1st IWA Central Asian Regional Young Water Professionals Conference

22-24 September 2011
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Interviews with YWP's from the 1st Central Asian Young Water Professionals Conference

Submission of abstracts: 1 April 2011
Notification of Acceptance: 1 May 2011
Submission of full papers: 1 June 2011

Nowadays the necessity for cooperation over the common water resources between the countries in Central Asia is widely discussed. The region is facing the number of problems in water management, such as contamination of aquifers, water scarcity and inequitable allocation, water depending energy problems, problems in irrigation and other. Differences in the economical conditions of the riparian countries as well as their demands for the water use also hinder the process of cooperation, which is essential in order to achieve legitimate and equitable pattern of use of the shared water resources in the region.

Due to complexity of the overall situation in the region, the management of the common water resources should be regarded within the larger social, economic and political context, including the negotiations with neighboring countries as Russia and China.

There are many examples of interstate and interregional meetings, workshops, seminars and other events concerning trans-boundary water management in Central Asia. Active working process is already going on in the water and development sectors. One of the crucial issues in the sustainable and beneficial for all riparian’s water management is the implementation of the new modern strategies, technologies and improved modern institutional framework in the countries of Central Asia. As was mentioned above, the water management in Central Asia is still based on both technological and institutional “heritage” of the Soviet era. Now the modern solutions are needed.

One of the ways to reveal and present to the science community new ideas and approaches in solving the water problems in the Central Asia is the Young Water Professionals conference to be held in September 2011 in Almaty. The aim of this international and interregional venue is to engage he young water specialist from Central Asia and many other countries of the world to discuss the most crucial water problems and to present their ideas and concerns. YWP conference is an efficient working space to learn international experience and examples of successful approaches in water management, to make contacts and create business opportunities, to discuss innovative ideas and the local perspectives and needs. The first YWP conference in the Central Asia gives the young specialists an opportunity to contribute with their knowledge, researches and new way of thinking to the improvement of the management of the water resources in the region in a comprehensive way.

This venue is one of the important steps towards improvement of the water situation in the region through bringing together researchers, consultants, advisors and decision-makers in order to achieve collaboration, define and prioritize the problematic issues to be solved and hopefully move from the discussions to actions. We believe that mutual understanding and responsibility over shared water resources as well as need for cooperation in order to improve the common environmental situation in the region is conceived by young water specialists and it can help to achieve the necessary agreements that will be followed by implementation of the concrete actions.

Proposed Themes:

Hydrodynamic and water quality modelling as tools to facilitate understanding and optimize operations
Actively integrating reservoir management and water treatment.Advanced technologies in water, wastewater and sludge treatment
Innovative technologies in water supply and wastewater systems
Wastewater as source for renewable energy
Water reuse and desalination
Irrigation - Social, Economic and Environmental Prospective
Natural Water Resources Management
Water resources and climate change
Hydropower – opportunities and ecological issues
Economic issues of water management
Inter-state cooperation