WorldBriefs: Experts join to solve growing water challenges

Aug. 18, 2008
Also in this report: Post-graduate course on GIS offered in Kenya; HDR's Fontaine to speak at UN water conference; UK water company fails in compensation claim from Tanzanian government; Foster Wheeler chairman, CEO announces retirement plans; Council welcomes Defra appointment; Lack of pump costs South West Water £12,000; CH2M Hill to manage sewerage project in Abu Dhabi; China Water & Drinks acquires bottled water company...

In other news below:
-- Post-graduate course on GIS offered in Kenya
-- HDR's Fontaine to speak at UN water conference
-- UK water company fails in compensation claim from Tanzanian government
-- Foster Wheeler chairman, CEO announces retirement plans
-- Council welcomes Defra appointment
-- Lack of pump costs South West Water £12,000
-- CH2M Hill to manage sewerage project in Abu Dhabi
-- China Water & Drinks acquires bottled water company

Experts join to solve growing water challenges
STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- At a time when billions of people live without sustainable access to safe drinking water or suffer ill health due to poor sanitation, when worsening food crisis battles bioenergy for land and water resources, and when climate change shakes the overall water balance, the 2008 World Water Week in Stockholm will gather 2500 experts from August 17-23 to chart the path to a clean and healthy world.

The conference, themed "Progress and Prospects on Water: For a Clean and Healthy World with Special Focus on Sanitation," takes place at the Stockholm International Fairs and Conference Center and will address a wide variety of water-related topics. Sanitation and hygiene, climate, water management, ecosystems, business and finance issues are prominent programme focal points throughout the week.

Leading professionals from business, government, water management, science, inter-governmental organisations, NGOs, training institutes and United Nations agencies will participate. Over 200 organisations are involved as co-convenors of the event together with the Stockholm International Water Institute, and a number of new reports will be released and announcements made...
Also see:
-- "Barry M. Jackson selected as Programme Manager of the Global Sanitation Fund"
-- "Winners of WASH Media Awards 2007-2008 announced"
-- "Seminar: The Protocol on Water and Health: Where health, environment and development policies meet"
-- "Seminar: Partnering with business to find sanitation solutions"
-- "Seminar: Transboundary waters -- Sharing benefits, sharing responsibilities"
-- "2008 World Water Week final programme"

Among other recent headlines:

Post-graduate course on GIS offered in Kenya
ADDIS ABABA, Kenya -- The International Institute for Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation (ITC) jointly with Egerton University, Addis Ababa University and the Regional Centre of Resources for Development (RCMRD) will offer a course designed for those involved in data collection and analysis for preparation of reports used in decision making and policy review in the water sector...

HDR's Fontaine to speak at UN water conference
SAN DIEGO, CA, USA -- Nicolas Fontaine, a project engineer in HDR's San Diego office, has been selected to make a presentation on technical, cultural and personal challenges in clean water projects to the UNESCO International Conference on Water Scarcity, Global Changes and Groundwater Management Responses being held Dec. 1-5 at the University of California-Irvine...

UK water company fails in compensation claim from Tanzanian government
LONDON, UK -- The World Development Movement has learnt that the UK water company Biwater has failed in its bid to claim up to US$20 million in damages from the Tanzanian government following the collapse of a controversial water privatisation contract in 2005...

Foster Wheeler chairman, CEO announces retirement plans
HAMILTON, Bermuda -- Foster Wheeler Ltd. announced that Raymond J. Milchovich has notified the company's Board of Directors of his intent to retire in 2009...
Also see:
-- "Foster Wheeler awarded contract for two circulating fluidized-bed steam generators in Argentina"
-- "Foster Wheeler announces resignation of director"
-- "Foster Wheeler awarded contract for biomass cfb steam generator in Belgium"

Council welcomes Defra appointment
LONDON, UK -- The Consumer Council for Water welcomed the Defra's appointment of Anna Walker to chair an independent review of water charging, metering and affordability...
Also see:
-- "Water watchdog welcomes Yorkshire Water's approach following profits announcement"
-- "£130 Million for water consumers"
-- "Mixed prospects ahead for water customers"

Lack of pump costs South West Water £12,000
BRIXHAM, UK -- South West Water has been fined and ordered to pay nearly £12,000 after allowing sewage effluent to pollute Oxen Cove near Brixham, which led to precautionary closure of a nearby shell fishery and the cancellation of other recreational activities...
Also see: -- "Property company fined over sewage treatment plant"
-- "Waste company fined for polluting stream"
-- "Joint project to reduce flood risk in Portreath"

CH2M Hill to manage sewerage project in Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI -- Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company (ADSSC) has appointed CH2M HILL, a global full-service programme management, engineering, construction and operations firm, as the programme manager for the US$1.09 billion Abu Dhabi sewerage network, the Strategic Tunnel Enhancement Programme or STEP...
Also see: -- "CH2M HILL welcomes Thomas Topolski as regional business group manager in the Middle East"

China Water & Drinks acquires bottled water company
SHENZHEN, Guangdong, China & PALM DESERT, CA -- China Water and Drinks Inc. has acquired 67% ownership of Guangzhou Grand Canyon Distilled Water Co., Ltd., a leading producer and distributor of pure distilled and mineral bottled water in China, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $19.1 million in cash...
Also see:
-- "Market Scan: Going global with China Water" [Forbes, 5/21/2008]
-- "Heckmann to buy China Water and Drinks for $625M" [Beverage World, 5/20/2008]

MORE GLOBAL HEADLINES
POWER-GEN Middle East returns to Bahrain for 2009
Third WEPA International Forum extends call for papers
Metso to supply minerals processing equipment to China Metallurgical Group
Water Advocates eNewsletter August 2008 now available
Water UK releases briefing on water price review
Morgan Est boosts parent's record result
Dates announced for WATEC 2009
Positive outlook of civil engineering sector confirmed by Civils 2008
Genoa, Italy, selects Bentley Systems to facilitate sustainable development plan
New book looks at population, economics, and competition in Nile River Basin
Former soldier declares war on Leicester's blocked drains
WWEM 2008 to focus on lab testing

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