Topics

General Scope of WDSA-CCWI 2026 Conference:

The conference centred around the following theme: “Designing the next generation of urban water and wastewater systems”

The main themes of the conference are:

Theme 1: Digital Water & Smart Interconnected Urban Infrastructure

• Water 4.0, Digital twins, IoT platforms, smart sensors with interoperable data models
• Real-time monitoring, SCADA, ICT, and data management systems
• Big data, machine learning, trustworthy explainable AI (xAI), and data-driven analytics
• GIS and BIM applications for integrated urban water system modeling
• Advanced visualization techniques and augmented/virtual reality applications
• Cyber-physical security for water infrastructure

Theme 2: Water Distribution Network Planning, Design & Operations

• Network modeling using classical and Artificial Intelligence methods
• Demand forecasting and management
• Network optimization (planning, design, rehabilitation, expansion)
• Operation, maintenance, asset management, and benchmarking
• Transient analysis, network sectoring, and leakage management
• Pipeline engineering: pumps, valves, devices, and premise plumbing
• System dynamics and performance modeling for efficiency and circularity

Theme 3: Water Quality, Safety & Public Health Security

• Drinking water quality: biofilm, discoloration, contaminant intrusion, and emerging contaminants
• Disinfection residuals control strategies and water/wastewater treatment modeling
• Water security, critical infrastructure protection (physical and cyber threats)
• Risk-informed decision making and vulnerability analysis
• Wastewater surveillance for public health monitoring and pandemic control
• Online water quality monitoring
• Contamination emergencies management

Theme 4: Urban Drainage, Stormwater & Wastewater Systems

• Sewer and drainage modeling, design, and flood management
• Wastewater and stormwater quality modeling: sediment and pollutant transport
• Sustainable urban drainage, blue-green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, and stormwater control
• Combined sewer overflow management and zero pollution targets
• Real-time monitoring and smart sensors for storm water systems

Theme 5: Water-Energy Nexus & Resource Efficiency

• Water-Energy Nexus: interdependencies, optimization, and integration
• Energy management and efficiency in pumping systems and operations
• Resource recovery, pressure management, and pump optimization
• Life cycle assessment, carbon footprint reduction, and renewable energy integration
• Circularity in water use and re-use across sectors (agriculture, industry, energy)

Theme 6: Climate Resilience & Sustainability

• Climate change impacts, adaptation strategies, and water scarcity management
• Decision-making under uncertainty and deep uncertainty for climate adaptation
• Climate data sharing, prediction models, and scenario planning
• Sustainable urban water cycle and circular economy applications
• Resilience planning, decentralized management, and nature-based solutions

Theme 7: Intermittent Water Systems & Irrigation Networks

• Intermittent water supply: modeling, operation, water quality, and demand forecasting
• Transition to continuous systems and safety/reliability assessment
• Marginal water systems analysis
• Pressurized and open-channel irrigation networks
• Smart irrigation and digital solutions for agriculture

Theme 8: Data Sharing, Interoperability & Standardization

• Water data spaces: establishment, governance, and expansion
• Smart data models and open data repositories for water and cross-domain applications
• Interoperability standards and collaboration with standardization bodies
• Data sovereignty, provenance, privacy management, and data sharing policies and regulations
• Cross-sectoral data integration (energy, agriculture, health, climate)

Theme 9: Stakeholder Engagement, Co-Creation & Citizen Science

• Digital engagement techniques: serious gaming, augmented reality, virtual reality
• Citizen science initiatives, citizen observatories, and crowdsourcing
• Stakeholder co-creation and participatory design of digital solutions
• Water-oriented living labs for testing and validation
• Social media and communication strategies for water awareness

Theme 10: Policy, Governance & Regulatory Frameworks

• Water governance and evidence-informed policy-making
• Regulations for real-time monitoring, water security, and critical infrastructure
• Data sharing policies, open data, and EU Directive compliance
• Technical standards and legislation for digital water
• Cross-sectoral governance, public-private partnerships, and fairness in water supply

Theme 11: Software Tools and Modeling Platforms

• EPANET and SWMM: advances, future proposals, and developments
• Emerging software platforms, modeling frameworks, and open-source tools
• Educational and research transfer tools
• Repositories of AI models, benchmarks and reproducible research

Theme 12: Cross-Cutting Theme: Future Directions & Innovation

• Designing next-generation urban water and wastewater systems
• Emerging technologies and horizon scanning for new threats and opportunities
• Smart, livable, and sustainable city solutions
• Innovation in hydraulic infrastructure and urban water cycle
• Interdisciplinary approaches