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The IWA is a professional membership association dedicated to the improvement of water management worldwide in an environmentally sustainable way. It was formed in September 1999 by the merger of two long-established international organisations, IAWQ (Internation Association on Water Quality) and IWSA (International Water Services Association). Its reputation is based on its international coverage with membership embracing more than 130 countries. IWA promotes best practice and exchange of the latest skills, techniques and knowledge of all aspects of water management. It aims to disseminate this worldwide by all possible means including meetings, publications, expert networks and electronic media. The process of integrating the two Associations is now under way, so some of the details on this web site are of a preliminary nature.

The main focus of the International Water Association is water quality. Not only are the causes of water quality deterioration of primary concern to the Association but also the means by which these may be prevented or alleviated, through control of pollution at source, improvements to existing treatment processes and development of new ones. Through its activities in Conferences, Publications and Specialist Groups, IWA is deeply involved with the many aspects of water quality in the water cycle.

Among the topics covered by the Association are the sources and causes of pollution: the problems of increased urbanisation and the consequences of the domestic wastewater and urban drainage water generated; industrial processes, including energy, agriculture and transport, which generate wastes of many diffuse types including nutrients, acid air emissions and persistent toxic substances. Also covered are the effects of pollution: eutrophication of rivers, lakes, groundwaters and seas; acidification of waters; health problems from polluted waters; impacts of pollution on the flora and fauna of marine and freshwaters. On the collection and treatment side there is a large body of knowledge about treatment processes of all kinds, advanced and low technology, for both domestic and industrial wastewaters, including residuals management and disposal and wastewater reuse. Management considerations are covered in activities such as river basin management; instrumentation, control and automation; and management and institutional affairs.

Links:
IWA Website