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It was Ostrava that hosted this year the most prestigious water event. On 7 and 8 November the Water Supply and Sewerage Association of the Czech Republic (“SOVAK ČR“)  organised in Ostrava the conference entitled Operation of Water and Wastewater Networks 2017.

Every year, the conference takes part  in another region – last year it was in Hradec Králové. Considering the location, the general partners were logically SmVaK Ostrava and OVAK. The conference was organised under auspices of the Minister of Agriculture Marian Jurečka, President of the Moravian-Silesian Region Ivo Vondrák and Lord Mayor of Ostrava Tomáš Macura.

Two days of interesting presentations
Five hundred participants spent two days listening to interesting presentations and enjoying the complementary programme such as visits to water companies and institutions that are based in the region or excursions to water-related points of interest (the SmVaK Ostrava’s biggest water treatment plant in Podhradí).

For instance, Professor Michal Marek from the Global Change Research Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences was speaking in his introductory paper about water and reasons why it should be regarded as a pressing topic of these days. Other speakers discussed drought, on one hand, and floods, on the other hand. Information was also given about the Czech Republic being prepared to such emergencies in terms of technical solutions, law or idea concepts.

On the second day, the conference was traditionally divided into two sections that focused on the drinking water and wastewater. SmVaK Ostrava was heavily involved in organisation of the conference. It was represented there by the team from the Ostrava Area Water Network. Information was given about the extensive modernisation of the water treatment plant in Podhradí worth CZK 130 million that was finished at the beginning of 2017.  Roman Bouda from SmVaK Ostrava’s Department of Water Networks informed about redevelopment of storage areas and experience gained by SmVaK Ostrava in past years. Regarding treatment of wastewater, SmVaK Ostrava informed about modernisation and increased capacity of sludge management systems in the wastewater treatment plant in Opava that was finished at the beginning of this year.

The conference capacity was filled several months in advance.  Guests included more than 500 experts from water companies, public administration, universities and non-profit sector.