, Grant Vanson, United Kingdom

Poster-pitches:

• Development Of A Multi-dimensional Performance Evaluation And Rubric System For AI Flood Forecasting Models To Support Decision Making, Sumin song, Korea, Republic of
• Adaptive Pathways For A Resilient Coastal Drinking Water Supply, Annika Gillissen, Netherlands

TS 4.3 Smart Decision Tools for a Resilient Water Sector
Tuesday, 06 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room N
This session explores the tools, partnerships and digital innovations shaping the future of safe, reliable and adaptive water systems.  Presentations highlight new forms of collaboration, including partnerships and semantic, agent‑based frameworks for decentralised decision‑making.
Presentations:

• Safe Water For All In 2050 — Using Scenario Analysis To Support Water Sector Preparedness, Vuokko Laukka, Finland
• Kallisto 2.0: Towards Reaching The Water Framework Directive Objectives, Lorenzo Benedetti, Croatia
• Real-time Control In Combined Sewer Systems To Reduce Emissions — Experiences From The ENTfrachtEN Project In Cologne, Thorsten Schmitz, Germany
• From Tension To Trust: Partnerships For Data Center Readiness To Promote One Water Strategy, Andres Luna, United Kingdom

Poster-pitches:

• A Semantic, Agent-based Framework For Decision Support In Decentralized Water Management, Athanasios Latinis, Belgium
• From Offline Modelling To Online Operational Decision Support: SWDE’s Transition To Online Hydraulic Models, Philippe Beaujean, Belgium

TS 4.4 Advancing Nature-Based Solutions for Water-Resilient Cities
Wednesday, 07 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room M
This session explores how nature‑based solutions are being designed, tested, and implemented to strengthen climate resilience in urban water systems. Presentations highlight diverse international approaches – from retrofitting green infrastructure to improving flood management, water reuse, and ecosystem performance. Together, these contributions showcase how cities can integrate natural processes into planning and policy to deliver adaptable, sustainable, and water‑sensitive environments.
Presentations:

• Retrofit Nature-based Solutions Delivering Climate Adaptation Across Glasgow., David Hay, United Kingdom
• Nature-based Solutions For Reducing Combined Sewer Overflows., Joseph Danyluk, United States
• Evaluating The Performance Of Nature-based Solutions For Climate-Resilient Water Infrastructure In South Korea: Pathways For Policy Implementation., Leehyung Kim, Korea, Republic of
• Comparative Assessment Of Qazvin Traditional Orchard Function As Green Infrastructure In Urban Water Cycle Improvement And Sponge City Development Within Nature-Based Solutions Framework., Shima Kabiri, Iran

Poster-pitches:

• Nature-Based Solutions For Flood Mitigation And Water Reuse In Mediterranean Regions: Lessons Learnt From The CARDIMED’s Demo Cases In Sicily., Anacleto Rizzo, Italy
• Optimizing IoT Sensor Placement For Nature Based Solutions Using Gaussian Processes: A Case Study From Detroit, MI, Branko Kerkez, United States

TS 4.5 Integrating Nature and Data for Water System Resilience
Wednesday, 07 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room M
This session highlights how data, nature‑based solutions and advanced analytics are shaping resilient and well‑managed water systems. Papers provide climate‑resilience benefits of raingardens, innovative approaches to monitoring and modelling innovations and performance tracking.
Presentations:

• High Resolution Consumption Data As A Service: A Case Study From Amsterdam, Titti Wästlund, Sweden
• Assessing The Role Of Vegetation In Strengthening Climate Resilience Within Urban Green Infrastructure: An Evidence Based Study From An Experimental Raingarden Scotland, Aravindan Kalaichelvam, United Kingdom
• An Experiment In Cultivating Resources And Inviting Heterogeneous Interests, Moshe Habagil, Sweden
• The Rain To Drain Approach: Innovation And Monitoring In Sustainable Drainage Systems For Urban Resilience, William Alexander Osborne, United Kingdom

Poster-pitches:

• Integrated Environmental Monitoring Systems For Scalable Catchment Management, Rod Naylor, New Zealand
• Development, Implementation And Evaluation Of A Large-scale, Rule Based Real Time Control System In Rotterdam, Jeroen Langeveld, Netherlands

TS 4.6 Innovations in Infrastructure Planning and Urban Resilience
Wednesday, 07 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room O
This session explores the expanding role of blue‑green infrastructure in building climate‑resilient, water‑wise cities. Papers examine integrated adaptation approaches, the need for inclusive planning and how nature‑based solutions can meaningfully transform urban resilience.
Presentations:

• Blue-green Infrastructure As Integrated Adaptation Measure In Urban Stormwater Management, Manfred Kleidorfer, Austria
• The Water Metering Journey In Aotearoa New Zealand: Lessons From Councils, Maryam Moridnejad, New Zealand
• Building Urban Water Resilience Through SUDS Trains: Lessons From Fuenlabrada Exhibition Park, Sara Perales Momparler, Spain
• Glasgows Smart Canal, Peter Robinson, United Kingdom

Poster-pitches:

• Transformation And Change Through Collaboration To Deliver A Challenging Environmental Improvement Programme In Scotland., Mahesh Iyer, United Kingdom
• Identifying Strategic Locations For Blue-Green Infrastructure: A Holistic Source-to-Impact Approach Considering Stakeholder Interests, Vladislav Dukhovskoy, United Kingdom

TS 4.7 Digital Tools & Uncertainty in Modern Water and Wastewater Management
Thursday, 08 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room E
This session explores how digital technologies and advanced modelling are reshaping planning, operations and decision‑making across the water sector.  This includes structured approaches to uncertainty assessment, from future water‑supply planning to humanitarian‑context resilience modelling. Papers share lessons from full‑scale digital twin deployments  and demonstrate how AI is accelerating design automation, leakage detection and operational optimisation.
Presentations:

• A Structured Uncertainty Assessment In The Development Of Copenhagen’s Future Water Supply, Martin Rygaard, Denmark
• Using An Uncertain Model To Inform Decision-making To Improve Resilience Of Communities In A Humanitarian Context, Dominic Wade, United Kingdom
• Digital Twins Coming True: Lessons Learned From Implementations In Full-Scale Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs), Fabio Polesel, Denmark
• Integrating Artificial Intelligence Into The Design Automation Of
  Urban Utility Network, Attila Torok, Romania

Poster-pitches:

• Enhancing Efficiency In The Construction Of Distribution Reservoir Using Digital Technologies, Jiro Takada, Japan
• AI-Enabled Small Leakage Localization With Digital Twin And AMI Data Analytics, Zheng Wu, United States

TS 4.8 Innovations in Wastewater System Planning and Utility Resilience
Thursday, 08 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room O
This session highlights emerging strategies and technologies transforming modern wastewater systems. Presenters explore advances in integrated planning, operational optimisation, digitalisation, and low‑cost monitoring approaches that strengthen system performance and resilience. Topics include innovative assessment methods, infrastructure retrofitting, energy recovery opportunities, and improved understanding of network dynamics. Together, these contributions offer practical insights into how utilities can enhance sustainability, efficiency, and adaptability across increasingly complex urban wastewater environments.
Presentations:

• Bekkelaget Wastewater Treatment Plant Simulation Results Applied To Process Optimization For Decision-making And Possibilities To Develop A Future Digital Twin, Emilio Castellanos, Norway
• Integrated Planning And Permitting For The Odense (DK) Wastewater System, Lorenzo Benedetti, Croatia
• A Novel Methodology For Planning And Retrofitting Sewerage Infrastructure In Cities To Attain Sustainability And Build Resilience, Shweta Lokhande, India
• Monitoring Sewer Blockages Using Low-Cost IoT Acoustic Sensors, Thi Hai Duong Ninh, Australia

Poster-pitches:

• Integrated Assessment Of Methane Production, Transport, And Emission Dynamics In Urban Sewer Networks, Md Sahidul Islam, China
• Thermal Energy Recovery – A Role For Wastewater Utilities In The Decarbonization Of The Built Environment, Simon Baker, United States

Workshop Sessions

WS 4.1 Build AI Agents For Water Management: A Hands-On Workshop
Monday, 05 October 10:30 – 12:00 Room F
This workshop functions as a technical practicum, purposefully designed to move participants immediately from concept to hands-on implementation. Attendees will engage in a guided computational sprint to architect, build, and deploy functional AI Agents on their own laptops. We will supposed participants to become active creators, implemented and “vibe coding” the interfaces between Large Language Models (LLMs) and critical water tools and models.During this session, participants will actively configure the technical stack required to ground AI reasoning in physical reality. We will show how to implement the logic that allows an agent to query open water data, execute API calls, and run water models as part of LLM workflows. Kicking off with a brief overview of AI and agentic workflows, the workshop will launch directly into hands on work; a prototype that participants can test, refine, and scale upon returning to their institutions.

Chair: Branko Kerkez

Co-chair: Amy Pruden

Speakers: Branko Kerkez, Amy Pruden

WS 4.2 Water Sustainability In Urban Areas
Tuesday, 06 October 10:30 – 12:00 Room E
The life and work of people in today’s civilization mainly takes place in urban cities. Constant development of urban areas, settlement of different areas in different climatic conditions is a challenge in water sustainability. This session is organised by IWA Specialist Group Sustainability in Water Sector. The purpose of our session is to discuss on What, where, why, and how to improve water sustainability in urban areas: 1) What is Water Sustainability in Urban Areas? 2) Where is Improvement Needed? 3) Why is Water Sustainability Important? 4) How to Improve Water Sustainability?

Chair: Miriam Feilberg

Co-chair: Fang Yenn Teo

Speakers: Anette Margaretha Åkerstrøm, Fang Yenn Teo, Soon Thiam Khu, Reza Ahmadian

WS 4.3 Future Ready Wastewater Systems
Wednesday, 07 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room G
New wastewater planning approaches are being developed in the EU and UK to generate long term visions for the future of wastewater collection, stormwater and wastewater treatment at the city scale and larger. Without these plans being implemented we risk envrionmental harms and limiting economic growth. In this session practitioners will lead discussions about the challenges and opportunuties connected with these new approaches. The chairs wish to attract partcipation from a global audience so that we can assess common ground and differences. The future being desctibed will be implemented by todays Young Professionals, so we want their active partipcation too.

Chair: Elliot Gill

Co-chair: Jonathan Banks

Speakers: Tom Lavers, Karen Dee, Francis Finnerty, Elliot Gill, Jonathan Banks

WS 4.4 Resourcing Resilience and Restoration through CreditMarkets(3RCM) – Launch of SG
Wednesday, 07 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room D
To enable wider application of credit markets and to achieve their full potential, leaders and practitioners in utilities, corporates, governments, finance and insurance would benefit significantly from increased access knowledge and practice across key themes such as flood and drought risk, wildfires, glacial lake outbursts and saline intrusion. The potential for technology and data to underpin credit mechanisms reinforces the opportunity for efficiency gains.

Chair: John Joyce

Co-chair: Sudhir Murthy

Speakers: Matthew Whaley, Joe Shuttleworth, Charles Bott, Virginia Newton-Lewis, Charles Shachinda, Blanca Antizar, Anise Sacranie

Technical Sessions

TS 5.1 Sanitation Systems, Equity, and Wellbeing
Monday, 05 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room I
This session brings together global case studies on sanitation in informal, marginalised, and underserved contexts, highlighting how technology choices, governance, and community engagement shape outcomes. Papers examine water‑efficient and decentralised systems, simplified sewerage, container‑based sanitation, and campaigns to eliminate open defecation, alongside gendered and wellbeing impacts of sanitation services. Spanning Africa, South Asia, and Indigenous communities in Canada, the session emphasizes co-design, inclusion, and service quality as critical to achieving safely managed, dignified, and resilient sanitation for all.
Presentations:

• Decentralised Drinking Water And Wastewater Systems In First Nations In Canada: High-risk Systems In An Unregulated Jurisdiction, Megan Fuller, Canada
• Public Sanitation And Gendered Inequities: A Continuum-Based Mapping Of User Experiences, Swati Sharma, India
• Rapid WASH Response As A Disease Prevention Strategy In Climate-induced Emergencies: Lessons Learnt From Nigeria’s 2025 Flood Crisis, Jane Adizue, Nigeria
• The Failure Of SDG6 In South Africa: To What Extent Does Sanitation For All Include Informal Settlements?, Kirsty Carden, South Africa

Poster Pitches:

• Tackling Open Defecation At Scale: A Case Study From Nepal, Charlie Ferguson, United Kingdom
• The Impact Of Different Sanitation Technologies On Wellbeing Revealed Through A Smartphone Survey, Alison Parker, United Kingdom

TS 5.2 Policy, Governance and Resilience
Tuesday, 06 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room L
This session explores how collaboration, innovation, and adaptive governance can strengthen water system resilience across diverse contexts. Presentations span national master planning, decentralized and community-managed systems, non-residential efficiency benchmarking, customer-focused conservation enforcement, and advanced asset surveying technologies. Together, they highlight how utilities, communities, researchers, and partners can bridge data gaps, manage aging infrastructure, improve efficiency, and respond to climate and demographic change. The session offers practical insights into aligning technical solutions with social, financial, and institutional frameworks to secure sustainable water and wastewater services worldwide.
Presentations:

• Collaborative Innovation In Critical Asset Surveying, Shauna Herron, United Kingdom
• Independent Community Wastewater Systems: Exploring Geographies In Scotland, Bridget Bennett, United Kingdom
• Conclusion Of The Water Supply Of The Future In Saarland, Germany, Kay Moeller, Germany
• Small-Scale Decentralized Water Supply Systems In Rural Japan: Characteristics And Implications, Yoshiki Hasegawa, Japan

Poster Pitches:

• An Integrated HSE Plan Structure In Water And Wastewater Projects, Saeedeh Javanmardi, Iran
• Modernity And Complexity In Systems-understanding Of Emerging Contaminants: Critical Reflections Following An Expert Elicitation Project., Karin Helwig, United Kingdom

TS 5.3 Risk and Resilience in a Changing Landscape
Tuesday, 06 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room H
This session examines how water systems anticipate, withstand, and recover from a wide range of risks. It highlights emerging tools, cross‑sector partnerships, and institutional approaches that strengthen preparedness and response across diverse contexts. Together, these perspectives show how risk‑aware planning and adaptive system design can enhance resilience and safeguard communities in an era of accelerating climate and environmental pressures.
Presentations:

• An Integrated Resilience Assessment Framework Combining The Resilience Matrix, DPSIR And PESTELS: Application To Drinking Water Security, Jyri Mustajoki, Finland
• Scaling Nature-Based Stormwater Solutions Through Partnerships And Innovative Data Platforms: A Case Study From Honolulu, Hawaii, Lauren Roth Venu, United States
• A Novel Framework For Flood Hazard Classification To Enhance Urban Flood Resilience, Ken Hunu, United States
• From Flood Memory To Governance Structure :A Comparative Study Of The Yellow River And The Rhine, Xueqing Deng, China

Poster Pitches:

• Post-Conflict Industrialization And Water Vulnerability: A Village-Level Analysis Of Contamination And Scarcity In Mullaitivu And Kilinochchi, Arumeirasa Ananthapavan, Sri Lanka
• Partnership Driven, System Thinking, Nature-based Programmes For Water Resilience: Insights From Two UK Demonstrators, Matthew Palmer, United Kingdom

TS 5.4 Behaviour Change for Sustainable Water Futures
Tuesday, 06 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room O
This session explores how people think, feel, and act around water, highlighting the behavioural and psychological dimensions that shape decisions and everyday practices. The work examines drivers of water use, perceptions of emerging water sources, lived experiences of insecurity, and the cognitive and emotional factors influencing trust, risk, and motivation. Insights span household choices, community experiences, and tools that help people imagine alternative water futures. Together, these perspectives illuminate pathways toward more resilient and adaptive water systems.
Presentations:

• State Of Knowledge Regarding The Perceptions Of The Public And Policy Influencers About Water Reuse: A Scoping Review., Paris Prince, Canada
• Beyond Messages: Incentivizing Behaviour Change Through Community-led Distribution, Hygiene Advocacy, And Market-based Access To WASH Tools, Jane Adizue, Nigeria
• Changes In Customers’ Behaviour For Water Use: Insights From The Water Service Improvement In Kathmandu, Nepal, Ryuji Ogata, Japan
• Building Empathy For Sustainable Water Futures: Communicating The Water Crisis Through Augmented Reality, Julia Baird, Canada

Poster Pitches:

• We Are The Same But Different; Customers Report Their Own And Others’ Attitudes Towards Desalination., Paul Jeffrey, United Kingdom
• Water On The Mind: Mapping Behavioural And Psychological Research On Water Security, Declan Conway, United Kingdom

TS 5.5 Transforming Water Futures Through Innovation
Wednesday, 07 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room O
This session examines how innovation is reshaping water systems, highlighting emerging technologies, new organisational models, and evolving pathways for adoption. It brings together work on digital platforms, AI, biotechnology, and industry–academia collaboration to show how different actors navigate opportunities and constraints in bringing new solutions into practice. Together, these perspectives reveal how technological and institutional transformation can strengthen performance, accelerate climate adaptation, and support more resilient and sustainable water futures.
Presentations:

• Semantic Integration Of Public And Industrial Water Data For Digital Transformation In Circular Water Systems, Janelcy Alferes, Belgium
• Community Perspectives On AI-Driven WASH Policy: Insights From Rural And Sub-Urban Settings, Rathin Biswas, India
• Conducting Public Relations Activities Through The Smartphone App (Tokyo Water App) To Enhance Resident Understanding, Kyohei Mitsumori, Japan
• Artificial Intelligence With Purpose: Águas E Energia Do Porto’s Strategy To Drive The Future, Daniela Silva, Portugal

Poster Pitches:

• Hydro Nation Chair –Closing The Gap And Pushing The Boundaries Of Research & Innovation Between Industry & Academia, Andrew Tyler, United Kingdom
• AI For Water Professionals: A Collaborative Workforce Development Model For Climate-Forward Utilities In Orange County, California, Lindsey Stuvick, United States

TS 5.6 Partnership and Collaboration in Water
Wednesday, 07 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room H
This session highlights how collaboration and governance enable innovation and system change in the water sector. Presentations examine how trust, governance modes, and operator collaboration support innovation uptake, resilience, and public confidence. Together, these insights offer practical lessons for designing context‑sensitive collaborations that accelerate sustainable water transitions.
Presentations:

• Drainage Partnerships In Scotland, Lucy Broadie, United Kingdom
• Boundary Work For Impact: Key Insights From Transdisciplinary Research Projects Funded By Water Research Organisations, Lisa Andrews, Netherlands
• Tapping The Potential Of Cross-Sector Innovation & Collaboration, Robert Staunton, United Kingdom
• Implementing District Metered Areas (DMAs) In A Rapidly Expanding Water Utility Through A ‘Water Operator Partnership’, Charlie Ferguson, United Kingdom

Poster Pitches:

• Engaging Medical Professionals In Water Reuse: A National Dialog, Eric Rosenblum, United States
• How Governance Modes Shape Collaborative Innovation: A Comparative Analysis Of Romania And England, Anne Ellermann, Netherlands

TS 5.7 Pathways to a Just Water Transition
Thursday, 08 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room M
This session explores how communities and knowledge holders shape water governance in ways that support more adaptive, inclusive, and future‑ready systems. Contributions examine emerging approaches to participation, locally grounded knowledge, community‑led monitoring, culturally informed stewardship, and new models of engagement between institutions and the public. Together, these perspectives highlight how shifts in governance, dialogue, and collective action can strengthen water decision‑making and support broader social transformation in a rapidly changing world.
Presentations:

• Two-Eyed Seeing And Indigenous Water Governance: The Importance Of Academic Partnerships To Advancing First Nations Water Sovereignty, Megan Fuller, Canada
• “The River Is Missing Its People” – Socio-hydrological Impacts Of Climate Change For Northern Indigenous Communities, Heather Smith, United Kingdom
• Water Security In Kuwait: Exploring A Water Citizenship Approach To Sustainable Water Futures, Arda Bilgen, United Kingdom
• Blue Access Scotland: A Disability Perspective On Health And Wellbeing Blue Space Assemblages, Mitia Aranda, United Kingdom

Poster Pitches:

• Transformative Impact Of Gender-responsive Coastal Adaptation In Empowering Marginalized Communities Through GCA Project In Coastal Areas Of Bangladesh, Khalequr Rahman A.H.M., Bangladesh
• Co-creating Local Behaviour Change Through Community Engagement: Increasing Individual Flood Preparedness, Fiona Henderson, United Kingdom

Workshop Sessions

WS 5.1 Co-designing Creative Advocacy Tools And Toolkits For Water Resilience
Monday, 05 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room E
Showcasing and sharing some useful tools and processes identified for building local advocacy around water resilience in different contexts

Chair: Kirsty Carden

Co-chair: Amber Abrams, Lina Taing

WS 5.2 Behavioural Insights In Design: Tools Towards Sustainable Water Practices
Tuesday, 06 October 10:30 – 12:00 Room D
Water challenges are not only technical–they are human. From utilities to watershed organizations, achieving sustainability goals requires shifting how people use, manage, and value water. Behavioural insights (BI), the study of how people make decisions, offer a powerful toolkit for designing more effective policies, programs, and strategies. This interactive workshop will introduce water managers, decision-makers, and practitioners to the core principles of behavioural science and demonstrate how they can be applied to water challenges. The workshop will feature a BI case study, as well as a hands-on exercise for participants to explore behavioural tools in a real-world context. Participants will leave with concrete, actionable insights and tools to help them advance behaviour change in their own projects and organizations.

Chair: Lina Taing

Co-chair: Alan Shapiro

Speakers: Lina Taing, Alan Shapiro, Declan Conway

WS 5.3 Investing In Skills – Higher Education And The Water Sector Workforce Of The Future
Tuesday, 06 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room D
Many countries have concerns about whether the water sector has a sufficiently sized, skilled and capable workforce to design and deliver the necessary investments to maintain service standards while addressing looming challenges. As the UK navigates the beginning of AMP8 with its record £104 billion of planned investment, there are already questions about the capacity to deliver those ambitious plans. Water companies, suppliers and regulators are all facing challenges in recruiting and retaining workers, in ensuring they attain the right skills and qualifications, and in organising and enabling them effectively. This session examines the higher education sector in that landscape. Learning from international practices and policy-maker ambitions, the aim of the workshop is to develop an agenda for HE institutions and their partners to guide the development of innovative, professionally focussed programmes and qualifications, to ensure the right skills are developed coherently.

Chair: Heather Smith

Co-chair: Brian McIntosh

Speakers: Shola Radford, Bill Becker, Graham Gagnon, Gabriel Mandell

WS 5.4 Water Under Pressure: Community Needs Vs. Industrial Demands
Tuesday, 06 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room E
This session tackles water security challenges in regions where rural communities lack safe water while nearby oil and gas industries manage large volumes of produced water, creating risks of contamination and seismicity. Through a gamified role-play, participants will step into the shoes of diverse stakeholders (e.g. community representative, regulators, industry) and negotiate solutions under real-world constraints.The purpose is to co-create practical, resilient solutions that balance social needs, environmental safety, and industrial demands. Participants will gain insights into stakeholder engagement, conflict resolution, and integrated water management strategies.Outcomes will be synthesized into best-practice recommendations for multi-stakeholder collaboration and shared through IWA networks, conference proceedings, and digital platforms to inspire global replication in water-stressed regions.

Chair: Adéla Králová

Co-chair: Evelin Menyhárt

Speakers: Evelin Menyhárt, Adéla Králová, Yousef Khallaf, Cameron Zaidi

WS 5.5 Extending Regulation Beyond Conventional Networked Systems: An Introduction to Regulating Rural Water Supply and Onsite Sanitation
Tuesday, 06 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room F
This session will highlight how countries across regions are now taking steps to extend regulatory oversight into two challenging and previously neglected areas — rural water supply (RWS), and onsite sanitation (OSS). The session will distil key recommendations from recently developed global and regional-level guidance in these areas, by WHO (on drinking water quality for small water supplies, and a roadmap for advancing sanitation regulation); and ESAWAS (on rural water supply and sanitation and small water supplies regulation, and guidance to support utilities in operationalizing OSS mandates). The guidance will be paired with insights from the practical steps being taken by several leading regulatory authorities from Africa and Latin America.

Chair: Analia Saker-Stanig

Co-chair: Sam Drabble

Speakers: Analia Saker-Stanig, Bill Twyman, Sam Drabble

WS 5.6 Thinking Globally And Acting Locally To Secure Water Resilience
Tuesday, 06 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room E
This session will define the art of the possible in integrated water planning todevelop holistic economic cases for investment into water resilience.The workshop brings together global pioneers to inspire action and will impartguidance from utilities, leading experts and governmental organisations. It willcater to attendees across the water cycle (utilities, water users, governments)looking to ensure investment in water resilience.The session will outline the key enablers of integrated water planning: vision andgovernance, catchment knowledge and capacity, integrated nature basedsolutions, financing, and cross-sector collaboration. Through roundtablediscussions, global perspectives and actions to secure water resilience will berevealed.Outputs will feed into recommendations for the adoption of integrated watermanagement principles in the Glasgow Framework for investment into SDG6.

Chair: Robert Cunningham

Co-chair: Richard Smith

Speakers: Phil Raynor, Kay Orsi, Douglas Herrick, Claire Burke

WS 5.7 Regulatory Developments As Moving Targets For The Water Sector
Tuesday, 06 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room H
The water sector is facing regulatory developments linked to stricter standards and particularly water quality targets to be achieved, next to e.g. requirements to achieve energy neutrality, better risk assessment and cost coverage, just to name a few aspects. Recent examples in Europe are the new Directing Water and Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive but also the first uniform European regulation on minimum requirements for water reuse. The session will depict the common challenges encountered when aligning water sector development and regulatory compliance. Some case examples will be depicted and options for a proactive adaptation will be developed. The session will be organized by the European Water Association and enriched by contributions from the Technical & Scientific European Committee as well as European Policy Committee

Chair: Harsha Ratnaweera

Co-chair: Elisabeta Poci

Speakers: Thomas Wintgens, Arthur Guischet

WS 5.8 SMART Goal Setting For Water Professionals In The AI Era
Wednesday, 07 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room E
The purpose of this session is to equip water professionals with practical strategies for setting SMART goals that integrate AI tools and digital technologies, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and personal career development. As AI transforms water management–through predictive analytics, digital twins, and copilots–professionals must adapt their planning and performance frameworks to remain competitive and effective.The desired output of this workshop is for participants to leave with at least two AI-enabled SMART goals tailored to their organization or role, along with templates and a career planning roadmap for the AI era. These outputs will help attendees operationalize AI adoption while maintaining measurable, achievable targets.Following the conference, participants are expected to apply these goals within their organizations, share best practices through internal workshops or professional networks, and contribute to industry-wide knowledge dissemination.

Chair: Farokh Kakar

Co-chair: Elsayed Elbeshbishy

Speakers: Ahmad Alsayed, Wim Audenaert, Embrey Bronstad, Charles Shachinda

WS 5.9 From Catchment Crisis To Community Trust: Communication Strategies For Drinking Water Resilience
Thursday, 08 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room E
This interactive workshop focuses on resolving complex catchment risks holistically. Using an exemplar catchment that faces water quality issues, land slips, diseased trees, a sole supply reservoir, anti-social behaviour, flooding and downstream environmental impacts, the facilitating team will present the issues and possible options (land management, tree biosecurity, Access & Requisition funding, forecasted releases and variable flow regimes, downstream engagement and river modifications). Participants will practice targeted communication approaches for regulators, landowners, communities and media, coâ?’design messaging and scripts for contentious scenarios (flood releases, reservoir vulnerability, license tradeâ?’offs) and produce historic plan for the catchment. Outputs: oneâ?’page communication playbook, scripted stakeholder responses, and a template for aligning technical mitigation steps with clear public messaging. We will then present our actual plan and experiences.

Chair: Matt Higginson

Speakers: Jim Airton, Matt Higginson, Jonny Kid, John Gorst

Technical Sessions

TS 6.1 Surface Water Quality and Algal Dynamics
Monday, 05 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room J
This session brings together innovative approaches for assessing, modeling, and predicting surface water quality at watershed to global scales. Presentations address emerging contaminants such as PFAS, long‑term trends in algal blooms, and the transformation of chemicals in aquatic systems. Emphasis is placed on advanced modeling, machine learning, deep learning, and remote sensing techniques that support water quality assessment in both data‑rich and data‑limited environments. Collectively, the studies highlight how data‑driven methods can inform effective water resources management and decision‑making under complex and evolving environmental conditions.
Presentations:

• A Globally Transferable Framework For Estimating PFAS Emissions And Distribution Through Surface Water In Data-Limited Watersheds, Marcus Joseph Sanchez, Japan
• Machine Learning Prediction Of Surface Water Quality Parameters Using Multispectral Satellite Data., Manu Seth, United Kingdom
• Distributed Water Quality Monitoring, Dave Walker, United Kingdom
• Microbial Signatures Of Resistance In Polar Regions: Linking ARGs, Trace Elements, And Fecal Contamination Markers Across The Arctic And Antarctic, Silvia Monteiro, Portugal

Poster Pitches:

• Biofilms Of Chalk Rivers: A Search For New Indicators Of River Health, Erin Doyle, United Kingdom
• Integrated Management Of Non-Tidal River Water Through Combined WCS For Facilitating Surface Irrigation, Ground Water, Domestic Water, Fisheries, Erosion Control Etc.: A Practical Case- Birganj CWCS, Poly Das, Bangladesh

TS 6.2 Advanced Membranes, Reuse, Desalination
Monday, 05 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room L
This session showcases cutting-edge advances in membrane-based desalination, water reuse, and resource recovery. Presentations connect novel materials and process innovations with energy-efficient operation, resilient system design, and real-world performance from pilots to full-scale plants. Broader perspectives address monitoring and risk management, concentrate handling, and the planning, financing, and partnerships needed to scale solutions.
Presentations:

• Active Energy Recovery Devices To Enable Lower Power Consumption – MPE70 Operational Results, John Ferguson, Australia
• Membrane Distillation As A Waste-Heat-Powered Approach For Water Scarcity In The Colorado River Basin, Eman Alkhudher , United States
• Exploring The Potential For Grid-Responsive Flexible Operation Of A Brackish Water Desalination Facility To Reduce The Cost Of Desalinated Water, Brian Tarroja, United States
• Chlorination-properties-performance Of Polyamide Nanofiltration Membranes For The Rejection Of Emerging Contaminants, Wenhao Su, China

Poster Pitches:

• Optimizing Managed Aquifer Recharge In Coastal Dunes By Extracting Brackish Groundwater: Results Of A Field Pilot In The Netherlands, Gertjan Zwolsman, Netherlands
• Silicon Carbide(SiC) Membranes: A Superior Pre-Treatment Solution For Reverse Osmosis Systems, Bruno Bigot, United Kingdom

TS 6.3 Global Climate-Resilient Water Systems and Governance
Tuesday, 06 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room H
This session explores how climate science, smart technologies, and community engagement are transforming global water management. It examines the performance of early climate impact assessments for global water resources toward 2025 and highlights innovative governance approaches integrating smart technologies in Cape Town, South Africa. Technical advances are presented through water quality modeling for burned catchments in Australia and multi-year water availability forecasting using decadal climate predictions in France. Practical adaptation strategies include a community-based flood early warning system in Benin’s Oueme Delta and replicable climate risk mapping from Spain’s ClimEmpower project, strengthening regional resilience through science-driven, locally grounded solutions.
Presentations:

• Early Climate Impact Assessments Targeted 2025 — How Did They Perform For Global Water Resources?, Declan Conway, United Kingdom
• Integrating Smart Technologies In Community-Led Water Governance For Climate Adaptation In Cape Town, South Africa, Tafadzwa Maramura, South Africa
• Water Quality Model For Burned Catchments In Australia, David Bergmann, Australia
• Forecasting Water Resources Availability At Multi-year Time Horizon
  by Leveraging Decadal Climate Predictions In France, Joanne Couallier, France

Poster Pitches:

• Influence Of Climatic Teleconnections On Meteorological, Agricultural And Hydrological Droughts In The Wimmera Catchment, Victoria, Minuri Silva, Australia
• Hydraulic Modeling Of Landward Flood Wave Propagation Induced By Levee Overtopping Under Extreme Short-Duration Rainfall, Chanjin Jeong, Korea, Republic of

TS 6.4 Nature-Based Innovations for Water Quality Protection
Tuesday, 06 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room L
This session highlights innovative and nature-based strategies for protecting and improving water quality across diverse environments. It explores Nature-Based Solutions for drinking water treatment and ecosystem restoration in Lake IJsselmeer, alongside spatio-temporal assessment of resource-directed measures for water protection in South Africa. Advances in environmental monitoring include the development of a biotest for brine ecotoxicity assessment and satellite remote sensing applications for small urban waterbodies. Ecological remediation approaches are showcased through Juncus maritimus phytoremediation in estuarine waters and Oslo’s infiltration-based stormwater strategy, demonstrating integrated, source-control methods that deliver pollution reduction and broad ecosystem service benefits.
Presentations:

• Nature-Based Solutions For Drinking Water Treatment And A Healthier Lake Ijsselmeer, Anne Swank, Netherlands
• Development And Use Of A Biotest For Brine Ecotoxicity Assessment., Raphaelle Du Besset, France
• Juncus Maritimus Phytoremediation Potential – A Nature-Based Solution For Removal Of Contaminants From Estuarine Waters, Marisa Almeida, Portugal
• Infiltration: Step 1 Of Oslo’s Three-Step Stormwater Strategy: A Source-Control Approach To Reducing Pollution To Oslofjord With Wide Ecosystem Service Benefits, Inga Potter, Norway

Poster Pitches:

• Machine-Learning-Powered Pseudo-Target Screening For Rapid Bioaccumulation Identification, Ye Sun, China
• Prevalence Of PAHs Over Pesticides In Urban Stormwater Retention Reservoirs: Monitoring Results From Gdansk And Sopot, Sylwia Fudala-Ksiazek, Poland

TS 6.5 Sustainable Practices of Planning, Catchment, and Treatment
Tuesday, 06 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room O
This session explores sustainable water management across catchments, treatment systems, and planning frameworks. Presentations examine how nature-based approaches, monitoring and assessment methods, and decision-support tools can improve water security, water quality, and resilience. Case studies link landscape processes with infrastructure and governance choices, highlighting practical strategies to reduce risks, manage trade-offs, and support long-term sustainability.
Presentations:

• Catchment Health Metrics To Inform Management Of Australian Source Water Catchments, David Bergmann, Australia
• Catchment-scale Strategies For Mitigating Trihalomethane Risks In Water Treatment, Ana Amezaga-Kutija, United Kingdom
• A Sustainable Development Specification And Criteria Supporting Decision Making In Wastewater Management, Maria Neth, Sweden
• Purification Of Lunar Ice Using Flash Distillation And Continuous Flow Supercritical Water Oxidation, Farid Bustos, United Kingdom

Poster Pitches:

• The Norfolk Water Fund: From Concept To Action — Demonstrating How Nature-based Solutions Can Deliver For Water Security, Hannah Gray, United Kingdom
• Evaluating Water-Table Monitoring Strategies On Lowland Agricultural Peatlands, Andrea Momblanch, United Kingdom

TS 6.6 From plastics to PFAS: Unmasking hidden water contaminants
Wednesday, 07 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room I
This session highlights a diverse range of environmental contamination challenges around the world, from urban river plastics, explosive residues and PFAS.  From sourcing these emerging contaminants to tracing the pollutant pathways and highlighting the mitigation strategies needed, this session will provide insights into real-world pollution risks.
Presentations:

• Marine Debris In River Margins: Microbial Communities On Microplastic Surfaces During Wet And Dry Weathering, Natalie Mladenov, United States
• Tracking The Invisible Threat: Persistent Explosive Residues In Raw And Drinking Water Bodies, Dani Khoury, France
• Fate And Transport Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Through Coastal Stormwater Systems, Ava DiVita, United States
• Understanding the retention and treatment of highway runoff pollutants within roadside bioretention systems – and implications for design and long-term maintenance, Lubabah Hossain, United Kingdom

Poster Pitches:

• Linking Water Resource Management To Ecosystem Health: Macroinvertebrate-Based Monitoring Using Version 5 Of The South Africa Scoring System (SASS 5), Tebogo Kgosana, South Africa
• When Stormwater Meets Wastewater: Climate-Driven Shifts In Human Contamination Pathways In A Coastal California Urban River, Federick Pinongcos, United States

TS 6.7 Invisible Threats: Tracking Chemical and Biological Risks in Our Waters
Wednesday, 07 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room K
Emerging contaminants, including pharmaceuticals, anti-microbial resistant pathogens and avian influenza virus, persist through wastewater treatment and increasingly threaten ecosystem health and recreational waters.  These papers cover the monitoring and modelling of these contaminants and how early warning of events and reduction strategies can impact river health.
Presentations:

• Detection Of Avian Influenza Virus In Surface Waters Using Passive Samplers, Madison Gouthro, Canada
• MICROSENSE : Integrating Microbial Bioindicators And Functional Biomarkers For Pesticides Water Quality Assessment, Gilles Quabron, Belgium
• Applicable Tool To Estimate Pharmaceutical Loads From Wastewater Treatment Plants Discharged To Surface Waters Supporting Pollution Management In Practice, Jens Tränckner, Germany
• Fluorescence Fingerprint Discrimination Of Industrial Phosphorus Sources In The Upper Yangtze River Basin, Jintao Mao, China

Poster Pitches:

• The Fate, Removal And Ecological Impact Of Emerging Contaminants (pharmaceuticals, Pesticides And Endocrine Disrupters) In The River Almond, Scotland (MOT4Rivers), Alison Brown, United Kingdom
• Prevalence And Diverse Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance Profiles Of Ciprofloxacin-Resistant Escherichia Coli In An Aquaculture-Influenced Dam System, Punyawee Dulyayangkul, Thailand

TS 6.8 Data-Driven Solutions for Large-scale Systems
Wednesday, 07 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room K
This session focuses on data-driven approaches to understand and improve large scale water systems. Presentations highlight digital twins, AI and decision-support tools, and integrated modeling of hydrology, water quality, and infrastructure performance across stormwater, sewers, rivers, coastal waters, and aquifers. Emphasis is on actionable analytics that support planning, operations, and risk management.
Presentations:

• Open-Source Digital Twins And AI For Performance Optimisation Of Existing Stormwater Systems, Joe Shuttleworth, United States
• Extreme Storms And Sewer Overflows, Bridget Rusk, United Kingdom
• A Network And GPS Tracking Approach To Water Security And Diarrhoeal Disease Modelling Across Shared Human And Livestock Waterpoint Networks In Pastoral Communities In Northern Kenya, Sirimon Thomas, United Kingdom
• Water As A Battery, John Ferguson, Australia

Poster Pitches:

• Award Winning Smart Technology Delivers Silver Bullet Solution To Water Security., Neil Sewell, United Kingdom
• Microbial Roles Of N2O Emissions In Shenzhen Bay: Community Dynamics And Functional Gene Regulation, Caifeng Liu, China

TS 6.9 Adaptive Water Supply and Management
Wednesday, 07 October 15:30 – 17:00, Room M
This session examines how water systems can adapt to climate stress and uncertainty. Presentations and posters address drought and extreme-event resilience, diversified water supplies, basin-scale adaptation strategies, and practical implementation through governance, investment, and partnerships. Case studies span community and regional contexts, linking climate risk to feasible interventions that strengthen water security, equity, and long-term system reliability.
Presentations:

• Evaluating Mine Water Resiliency In The Face Of Climate Change, Anh-Long Nguyen , Canada
• Atmospheric Water And Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting To Supplement Intermittent Domestic Water Supply In The Major Cities Of Ghana., Cynthia Acquaye , Netherlands
• Microsand Ballasted Clarification: A Resilient Clarification Process To Face Climate Change Impacts On Drinking Water Quality, Philippe Sauvignet, France
• Shifting The Focus: Leveraging Existing Water Management Strategies For Adaptive And Resilient Water Basins, Eunice Attafuah, New Zealand

Poster Pitches:

• How Should Water Utilities Share And Trade Water Regionally With Other Sectors?, Julien Harou, United Kingdom
• Fens 2100+: Understanding Today To Unlock Future Transformational Change, Jennifer Laight, United Kingdom

TS 6.10 Nature, Tech & Tomorrow: Integrated Solutions for Water Scarcity and Quality
Thursday, 08 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room L
This session covers a range of different innovative solutions to different water challenges with a focus on sustainability and nature based solutions.  The particular challenges range from water production for agriculture, improving wastewater treatment and reuse as well as stormwater quality.  Innovations include the integration of AI and modelling along with degrading persistent agricultural pollutants with the use of advanced plasma oxidation processes.
Presentations:

• Beyond Sensor Drift: An AI-IoT-CFD Fusion Framework For Resilient Real-Time Control Of CDS-NbS Stormwater Treatment Trains, Yah Wong, Malaysia
• Holistic And Integrated Approach To Sustainability Through All Phases Of The Extension Of Kalundborg Central WWTP, Jeanette Agertved Madsen, Denmark
• An Innovative Combined System Of Atmospheric Water Harvesting And Precision Agriculture For Water-stressed Areas, Alexandros Stefanakis, Greece
• Provision Of Year-round Drinking Water To Communities From Sand Dams In Kenya, Alison Parker, United Kingdom

Poster Pitches:

• Site-specific Conditions Evaluation For Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) Sites Selection In Granitic Aquifers, Albert Acheampong, Canada
• Digital Twin-Driven Intelligent Regulation Technology And Resilience Enhancement Practice For Quantity Of Water Intake In The Service Industry: A Chinese Solution, Jialin Liu, China

TS 6.11 Aquifer recharge and groundwater supply challenges
Thursday, 08 October 10:30 – 12:00, Room M
The studies showcase global strategies to enhance groundwater resilience amid increasing drought pressure.  The use of river-filtered water and reclaimed water for aquifer recharge is discussed as is decadal groundwater analysis for agriculture.  Improving groundwater modelling in data-scarce environments and bore-scale modelling to predict supply performance will all be discussed.  Collectively, they highlight the need for innovative recharge methods, advanced monitoring, and decision‑support tools to secure sustainable groundwater resources.
Presentations:

• From Drought To Resilience: A Holistic Strategy For Alternative Water Resources Management And Aquifer Recharge In The Barcelona Metropolitan Area, Meritxell Minoves, Spain
• Groundwater Quality Trends In Korea And Implications For Agricultural Water Management: A Decade-Long Assessment, So-Jin Yeob, Korea, Republic of
• Smart Water Futures: Leveraging IoT For Decision Support On Stormwater Harvesting With Managed Aquifer Recharge, John Okedi, South Africa
• Forecasting Yields From Public Water Supply Boreholes, Christopher Jackson, United Kingdom

Poster Pitches:

• Integrating IoT Monitoring And Machine Learning For Groundwater Level Prediction In The Mitchells Plain West Catchment, South Africa, Daniel Kibirige, South Africa
• Enhancing MAR Operational Efficiency Through Integrated AI-Based Tools: The MARCLAIMED Project Approach, Sara Espinosa Martínez, Spain

TS 6.12 Advancing Carbon-Neutral and Sustainable Water Systems
Thursday, 08 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room L
This session explores pathways toward carbon neutrality and sustainability across the water sector. It presents insights into carbon–contaminant emission patterns in wastewater treatment plants and examines synergistic control strategies supporting carbon-neutral operations. Broader perspectives on achieving net zero targets highlight sector-wide transitions and policy alignment. Trade-offs between water and carbon footprints in electrolysis-based hydrogen production are critically assessed, alongside environmental implications of flexible source water selection for direct potable reuse and desalination along the Belgian coast. Practical experiences from the Dutch water sector and corporate responsibility frameworks demonstrate how sustainability and water-positive resilience can be embedded into long-term operational strategies.
Presentations:

• Insights Into Carbon-contaminant Emission Patterns And Synergistic Control Strategies In Wastewater Treatment Plants Toward Carbon Neutrality, Daliang Xu, China
• Perspectives To Carbon Neutrality And Net Zero Targets In Water Sector, Suvi Lehtoranta, Finland
• Water Footprint And Carbon Footprint Trade-offs Of Electrolysis-based Hydrogen Production, Jian Li, Australia
• Flexibility In Source Water Selection For Direct Potable Reuse: Environmental Impacts Of Sea And Brackish Water Desalination At The Belgian Coast, Maarten Bossuyt, Belgium

Poster Pitches:

• How We Are Embedding Sustainability In The Dutch Water Sector, Josje Brouwers, Netherlands
• Infrastructure-Normalised Water Stress Integrating Infrastructure Functionality Into Climate-Sensitive Water Stress Assessment, Md Tahmidul Islam, Bangladesh

TS 6.13 Innovative Pathways for Resilient Water Futures
Thursday, 08 October 13:30 – 15:00, Room O
This session examines emerging challenges and innovative pathways shaping resilient water futures. It addresses environmental and scientific pressures influencing water resources management, while exploring integration of Indigenous knowledge, ecohydrology, and international water law in the Orange-Senqu Basin. Institutional lessons from Sylhet City Corporation highlight governance reforms supporting urban water resilience. Regional and catchment-scale planning experiences from Eastern England demonstrate strategies to balance growth with environmental protection. A holistic PESTLE–SWOT assessment in Saudi Arabia’s arid agricultural ecosystem provides insights into sustainable groundwater management. Finally, cross-border innovation collaborations in the Danish-German region showcase partnership-driven approaches for effective climate adaptation.
Presentations:

• Integrated Regional And Catchment-scale Planning For Growth And The Water Environment In Eastern England, Daniel Johns, United Kingdom
• A Holistic PESTLE–SWOT Assessment Of Sustainable Groundwater Governance In Saudi Arabia Arid Agriculture Ecosystem., Mohammed AlRayaan, Saudi Arabia
• Beyond Borders: Innovation Collaborations As Drivers Of Climate Adaptation In The Danish-German Border Region, Styrmir Gislason, Denmark
• Water Research Outlook For Australia – Insights For All, David Bergmann, Australia

Poster Pitches:

• Availability, Sustainability And Challenges Of Groundwater Resources In The Caplina Fossil Aquifer, Headwaters Of The Atacama Desert, Edwin Pino-Vargas, Peru
• Environmental Antimicrobial Resistance Dissemination In An Irrigation-Dam Aquaculture System And Public Water-Contact Sites Under The FarmAquaNet Project, Punyawee Dulyayangkul, Thailand

Workshop Sessions

WS 6.1 Microbial Sensors For Real-Time Management Of Drinking And Recreational Waters
Monday, 05 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room C
The workshop aims at exploring how microbial sensors can support real-time management of water resource in of water/sanitation safety planning perspective. Participants will learn about specificities and limitations of automated on-site monitoring (AOM) of microbial water quality to be able to then critically assess possibilities and barriers of sensor deployment under high-risk scenarios in drinking and recreational waters. The audience will be actively contributing to the workshop for 75% of the time of the workshop organized in a table setting during which various scenarios of sensor deployment under high risk situations will be discussed and then exposed to the audience. Participants will take away key knowledge and proactive thinking in microbial risk management applicable to their own (future) situations.

Chair: Jean-Baptiste Burnet

Co-chair: Nikki van Bel

Speakers: Jean-Baptiste Burnet, Andreas Farnleitner, Nikki van Bel

WS 6.2 Exploring Water In The 21st Century: Experiences In Water Reuse Between Brazil And Portugal As A Way To Diversify The Regional Water Portfolio
Monday, 05 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room D
The water crisis has affected various regions of the world in different ways. To face the challenges of the future, water reuse is becoming one of the most important sustainable sources of unconventional water. According to different regional characteristics and planning, each country is structuring its progress in water reuse. In this context, the Instituto Reúso de Água, a Brazil-Portugal institution, aims to present different scenarios and water reuse in both countries. The case studies involve efficient communication to address rejection, as well as different applications such as urban, industrial, and potable. Furthermore, the projects to be presented (all confirmed) will demonstrate triggers and lessons learned in different contexts. The audience will be invited to divide into groups to discuss the experiences presented. The intention is to present solutions for addressing the water crisis that can inspire applications in different regions of the world.

Chair: Ana Silvia Pereira Santos

Co-chair: José Vieira

Speakers: Marcos Batista, Teresa Fernandes, Alexandre Perufo, Luis Antônio, Reis

WS 6.3 Nature Based Solutions For Flooding — From Concept To Reality
Wednesday, 07 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room E
The concept of NbS for flood risk or Natural Flood Management (NFM) is well established in the UK, attracting significant investment in research and limited real-world deployment. While the growth in acceptance is welcome, questions remain including: How effective are NbS in tackling flood risk?; How can farmers and land managers be supported and incentivized to deliver NbS?; How do we build a business case for investment?; What governance and policy arrangements are required to allow co-investment. This workshop will provide insights into how these challenges have been addressed from real-world case studies and initiatives that are seeking to unlock the full potential of NbS in tackling flood risk in the UK through policy, practice, science and innovative finance. It will also introduce participants to WaterProof II, a new tool that offers a rapid evaluation flood risk management benefits NbS can offer at a watershed scale.

Chair: Alex Adam

Co-chair: Rob Cunningham

Speakers: Alex Adam, Carlos Andres Rogéliz Prada, Chris Spray, Ian Jelley, Julia Okatz, Dan Hird, Rob Cunningham

WS 6.4 Water Reuse In Relation To Groundwater Resources Management
Wednesday, 07 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room J
Water availability and quality face increasing pressure from human use and climate-driven droughts, while groundwater overexploitation and pollution threaten ecosystems and liveability. A new balance between extraction and replenishment is essential. Recharging groundwater with treated wastewater is a possible solution, linking urban and anthropogenic water cycles and supporting EU strategies for reuse and resilience. The workshop explores application cases, water quality impacts, frameworks, and modeling approaches, fostering integrative thinking and collaboration. Insights from roundtable discussions will inform an article for a professional journal, such as IWA’s The Source, led by speakers and early-career scientists.

Chair: Ruud Bartholomeus

Co-chair: Shafick Adams

Speakers: Klaasjan Raat, Shafick Adams, Han Vervaeren, Beatriz de la Loma Gonzalez, Meritxell Minoves Ruiz

OW.1 Developing a Global Water Diplomacy Curriculum
Monday, 05 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room D
Water conflicts — across borders and within them — are intensifying under climate change, competing demands, and contested governance. Yet water professionals rarely receive structured training in the science, negotiation, and diplomacy needed to resolve them. This session advances a global Water Diplomacy Certificate for water professionals by testing and refining a draft curriculum against real cases. Through short case studies spanning transboundary rivers, domestic disputes, and coupled human–water modeling, participants will identify what the curriculum must teach and where gaps remain. The desired output is an updated, field-tested curriculum and a set of teaching cases feeding a planned book, Global Water Diplomacy Case Studies. Following the Congress, outcomes will be disseminated through the MSU Water Alliance and partner institutions and used to launch the certificate with an initial network of founding members across several regions.

Chair: Joan Rose

Co-chair: M. Reza Alizadeh

Speakers: Norm Graham, Vlad Tarabara, Leila Delovarova, Reza Alizadeh, Mark Wong

OW.2 Accelerating Delivery: How Government Leadership, Investment and Aligned Support Turn Commitments into Action.
Monday, 05 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room I
Political commitments on water and sanitation are increasing, including through national compacts, Water Forward and global moments leading to the UN Water Conference. Yet many governments still face the practical challenge of moving from commitment to implementation: aligning institutions, financing pathways, accountability arrangements and delivery support. This workshop will examine how coordinated support from political platforms, technical partners and financing actors can help governments translate commitments into actionable, investable and accountable delivery pathways. Drawing on WaterAid, SWA and UNDP experience, and country examples linked to compact and finance-readiness processes, the session will generate practical lessons on what aligned support looks like in practice and how it can be applied by governments, basin and utility actors, development partners and financiers after the Congress.

Chair: Kevin Roussel

Co-chair: Irene Gai

Speakers: Romeo Nkurunziza

OW.3 Innovation and Technology Improvements in Water Management
Tuesday, 06 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room C
The G7 and G20 have identified water security as a priority for the world’s leading economies, with a growing recognition that private sector innovation and investment paired with leadership at the national and subnational level is essential to achieve scalable solutions and impact.

Discussions among G7 and G20 governments and stakeholders have highlighted a consensus on the need for concrete and practical actions that fast-track effective and innovative solutions in managing water resources and addressing risks associated with water contaminants.

This event would build on the G7’s focus on water pollutants and the G20’s priority on water reuse, creating a collaborative platform fostering international partnerships between private sector leaders and public actors on overcoming structural obstacles and investment barriers to address shared challenges. The event can leverage a global audience of business leaders, technology innovators (from start-ups and SMEs to industrial leaders) and investors, alongside water management agencies, technical and scientific experts, policymakers, institutional representatives, international organizations and multilateral initiatives, to engage in technical and solutions-oriented dialogue.

Coordinating the G7 and G20 around a focused set of water issues will enable continuity and sustained leadership and focus across both France’s and United States’ G7 and G20 Presidencies. This event will elevate leadership at the national and sub-national level, combined with private sector solutions to drive development and implementation.

OW.4 Innovation and Technology Improvements in Water Management
Tuesday, 06 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room C
The G7 and G20 have identified water security as a priority for the world’s leading economies, with a growing recognition that private sector innovation and investment paired with leadership at the national and subnational level is essential to achieve scalable solutions and impact. Discussions among G7 and G20 governments and stakeholders have highlighted a consensus on the need for concrete and practical actions that fast-track effective and innovative solutions in managing water resources and addressing risks associated with water contaminants.
This event would build on the G7’s focus on water pollutants and the G20’s priority on water reuse, creating a collaborative platform fostering international partnerships between private sector leaders and public actors on overcoming structural obstacles and investment barriers to address shared challenges. The event can leverage a global audience of business leaders, technology innovators (from start-ups and SMEs to industrial leaders) and investors, alongside water management agencies, technical and scientific experts, policymakers, institutional representatives, international organizations and multilateral initiatives, to engage in technical and solutions-oriented dialogue.

Coordinating the G7 and G20 around a focused set of water issues will enable continuity and sustained leadership and focus across both France’s and United States’ G7 and G20 Presidencies. This event will elevate leadership at the national and sub-national level, combined with private sector solutions to drive development and implementation.

OW.5 Data Centres
Wednesday, 07 October 10:30 – 12:00 Room F

OW.6 What Enables Water Innovation To Scale? From Pilots To Systems Change
Wednesday, 07 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room D
Water innovation is not constrained by technology, but by the enabling environments that determine whether solutions can scale. Fewer than 15% of water technology start-ups reach sustained commercial deployment, reflecting a persistent gap between pilot validation and full operational adoption (O’Callaghan, Buisman and Adapa, The Dynamics of Water Innovation, 2023). Fragmented governance, risk averse procurement systems and limited pathways for adoption continue to prevent solutions from being integrated into operational systems.

This session responds by moving from high level system context to practical implementation. It begins by framing the broader water challenge and the gap between innovation and adoption, before grounding the discussion in the lived experience of innovators and building towards system level dialogue. In doing so, it creates a platform to identify what enables deployment in practice and what needs to change to move from pilots to scalable impact.

Chair: Megan Gerryts, Anna Huber

Speakers: Christian Montag, Chengzi Chew, Jo Burgess, Alex Plant

OW.7 Data Centres
Wednesday, 07 October 13:30 – 15:00 Room F

OW.8 Locally-Led Approaches to the Water Sector in the SDG Era: A Conversation with IWA & Grundfos Youth Fellows
Wednesday, 07 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room C
This interactive workshop will present the key findings from the second cohort of the IWA & Grundfos Youth Action for SDG6 Fellowship. Over the past year, the Fellows have developed five thematic chapters exploring nature‑based approaches, youth‑led solutions, civic participation, stakeholder interfaces, and socio‑economic impacts, with a shared focus on locally-led solutions to strengthen resilience and adaptation in the water sector.

The workshop will begin with a panel of representatives from each of the five chapters in the IWA Grundfos Fellowship publication, before opening for reflections from the audience with an open-floor format.

The session is designed to move beyond one‑way presentation and into collaborative problem‑solving. It creates a space where youth perspectives are actively integrated into broader sector dialogue, contributing to the co‑creation of actionable pathways for accelerating progress on SDG6.

Chair: Meg Cummins

Co-chair: Hadi Mokarizadeh

Speakers: Nathalia da Mata, Patience Wema, Micheala Chan, Emmanuel Ahenkorah, Thomas da Jose, Karl Zimmermann

OW.9 From Ambition to Investment: CEO Perspectives on Scaling Digital Transformation in Water Utilities (Invite-only)
Wednesday, 07 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room F
Digitalization is increasingly recognized as a strategic priority for water utilities, yet many efforts remain limited to pilots, or standalone systems, with limited translation into implementation-ready investments.

This CEO roundtable convenes utility leaders from developing countries to exchange practical experiences on advancing from digital ambition to scalable, financeable solutions. The session will feature a short framing by the World Bank, an international “ignite talk” highlighting Korea’s experience in scaling digital water solutions, and an interactive, closed-door discussion among CEOs.

The discussion will focus on key barriers, decision-making processes, and enabling factors for digital transformation, including financing, governance, and institutional capacity. The session is part of the World Bank Digital Water Country Accelerator Program, which supports utilities in developing actionable digital roadmaps and investment pipelines.

OW.10 From Protocol to Practice: Global N₂O Monitoring and Pathways to Net Zero Wastewater Treatment
Wednesday, 07 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room G
Wastewater utilities are increasingly recognising the importance of accurately quantifying and mitigating nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions as part of broader sector wide decarbonisation and net-zero strategies. This interactive workshop will officially launch the Global N₂O Monitoring Protocol for wastewater treatment plants and provide a platform for international dialogue on the future of fugitive greenhouse gas emissions management within the water sector.

Chair: Stephanie Rinck-Pfeiffer

Co-chair: Jason Mingo

Speakers: Liu Ye, Johann Poinapen, Stephanie Rinck Pfeiffer, Jason Mingo

OW.11 CSU Recognition Workshop
Wednesday, 07 October 15:30 – 17:00 Room N

OW.12 Regenerating Water Futures – The Role of the IWA Principles for Water Wise Cities
Thursday, 08 October 10:30 – 12:00 Room A
The purpose of this workshop is to activate the collective intelligence of a diversity of IWA members and participants to revisit the Principles of the Water Wise Cities with a renewed understanding of our planetary emergency and the urgent need for regenerative design with water as a catalyst.

Chair: Trine Stausgaard Munk

Speakers: Trine Stausgaard Munk, Daniela Bemfica, Gayathri Muraleedharan, Eduardo Mario Mendiondo

OW.13 IWA LeaP: Catalysing the Next Generation of Water Leaders
Thursday, 08 October 10:30 – 12:00 Room B
This workshop highlights the IWA Leadership Programme (LeaP) as an opportunity for young professionals to build confidence, strengthen networks, and translate leadership development into meaningful action.

Through keynote insights, fellow reflections, project showcases, panel discussion, and audience engagement, the session will demonstrate how LeaP supports emerging leaders in turning ideas into collaboration and impact across the global water sector.

The session will also invite participants to reflect on leadership challenges within their own organisations and communities, while exploring how they can support the continued growth of LeaP through mentorship, partnerships, and future engagement.

Chair: Natalie, Páez-Curtidor

Co-chair: Federick Pinongcos

Speakers: Natalie, Páez-Curtidor, Federick Pinongcos, Chotiwat Jantarakasem, Igor Luketina, Laurence Strubbe, Linda Li, Matthew MacRorie, Oscar Timothy Balongo, Shivon Mehta, Yaw Abrampah, Yumeng Zhao

OW.14 Women’s Leadership Network: Storytelling for Change — Women Leaders Driving Water Action
Thursday, 08 October 10:30 – 12:00 Room D
The WLN workshop will introduce the IWA Women Leadership Network and Steering Committee, share the Network’s vision and purpose, and create space to hear from women leaders at different career stages across the water sector.

The session will combine senior-leader storytelling, emerging-leader perspectives and audience participation. Speakers will reflect on who created space for them to lead, how they create opportunities for others, and the practical support, sponsorship, visibility and networks that help women progress.

The dialogue will also reinforce that advancing women’s leadership is part of building a genuinely inclusive water sector in which everyone can participate, contribute and thrive. The launch can also invite discussion on how the Network may support IWA’s wider leadership and inclusion ambitions.

Chair: Annalisa Contos

Co-chair: Chelsea Hayward

Speakers: Rose Kaggwa, Nupur Bahadur, Nerina Di Lorenzo, Beverley Stinson, Geraldine Mpouma Logmo, Natalie Lamb, Inês Breda

OW.15 Next Generation Sanitation Systems
Thursday, 08 October 10:30 – 12:00 Room F

OW.16 Enabling water action: Building trust, confidence and scale through aligned frameworks
Thursday, 08 October 13:30-15:00 Room B
Water challenges are well understood, yet implementation continues to lag behind ambition. Organisations across the water sector face common barriers, including inconsistent approaches to measurement, limited comparability of data, fragmented guidance, investment uncertainty and differing expectations across jurisdictions.

This interactive workshop will bring together perspectives from utilities, industry, regulators, investors, academia and technology providers to explore what genuinely enables organisations to move from ambition to implementation.

Through facilitated roundtable discussions, participants will identify the practical tools, frameworks and collaborative approaches that could help build confidence, improve decision-making and support more resilient water systems.

Chair: Daan van der Wekken

Co-chair: Peter Simpson (Chair & Co-Chair), Emily Field

Speakers: Peter Simpson (Chair & Co-Chair)

OW.17 Next Generation Sanitation Systems
Thursday, 08 October 13:30-15:00 Room F

OW.18 Two sides of the same pipe: forging city and utility partnerships for urban water resilience
Thursday, 08 October 13:30-15:00 Room N
This session, co-hosted by Grundfos and C40 Cities, will gather city and utility leaders – from both Global North and Global South entities – to highlight the impact of effective collaboration for urban water resilience. Representatives will discuss key challenges and enabling factors for successful partnerships in water management. Utility representation will be supported by partners including IWA and Global Water Leaders.

The primary output is a set of tangible, case-based recommendations to support effective collaboration. Following the conference, a joint Grundfos/C40 briefing note summarising these recommendations will be disseminated in the lead up to and in alignment with activities associated with the UN Water Conference. The target audience will be urban policymakers and utility leaders, shared through C40, GCoM and Grundfos, as well as utility network partners including IWA and the Global Water Leaders Group, amongst other partner networks and platforms.