WorldBriefs: Manila Water wins Vietnam water management contract

In other news below:
-- Russia set to take over Chairmanship of HELCOM
-- Environment Agency welcomes findings of Pitt review
-- Teijin, PUB Singapore partner to develop technology for used water treatment
-- CIWEM issues call for speakers for annual conference 2009
-- Israel: Group warns of water shortages in Palestine
-- UAE: Survey shows per capita water consumption 550 litres per day
-- Saudi Arabia: Desalination engineering intensive courses offered
-- New book explores cultural significance of water

• Manila Water wins Vietnam water management contract
HO CHI MINH CITY -- Manila Water Company was awarded a 5-year contract for the performance-based leakage reduction and management services in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam worth about $ 15 million...
Also see: -- "ADB funds Vietnam hydro project"

• Russia set to take over Chairmanship of HELCOM
HELSINKI -- On July 1, Russia will assume the rotating Chairmanship of the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), the intergovernmental organisation of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Community...
Also see: -- "HELCOM releases Annual Report on 2007 activities"

• Environment Agency welcomes findings of Pitt review
LONDON -- The Environment Agency welcomed Sir Michael Pitt's comprehensive final review into the 2007 summer floods as a significant contribution to managing the future flood risk in England and Wales...
Also see:
-- "New IT head takes helm at Environment Agency"

• Teijin, PUB Singapore partner to develop technology for used water treatment
SINGAPORE -- During Singapore International Water Week, Teijin Ltd signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with PUB, the national water agency of Singapore, to carry out joint research and development in the area of used water treatment...
Also see:
-- "PUB Singapore, Bahrain to collaborate on water management"
-- "AridTec offers Singapore's first patent-pending atmospheric water harvesting technology"
-- "Singapore pioneers an innovation in water quality monitoring"
-- "Dow unveils new water technology at Singapore International Water Week

• CIWEM issues call for speakers for annual conference 2009
LONDON -- The Call for Speakers for the CIWEM annual conference is currently open (deadline: August 15th 2008) and the Programme Committee are inviting presentations which cover any aspect of the water and environment sector...
Also see: -- "Environmental displacement"

• Israel: Group warns of water shortages in Palestine
PALESTINE -- Human rights group B'Teselem has warned of a 'grave water shortage' that it says will affect large parts of the West Bank this summer...
Also see:
-- "Israel, Syria hold indirect peace talks"
-- "Israel to host international water security conference"
-- "Netafim joins UN-established international water forum"

• UAE: Survey shows per capita water consumption 550 litres per day
ABU DHABI -- Residents of the United Arab Emirates are among the highest per capita water users in the world, consuming an average of 550 litres per day, reported the Gulf News...
Also see:
-- "Dewey & LeBoeuf advises Adwea on Abu Dhabi sewage project"
-- "Tunnel planned to tackle capital wastewater issue"

• Saudi Arabia: Desalination engineering intensive courses offered
JEDDAH -- In association with IDA and EDS, Bushnak Academy will organize 5 interactive workshops on Desalination Engineering to be held November 4-6, 2008 at the Jeddah Hilton Hotel, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia...
Also see:
-- "Floating desal plant starts pumping water to Jeddah"

• New book explores cultural significance of water
LONDON -- In Take Me to the Source, author Rupert Wright travels around the world to discover exactly what water is and why it plays such an important role in history, culture, art and literature...
Also see:
-- "Publication: Flood risk management and floodplain restoration in Europe"
-- "New book explores coastal watershed management"
-- "Publication: Assessing Management Regimes in Transboundary River Basins"
-- "Apply for a free copy of Global Change: Enough Water for all?"
-- "New book: Sustainable Irrigation Management, Technologies and Policies II