1st IWA Utilities Conference Customer Connection

The customer connection is the central topic at the first IWA European Utility Conference for the water supply and sanitation sector. Traditionally water supply and sanitation companies are technically focused. Water treatment and water distribution are well known primary processes. Attention to customers however has been marginal in many countries. Until recently, customers have been regarded as connections with a number, and not as the reason for the water companies’ existence. In the water sanitation field the relation with customers is even weaker.

RIWA-Meuse will present the River Meuse Award 2007 to (a) winner(s), who has(have) contributed signifi cantly to the introduction and application of sustainable methods. RIWA-Meuse is an association made up by nine drinking water companies using Meuse water as their source for drinking water.

During this conference the Royal Dutch Association of Drinking Water Supply in The Netherlands (KVWN) will have its annual member meeting. This meeting has been scheduled for Friday morning from 09.00 till 10.00 o’clock. Only KVWN Members are invited to attend this meeting.

Papers will presented on customer satisfaction, cost and regulation, benchmarking, new technologies, risk management and public acceptance, marketing and customer aid. Submissions of papers are welcome till 15 May 2007. If selected, a full manuscript must be submitted on schedule for inclusion in the conference proceedings.

A selected number of papers and posters will be reviewed for publication in the IWA Journal Water Science and Technology.