Unprecedented levels of water stress and rapidly growing water demands have given rise to a unique set of complex challenges that ultimately threaten the continued stability and development of economies, societies and ecosystems around the world. Poised on the threshold of a global water crisis, the international community must consolidate its efforts towards effectively tackling issues related to water use efficiency and water demand management if this potential calamity is to be forestalled and corrected, and the platform for such a consolidation is now at hand. 

The sixth IWA Specialist Conference on Efficient Use and Management of Water is being held this Spring from March 29 until April 2 at the Dead Sea, Jordan, under the theme of 'Water Demand Management: Challenges and Opportunities'. The conference will address key water management and efficiency issues facing both developed and developing countries, serving as a podium for water professionals and stakeholders to voice pressing concerns and research findings, share insights into water management experiences, showcase modern technologies that facilitate water use efficiency, propound best management practices, and discuss alternative water resources, among other things. It will also bring together over 500 policymakers, industry leaders, experts and practitioners, presenting a distinctly ideal opportunity for networking. 

Organized by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation in Jordan, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the International Water Association, the IWA Efficient 2011 Conference is being held under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II for the first time in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The 2011 Conference is the sixth in a series of IWA Efficient conferences that have been held every other year since 2001, each time in a different country, and all targeting various water efficiency challenges. It is a highly anticipated flagship industry event and participation is sought-after by international water professionals. 

Who Should Attend!

The IWA Efficient 2011 Conference is an ideal gathering point for a variety of water professionals, industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to collaborate and interact. It is particularly relevant for:

• Governments 

• Utility Managers

• Water resources planners and engineers

• Water professionals

• Academics

• Consultants and contractors

• Research institutes

• Universities

• Manufactures and suppliers 

• NGO’s

• Conservation professionals

Why Jordan?

A politically and economically stable country renowned for its neutrality, tolerant society, progressive national policies, and benevolent monarchy, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is becoming a regional and international favorite. Positioned at the crux of civilization in the Fertile Crescent, the timeless Kingdom bridges East and West, old and new, offering the world a culturally and historically rich destination and providing an ideal investment and tourism hub. 

In addition to being famous for its exceptional quality of business and health services, Jordan is home to one of the world's new seven wonders, the Rose-Red City of Petra, and also boasts some of the earth's most breathtaking natural wonders, such as the Dead Sea, which is the current location of the IWA Efficient 2011 Conference and a strong contender for the World Natural Wonder title.

Despite its economic boom and stability, Jordan is amongst the most heavily impacted players by the world's worsening water crisis. Located in a region with the highest levels of water stress, Jordan must contend with the challenging position of being the fourth driest country on Earth. If any country is qualified to host and give insight into the challenges of juggling growing water demands with strained freshwater supplies, it is Jordan. With decades of experience in employing effective water management tools and creating long-term water management policies under its belt, Jordan has much to offer as a live case study for water efficiency in a water poor country. Join us at the IWA Efficient 2011 Conference and learn firsthand about a growing international issue and what can be done about it. 

The Dead Sea

An internationally popular tourism destination that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the globe each year, the Dead Sea offers rich historical, healing and spiritual value for its visitors. A vast salt lake with its surface and shores 422 meters below sea level, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth and is the deepest hypersaline lake in the world. It also happens to be amongst the saltiest bodies of water on the planet, which won it its name as its waters cannot sustain life. Its mineral-rich mud has been used for therapeutic and healing purposes for centuries, and international resort chains, hotels and spas have made a vacationing haven of its shores. 

Yet this natural wonder is at stake of disappearing. Due to unsustainable water resource management, climate change and overexploitation of the Dead Sea's waters for industrial use, the Dead Sea's water level has fallen from 394 meters below sea level in the 1960s to 418 meters below sea level in 2006, and it continues to drop by 1 meter a year. The Dead Sea serves as a poignant example of what the world stands to lose if efforts are not mobilized to head the international water crisis and implement sustainable water management practices across nations