Tianjin selected for 2013 IDA World Desalination Congress

Tianjin, China, is to be the venue for the 2013 World Congress on Desalination & Water Reuse to be held by the International Desalination Association (IDA). 

Announcing the choice on 16 July 2011, Patricia Burke, IDA secretary general, said, "China is widely recognized as an important emerging market in desalination and water reuse. We look forward to a very successful event in 2013," 

Durban, South Africa, was also considered as a location. Held every two years, the congress is the premier event for the global desalination and water reuse community. 

The 2011 IDA World Congress takes place during 4-9 September in Perth, Western Australia. 

Over the past few years, Tianjin has been the site for four desalination conferences jointly hosted by IDA and the Tianjin Municipal People's Government. The most recent such event, the 2011 Desalination and Water Reuse International Forum, was held in April. 

A 17-person delegation traveled from Tianjin to IDA's conference in Portofino, Italy, in May to make their bid presentation. Tianjin is also the location of the Chinese Research Center of Desalination & Membrane Technology. 

The first stage of the city's seawater desalination project - the country's largest to date - began officially supplying Hangu residents in late October 2010, after a four-month trial operation. The plant's processing capacity will double by the end of 2011. 

The second stage of the project is expected to be completed by 2015, taking total desalination capacity to 400,000 m³/d. 

Keppel Integrated Engineering (KIE) signed a joint-venture agreement with Tianjin Eco-City Investment & Development Co (TECID) on 17 April 2011 to pursue the building, owning and operation of a water reclamation plant in the Eco-City.