Iwater 2018 defines innovation and technology as the leading forces in the water industry

Iwater, the International Exhibition of the Water Management Cycle organised by Fira de Barcelona is preparing its second edition from November 13 to 15 at the Gran Via venue. In 2018, the show focuses on innovation and technology as the main forces capable of ensuring an efficient, sustainable and “smart” management of water resources in cities, agriculture and industry. The event will also share some knowledge on water reuse, the necessary modernisation of existing infrastructures and the challenges arising from the digital transformation of the water sector.

Iwater 2018 will bring together stands of operators, engineering firms, construction companies and public entities, as well as companies offering solutions for the collection, treatment, distribution, transport, storage, sanitation, purification, reuse, irrigation, management and consumption of water for agricultural, urban, industrial or domestic use. Iwater intends to show forefront solutions for all the stages of the water management cycle, as well as to vitalize the activities and boost the growth of companies in the sector and help with their international projection.

Iwater will be taking place in pavilion 1 of the Gran Via venue, together with other three events, with which Iwater will share synergies and visitors. Smart City Expo World Congress, dedicated to smart cities; Smart Mobility, a showroom on sustainable mobility; and the Circular Economy European Summit, focused on circular economy.

Iwater 2018 will offer training and knowledge spaces that will include lectures, panel discussions and presentations on the application of the solutions presented during the show, as well as examples of good practices in water management.

The show is scheduled to include the Iwater Forum, which will address key issues for the development of the sector; the Inno Hub and the Tech Hub, two areas to visualize research and development and the latest technology applied to the water cycle, and finally, an open space for the participation of start-ups coordinated by 4YFN. In addition, and to support and put a premium on innovation, Iwater will be presenting the Iwater Awards for best product, research and ideas presented within the framework of the show, and a special award will be given to the most outstanding initiative in the field of water.

The organising committee, in which the main companies and organisations of the sector are represented, is presided by Paul Relat, recently appointed Managing Director of MAT Holding. Relat believes that “in an environment in which sustainability is an indispensable premise, the water sector has the challenge and the responsibility to offer solutions that contribute to an efficient water management “. On the second edition of the show, “Iwater wants to consolidate itself as the meeting point for companies in the field of technology and water that work on developing solutions to achieve this goal,” Relat added.

One of the definitive features of Iwater is its commitment to internationalisation to facilitate the access of Spanish companies to foreign markets, especially in Latin America, the Mediterranean and southern Europe. For this purpose, Iwater will promote the visit of delegations, professionals and public and private international agents from countries of interest to the exhibiting companies, taking advantage at the same time of the synergies of the Smart City Expo World Congress, the international reference point on smart cities that takes place in Barcelona since 2011.

In its first edition, held in 2016, Iwater brought together 127 companies from 10 countries, 4,562 visitors of its own, and an additional 11,500 due to the event coinciding with three others; the Smart City Expo World Congress, the European Utility Week, and the Circular Economy European Summit.

Barcelona, 30th April 2018