Under the auspices of HE Mr. Arthur Nazarian, minister of Energy and Water, AUT convened scientists, professors, senior officials, and students, for a conference on water resources.
AUT President Ghada Hinain opened the conference and urged the public and private sectors to intensify their contacts in order to find solutions for the pressing needs for better water quality in Lebanon. She also underlined the scientific role e played by AUT in the field of water.
The Director General of the ministry, Dr. Fadi Comair, explained in detail the plan of the ministry for water rehabilitation, which includes dam building and water network repair, in addition to new regulations on irrigation.
Dr. Pieter van der Zaag, from UNESCO’s Institute for Water Education, showed examples of innovation from around the world of how to detect and manage water resources, and urged the Lebanese to act swiftly to find suitable solutions for water shortage and quality.
There followed round table sessions on a number of topics: sea water intrusion, water quality for the food industry, conflicts due to water distribution, new technologies in water treatment, renewable energy, and effective water management. The conference concluded with a panel discussion.
AUT students in Water Resources had the opportunity to speak directly to decision-makers in both the public and private sectors, and to know about the jobs available in the water industry over the next 4 years.
