News & Events

David Woods, FWR Chairman.Water and Environment Journal

New regulations, which will replace the Private Water Supply Regulations 1991, are expected to come into force on the 1st January 2010. The Regulations are necessary because the 1991 Regulations do not adequately transpose the requirements of Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption. The new Regulations, which apply to England and Wales, follow the implementation in Scotland of the Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

The Government published draft regulations in 2008 and a review of responses was posted on the Defra website in February 2009. Reponses indicated a general agreement with proposals made in the consultation document, although Local Authorities (LA) expressed concerns that the prescribed fees for monitoring and carrying out risk assessments were too low. LA also considered that the time period proposed for collection of records was too short and that the proposed period for retention of records was too long.

It is understood that the United Kingdom Water Treatment Association were concerned about the requirement for Secretary of State approval of products and substances to be used in new installations. Private water supplies have hitherto been exempt from the approval requirements in Regulation 31 of The Water Supply (Water Quality) (England and Wales) Regulations 2000. The UKWTA agreed that evidence for fitness for purpose in contact with drinking water was important but suggested that introduction of an approval requirement without any transition period, would lead to significant delays in anticipated programmes to improve the quality of private water supplies.

This symposium is intended for international scientists and other interested parties to discuss the status of knowledge regarding the risks, impacts and technical solutions for the water sector. Attendance is free and the symposium language will be English with simultaneous translation into German. For more information

One day course, 16th February 2010, Leeds, UK. Programme and Registration.

Open day meeting for the HiWATE FP6 research project on potential human health risks associated with long-term exposure to low levels of DBPs. For more information

The London Technology Network’s Environmental Technologies Group is hosting a conference on water technologies. Main topics include: innovation challenges facing the water industry; novel technologies for the treatment of water; sustainable technologies and implementing water treatment schemes; and waste water treatment using nanotechnology. For more information

This half-day event is organised jointly by ENDS and CIWEM. The seminar will look at some of the issues concerning the unsustainable nature of the regulatory process, especially in the light of climate change implications, and will discuss what a resource efficient water industry might look like. The objectives of the seminar are to: consider and discuss the main issues around water sector financial regulation and sustainability; provide a platform for a wide range of stakeholders to share their views; collect views for a Scoping Report for delegates that supports CIWEM's work stream on sustainable regulation of the UK water industry; and to enable and facilitate networking and debate. For more information

The AWWA 2010 Inorganic Contaminants Workshop features presentations on:  the regulatory climate for inorganic contaminants, implementing treatment for inorganic contaminants, managing residuals produced in the treatment of inorganic contaminants, emerging contaminants, advances in arsenic treatment technologies, new techniques for dealing with iron, manganese, and nitrate, contaminant accumulation in distribution systems, treatments for difficult-to-remove inorganic compounds, such as radionuclides, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and fluoride, advances in analytical methods for inorganic contaminants and issues associated with chloramination, including NDMA formation and nitrification. For more information visit the AWWA website

The fifth annual Waterwise Water Efficiency Conference entitled 'The Future of Water Efficiency - Scaling It Up' is being held on Monday 22 - Tuesday 23 March 2010 at Keble College, Oxford. The event will bring together high-profile speakers on water efficiency, including OFWAT, the Environment Agency, the European Investment Bank and Defra.For more information:

This CIWEM-CMS conference will share the latest information and experiences concerning emerging contaminants in drinking water, advanced treatment technologies and the regulatory perspectives on those topics. For more information 

Microbiology is one of the major scientific disciplines contributing to the field of water research. This conference will provide a platform for exchange and interaction between microbiological research and its application i.e. the provision of clean water to society. The proposed themes for the event are: shifting paradigms in the assessment of recreational water quality; and microbial ecology of drinking water and waste water treatment processes. For more information

FWR will again present a shield for the best paper by a young (under 30) South African. Conference details.

Management of water and the environment are fundamental to our long-term future. The urgency of climate change and the challenges of water, food and energy security, set against a climate of financial limitation, call for more integrated and ‘green’ solutions. The aim of the conference is to challenge and inspire the water and environmental community by sharing the knowledge and best practice, which is at the heart of meeting key global challenges. For more information

This event will provide a forum for the exchange of information and ideas on waterborne pathogens. Topics will include: detection methods; risk assessment; treatment and disinfection; case studies and outbreaks; and regulatory issues. For more information

This conference will provide essential updating for health and environmental health professionals as well as water company staff, medical microbiologists, tour operators, plumbing and heating engineers. The event will also offer an important networking opportunity for all professionals working in this field. For more information or to register your interest, please contact Jennifer Tatman on 020 3177 1614 or at jtatman@rsph.org.uk

This summer school will provide participants with the understanding, tools and skills to quantitatively assess the microbial risk to human health from the environment. For more information contact Helena Sales

Registration opens 13th January 2010. For more information

On July 1st 2010 the RSPH, in partnership with the Foundation for Water Research (FWR), will be bringing experts together to deliver a long awaited conference reviewing the new private water supplies regulations, six months after their implementation. Speakers from the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), Industry and Local Authorities will be discussing enforcement, risk assessment, pitfalls and problems as well as  training programmes and procedures. To register your interest please contact Jennifer Tatman on 020 3177 1614 or at jtatman@rsph.org.uk

19-24 September 2010, Montreal, Canada. Program will cover water treatment, wastewater treatment, design and operation of water systems, managing and planning water services, health and the environment and the political importance of water rights. IWA website.

The call for papers is now open and contributions are invited on all aspects of treatment plant and distribution system optimization techniques. Abstracts must be submitted by 1st march 2010 to Debby Qualls at dqualls@awwa.org Information on registration can be obtained from Diane Cox, dianecox@paawwa.org

The call for papers is open. Abstracts must be submitted by 16th February 2010 and contributions are invited on: monitoring and detection techniques; treatment processes; disinfection by-products; UV, AOP, ozone; organic and inorganic contaminants; and emerging issues.