A water industry conference taking place in Northern Ireland is generating significant interest among water professionals in the region.

Conor Murphy MP, Minister for Regional Development, will address Water NI 2011, which takes place on Wednesday 16th March 2011 at the Hilton Hotel in Belfast.

The current state of the water industry is under scrutiny after the drop in water supply at the end of 2010. Added to this, the financial constraints faced by the sector and the upcoming PC13 framework, there are plenty of issues which need addressing. The theme of Water NI 2011 is "Sustainable Water" and the conference will examine the economic, environmental, and social aspects of how this impacts Northern Ireland.

The conference, which is the follow-up to Water NI 2009 and is produced by Water & Wastewater Treatment (WWT) magazine, will be chaired by Jim Oatridge, Board Member, Utility Regulator and delegates will have an unrivalled opportunity to hear the latest developments in policy and strategy from other top level speakers.

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Jo Aston, director of water regulation will speak on behalf of the regulator. Other participants include George Butler, Director of Asset Management at Northern Ireland Water and Dave Foster, Director of Environmental Protection at the NI Environment Agency.

WWT is also delighted that the Northern Ireland Consumer Council will be represented by chief executive Antoinette McKeown. A panel discussion with questions from the floor will be included in both the morning and afternoon sessions.

Key topics include financial constraints, sustainability in the water sector and plans for the PC13 framework.

WWT editor Natasha Wiseman said: "Northern Ireland faces challenges on many fronts and Water NI 2011 is the only event in the water calendar bringing together key decision makers at this critical time.

"Given the strength of the programme, I would urge anyone with an interest in the region to make the trip. Delegates should gain a much deeper understanding of the current picture and future outlook."

The event is supported by the NI Environment Agency and the Utility Regulator.

For further information, contact conference organiser Paul Napper on 020 8651 7132.

(GK)