The 14th International Conference on Sustainable Water Environment (or the Conference) will provide an open forum for the exchange of information on recent advances in sustainable water research and practices among countries at various stages of economic development, to enhance public awareness on sustainable water environment, and to form an international alliance on sustainable water research.

        The Conference will bring water experts and professionals from around the world to discuss and exchange results of their research on water quality and resource conservation. The Conference will facilitate the formation of a sustainable water network for dialogue and possible collaboration in sustainable water research among developed and developing countries. The Conference will provide an opportunity for scholars, engineers, and scientists to exhibit and to showcase their research and practices on sustainable water environment. Additionally, the Conference will bring about broad public awareness on the importance of sustainable water.

        Water is one of the most valuable natural resources. Without water, life would not be possible. However, water is not as accessible as one would wish. Accessible freshwater represents an extremely dismal fraction of the total water in the environment. According to the U.N., there are 1.1 billion people worldwide without clean drinking water and 2.6 billion people lack adequate sanitation. Furthermore, today, 1.8 million people die every year from diarrhea diseases, and 3,900 children die every day from waterborne diseases. Over 260 river basins are shared by two or more countries mostly without adequate legal or institutional arrangements.

         Climate change has worsened the situation of water stress worldwide. There is abundant evidence to

suggest that freshwater resources are vulnerable and potentially impacted by climate change with a wide range of consequences for human societies and ecosystems. It has been estimated that by 2080, some 1-3 billion people will face a water shortage, 200 to 600 million people will face starvation, and some 2 to 7 million people will be flood refugees due to climate change and its impacts on the water environment.

         Additionally, population growth and economic development have increased demand for new water supplies. Global demand for water has more than tripled over the past half century. Competition for fresh water has already limited not only energy production but also agricultural growth and industrial development. Availability in fresh water is, unequivocally related to economic sustainability and national competitiveness. Increasing demand of safe and adequate water for various uses has become the utmost issue in the 21st century. 

 

Background of the Conference

        The International of Sustainable Water Environment was first launched in 2005; it was organized by Prof. Pen-Chi Chiang, Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University and Prof. Chin-Pao Huang, University of Delaware. An international panel was formed to advise the organizers with program development and planning. The international advising committee was consisted of the following members: Prof. Yoshimasa Watanabe of the Hokkaido University, Japan, Prof. Suingill Choi of Korea University, Korea, Prof. Say-Leong Ong of the National University of Singapore, Singapore, Prof. Shaw Yue of the University of Virginia, USA, Dr. Rao Surampalli of US EPA and Michael Ports of American Society of Civil Engineers. The following table gives an historical record of the date and sponsors of the International Conferences on Sustainable Water Environment. Conference Host Date Location

Conference	Host	Date	Location
1st	Prof. Pen-Chi Chiang	31 Oct.-2, Nov., 2005	Taipei, Taiwan
2nd	Prof. Pen-Chi Chiang	30 Oct.-1 Nov., 2006	Taipei, Taiwan
3rd	Prof. Yoshimasa Watanabe	24-25 Oct., 2007	Hokkaido, Japan
4th	Prof. Say-Leong Ong	17-19 Nov., 2008	Singapore
5th	Prof. Suingill Choi	27-28 July, 2009	Seoul, Korea
6th	Prof. Chin-Pao Huang	29-31 July, 2010	Newark, DE, USA
7th	Prof. Pen-Chi Chiang	July 17-18, 2011	Taipei, Taiwan
8th	Prof. Jiuhui Qu	17-19 July, 2012	Quilin, China
9th	Prof. Suingill Choi	22-23 Aug., 2013	Seoul, Korea
10th	Prof. Suingill Choi	11-12 Dec., 2014	Seoul, Korea
11th	Prof. Zhimin Qiang	21-22 Sept., 2015	Beijing, China
12th	Prof. Cheng-Di Dong	4-5 Nov., 2016	Kaohsiung, Taiwan
13th	Dr. Deukmo Chung Prof. Hyunook Kim	16-17 Aug., 2017	Seoul, Korea

Conference Objectives:

The objectives of conference are:

1) To provide an open forum for the exchange of information on recent advances in sustainable water research and practices among countries at various stages of economic development. The 14th International Conference on Sustainable Water Environment will include delegates from around the world representing different degree of water stress and advances in water management research. We will invite speakers from all continents of the world. The Conference will provide opportunity for water professionals, researchers, policy makers, and practicing engineers to learn from each other on how to cope with increasing water shortage and water deterioration and to update their management and technology information on sustainable water environment.

2) To enhance public awareness on sustainable water environment. Public awareness is essential to the successful implementation of water sustainability policy and technology. The Conference will bring awareness of sustainable water to the general domestic public. Furthermore, we will invite public media, namely, radio stations, newspapers and television stations to participate at and report about the Conference as to foster awareness of water sustainability through these public media.

3) To formulate an international alliance on sustainable water research. During the Conference,networking time will be allocated for international delegates to exchange water research ideas and progress in their regions. An international room will be arranged for delegates to meet each other and to discuss possible collaboration opportunities. The Conference will provide an impetus for international collaboration and networking on water research.