GoingToMeet

The IWA International Specialist Conference on Diffuse Pollution (DIPCON) has been organized twice in North America, in Chicago (1993) and in Milwaukee (2001). Other successful and well attended conferences have been held in Prague, Edinburgh, Bangkok, Amsterdam, Dublin, Kyoto, Johannesburg, Istanbul, Belo Horizonte, Khon Kaen and Seoul. In 2007, the Specialist Group on Eutrophication was merged with the Specialist Group on Diffuse Pollution.

The 14th International Conference of the IWA Diffuse Pollution Specialist Group, entitled “Diffuse Pollution and Eutrophication”, is back in North America and will be hold for the first time near Quebec City, Canada (September 12-17, 2010). Quebec City is located on the majestic Saint Lawrence River downstream of the Great Lakes which constitute one of the largest fresh water reserves in the world. There have been growing concerns about non-point source pollution from agricultural, urban and industrial activities in the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Basin similar to those all over the world. The issue of cyanobacteria blooms in lakes and streams is persistent and needs to be solved. Water, air and soil contaminants from diffuse sources include sediment, nutrients, metals, trace elements, pesticides, pathogens, pharmaceuticals and other anthropogenic chemicals. The variety and complexity of processes generating and delivering diffuse pollution concern scientists, economists, policy specialists and stakeholders working together to identify new approaches and solutions that protect natural resources. The success of our well attended conferences results from fast growing knowledge and the needs for more information, learning and networking about diffuse pollution.