Upcomingin 92 days
IDRA World Congress 2027
24–28 JAN 2027· 5 days · In person
King Faisal Conference Hall, Riyadh
From $750
About the event
The IDRA World Congress takes place in Riyadh from 24 to 28 January 2027 at the King Faisal Congress Center, under the theme Driving Global Water Sustainability Through Innovation. This edition is held under the patronage of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and hosted by the Saudi Water Authority, the first time the Kingdom has hosted the congress. The congress was originally scheduled for 1 to 5 November 2026; IDRA announced the new dates on 12 October 2026.
The programme runs across five days combining a technical and a thematic stream, examining how advanced desalination, the scaling of water reuse, integrated water systems and digital intelligence strengthen national, regional and global resilience. Topics span the circular water economy and net-zero desalination pathways, energy efficiency, artificial intelligence for forecasting and real-time operations, brine management and valorisation, potable reuse regulation, and the financing of water infrastructure. More than 130 speakers take part, drawn from regulators, utilities, industry and research centres worldwide.
Day one opens with the first edition of the Water Regulation Forum, established by the Saudi Water Authority with IDRA as strategic partner, alongside the second Global Desalination Hackathon run with ACWA Power. The congress is accompanied by an international exhibition, networking programmes and an awards ceremony. Attendance is by advance registration, with fees in US dollars on a tiered scale from 750 dollars for member professors and students up to 1,850 dollars for non-members, with a separate tier for public utilities.
Agenda
52- 09:15–09:30Welcome and Opening Remarks
- 09:30–10:30Session 1: Foundation Panel — The Changing Role of Water Regulation
- 10:30–11:30Session 2: North and South America — From Established Regulation to Integrated Water Systems
- 10:50–12:00Session 3: Europe and Pacific — Regulatory Compliance and Performance Monitoring in the Water Sector
- 12:30–13:30Session 4: Regulating for Water Security and Rapid Transformation Across the GCC Countries
- 13:30–14:30Session 5: Integration Between Government, the Private Sector and Finance (PPP)
- 15:30–16:30Session 6: Closing Session — From Global Lessons to a Regulatory Agenda for Water-Scarce Systems
- 16:30–16:50Launch of the Water Regulation Exchange
- 08:30–09:00Arrivals and Networking
- 09:00–10:00Session 1: Framing the Global Water Agenda
- 10:00–10:30Session 2: Opening Ceremony
- 10:30–10:45Session 3: Keynote Guest Speakers
- 10:45–11:45Session 4: The Saudi Water Story
- 11:45–12:00Passing of the World Congress Flag to the 2028 Host
- 12:00–12:30Exhibition Opening and VIP Walkthrough
- 12:30–14:00Moonshot Presentations
- 14:00–15:00Session 5: Mobilizing Private Capital for Universal Access
- 14:05–17:50Technical Programme: four parallel tracks28 peer-reviewed technical papers run in parallel tracks alongside the plenary programme, covering desalination processes and membranes, energy recovery and efficiency, brine management and valorisation, water reuse and the circular water economy, digital operations and artificial intelligence, and materials and fouling control.
- 15:00–16:00Session 6: Integrating Desalination with Next Generation Energy
- 16:30–17:30Session 7: Circular Water Economy — Scaling Water Reuse
- 18:30–20:30Thought Leadership Summit Welcome Reception (invitation only)
- 08:30–09:00Arrivals and Networking
- 09:00–10:00Session 8: From Crisis to Action — Scaling Water Reuse Initiative
- 09:05–17:50Technical Programme: four parallel tracks56 peer-reviewed technical papers run in parallel tracks alongside the plenary programme, covering desalination processes and membranes, energy recovery and efficiency, brine management and valorisation, water reuse and the circular water economy, digital operations and artificial intelligence, and materials and fouling control.
- 10:00–11:00Session 9: AI and Water
- 11:30–12:30Session 10: Power, Policy and Influence
- 12:30–13:00Session 11: Sport, Adventure and Human Endurance
- 13:00–14:00Innovation Showcase
- 14:00–14:30Session 12: Influencers and Communicators Lab — Changing the Narrative on Water
- 14:30–15:30Session 13: Voices of Impact, Circular Water Talks
- 16:00–16:30Session 14: Youth and Future Leaders Forum — Designing the Water Future
- 18:00–19:30YLP Evening Reception: Water Changemakers Network
- 08:30–09:00Coffee and Networking
- 09:00–10:00Session 15: The Road to the UN Water Conference
- 09:05–17:50Technical Programme: four parallel tracks56 peer-reviewed technical papers run in parallel tracks alongside the plenary programme, covering desalination processes and membranes, energy recovery and efficiency, brine management and valorisation, water reuse and the circular water economy, digital operations and artificial intelligence, and materials and fouling control.
- 10:00–11:00Session 16: Scaling Water Reuse in the USA
- 11:30–13:00Session 17: Financing Water Infrastructure in the MENA Region
- 14:00–15:00Session 18: Women Leaders of Our Industry
- 15:00–16:00Session 19: Water Security 2050 — Closing the Gap
- 16:30–17:00Session 20: GWI Market Overview
- 17:00–17:30Day Three Wrap Up
- 18:30–22:00Gala Dinner and Industry and Sustainability Awards Ceremony
- 08:00–08:30Registration and Networking
- 08:30–08:50Business Forum: Doing Business in the Saudi Water Sector — Opening Session
- 08:50–09:35Session 21: Saudi Water Market Outlook and Strategic Project Pipeline
- 08:50–12:05Technical Programme: parallel tracks18 peer-reviewed technical papers run in parallel tracks alongside the plenary programme, covering desalination processes and membranes, energy recovery and efficiency, brine management and valorisation, water reuse and the circular water economy, digital operations and artificial intelligence, and materials and fouling control.
- 09:35–10:20Session 22: Localization, Manufacturing and Industrial Growth Opportunities
- 10:35–11:20Session 23: Financing, PPPs and International Investment Opportunities
- 11:20–12:05Session 24: International Investment — Case Studies and Strategic Partnerships
- 12:05–12:30Executive Roundtable: Positioning Saudi Arabia as a Global Water Innovation Hub
- 12:30–13:00Congress Recap: Key Takeaways
- 13:00–15:00Closing Session: Technical Awards Ceremony and B2B Networking
Speakers
130Abdallatif AbdalrhmanExpertHaytham AbdelfatahTechnical DirectorGaber AbdellatifPhD ResearcherSamar AbdelwadoodResearcherHasan Al AbdulgaderDirector of the Produced Water Treatment R&D ProgramAreej AbdulsalamResearch AssociateChristian AbelssonVP Technology & ProductsSamer AdhamManagerAmr AhmedIndustrial Process EngineerSultan AhmedIbrahim Al-MutazProfessor of Chemical Engineering, RetiredQais Al-OweitiPhD Student
Show the remaining 118 people
Majdi AlhjoujGlobal DirectorMohammad AlizadehfardFounderEiman AlkhadhirPhD StudentAbedalkader AlkhouzaamAssistant Research ScientistHarith AlomarGlobal Sales DirectorMilbis AlqouziSpecialist Instrument and Control EngineerMohammed AlsharmanMBR & UF ManagerMohammed AntarProfessorJuan ArevaloProject LeaderNausha AsrarExpert, Materials ScienceLeon AwerbuchPresident and Chief Executive OfficerSimon BakerVice President, Wastewater Market Sector LeadArnaud BallayCEOOmar BamagaAssociate ProfessorMusaab Habib BangashDeputy Director Technical and PlanningAhmed BdourProfessor of Civil EngineeringRached Ben-MansourAssociate ProfessorSophie BertrandCommercial Coordination Deputy DirectorShabir BhatTechnical & Proposal ManagerRolando BoslemanTechnical Director, Water ApplicationsGabriele BrummerEuropean Technical Sales EngineerGiuseppe Lo BurgioProcess Design EngineerRémy CaballLead Process Design & Innovation EngineerPedro CalonaProject Manager, Water & SanitationNoura ChehabWater Research and Innovation ManagerRuisi ChenPhD StudentCosmin Koch CiobotaruHead of Digital InnovationNatalia Franco ClavijoPhD CandidateRatul DasExecutive Manager for Innovation and New Technology, Head of Desalination R&DThomas DauvillierSenior AssociateVassilis DeligiannisGeneral ManagerPeter DesmondProfessorRudolf EdlingerManaging DirectorIman EldibResearch AssistantRaúl García FernándezDirector of EngineeringOlga FerrerR&D, Desalination & New Technologies Area ManagerNuria Peña GarcíaGlobal Director of Research and Scientific ServiceSara GarcíaHead of Wastewater, R&D DepartmentLourdes García-RodríguezFull Professor, Department of Energy EngineeringAdrien de Saint GermainChief Executive Officer, SIDEMNoreddine GhaffourProfessorGuillem Gilabert-OriolGlobal Desalination R&D LeaderAlberto Maria GilardiSenior Consultant, Water Scenarios and Research CoordinatorAmrith GiridharGlobal Head of ApplicationsManuel HadadChemical EngineerAshraf Aly HassanAssociate ProfessorGeorg HerborgDirector of InnovationAlaa IbrahimPhD ResearcherSeungwon IhmSenior ExpertBinash ImteyazResearch ScientistWilliam JanssenCo-FounderJavier Cañas JimenezDesalination Research TechnicianEric KadajSenior Director, Product Development and Technical SupportJoseph KamelPhD CandidateMary KanavoutsosSenior Vice President, International Strategy and Growth – WaterOmar KaoudTeaching Assistant and PhD CandidateKhaoula KhalessAssociate Professor, Chemical and Biochemical Sciences – Green Process EngineeringWalid KhouryTrusteeMarwan KhraishehProfessor and Head, Division of Mechanical and Industrial EngineeringDusun KimCo-founder and CEOJungbin KimAssistant Professor, Department of Environmental ScienceChristine KleffnerCo-Founder & CTOHenk KoopsTechnical Sales DirectorSiva Kumar KotaGlobal Head of TechnologyFrancesco Giuseppe LadisaGlobal Strategic Planning and Initiatives LeaderAlvaro LagartosSenior Technical Marketing ManagerDahiru U. LawalSenior Research ScientistJulia LeroyProcess and Innovation EngineerYihong LiZhenyu LiSenior ExpertFrancisco Jimenez-Castellanos LucenaGlobal Application ManagerRidha Ben MansourNobuyuki MasumotoGroup Leader, Water Treatment Membrane Sales UnitLeslie MillerDirector of Client SolutionsVictor MonsalvoHead of Eco-efficiency Area, Innovation and Technology DepartmentJoe MouawadGeneral ManagerRuben MuñozDesalination Discipline LeaderTariq NadaExecutive Vice President, Global Water Technical ServicesHussain Al NasserSustainability and Advanced Materials ResearcherAbraham NegareshAssociate Director, Desalination and ReuseBerlin NgNew Product Introduction (NPI) EngineerEli OklejasFounder, CEO & CTOJamel OrfiProfessor of Mechanical EngineeringMariam OudaResearcherGhazi OzairSenior Technical AdvisorPramod PatilSenior Technical Director - Decarbonization & ChemistryNa PengLead Specialist, Potable Water Treatment (Desalination)Eloy PitaChief Executive OfficerGiorgio PratofioritoWater Treatment and Desalination TechnologistAli Raza RajputEnvironmental & Sustainability EngineerMadhusmita RayPhD StudentAbdullah Al SaadiGeneral ManagerKenji SaitoPaul SciutoExecutive OfficerAmr SeoudyChief Executive OfficerMuhammad Wakil ShahzadProfessor and Chair in Advanced Energy & SustainabilityHarutoki ShimuraGeneral ManagerJia Shin HoNPI ScientistSwapnil ShrivastavChief Executive Officer & Co-FounderConstanze SimmermacherGlobal Principal for Desalination and Membrane TreatmentYuichi SugawaraSenior Manager on Special AssignmentGuofei SunAssociate Director, New Product and InnovationToshitaka TanakaChief Technical OfficerMohammad TariqLab TechnicianNethaniel TayApplication EngineerTyler TayScientistAntonio de la TorreHead of Sales InfrastructureFelipe TorresAssociate ProfessorFernando ValeroHead of R&D and Process ControlVasu VeerapaneniGlobal Practice Technology Leader, Associate Vice PresidentRyan VogelFounderDavid WarsingerAssociate ProfessorBart WeissChief Officer, Innovation and ResiliencyPaul WesterhoffRegents ProfessorMasahiro YasukawaManager of Separation Membrane R&D GroupKazuhiro YoshidaR&D EngineerDavid Kim-HakVice President of WastewaterYiwei GaoCTO
The venue
24.67N 46.69E
King Faisal Conference Hall
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