The latest desalination techniques go on show

DUBAI // Dubai will host a desalination congress in November that will showcase the latest techniques and technology, including the use of nuclear power, for supplying water to growing populations in the most arid regions of the world. The conference, organised by the International Desalination Association (IDA) in partnership with the science and technology park TechnoPark will address the environmental impact of desalination, which can be energy intensive and damange coastal ecosystems.

Patricia Burke, the secretary general of the IDA, said: "Water is the lifeblood of our planet. Without it communities cannot thrive, and business cannot grow. "Desalination has long played a critical role in the Middle East in providing water to a burgeoning population. In fact, the UAE is the second largest producer of desalinated water in the world." The UAE produces more than 8.4 billion litres a day, which represents more than 13 per cent of the global total. This figure is set to increase significantly over the next decade with the Department of Water and Electricity's construction of the Hassyan complex, which will quadruple desalinated water supply in Dubai when it is fully functional in 2020.

The conference will be held at the Atlantis hotel from November 7 to 12. tbrooks@thenational.ae