IFEMA
The Trade Fair for Innovative Water Management Solutions, SIGA, will take place from February 26th to the 1st of March, 2019, occupying the entire pavilion no. 2 at the premises of Feria de Madrid. SIGA 2019 will focus on internationalisation and helping companies access international markets. To do this, it will have a very ambitious programme of foreign buyers, which we hear about from Rafael Prieto, Executive Vice President of Canal de Isabel II and Chair of the SIGA Organising Committee.
Question - What does chairing the SIGA 2019 Organising Committee mean for Canal de Isabel II?
Answer: Our participation in the Trade fair for Innovative Water Management Solutions (SIGA) will enable us to show the projects and activities that Canal de Isabel II and other water companies are involved in, and that make the Region of Madrid a national and international leader in integrated water cycle management.
Q - What are the main recent developments we will find at this second SIGA event?
A - In the 2019 event, SIGA will have an extensive programme of activities and professional seminars addressing the key trends and solutions for urban water management.
Also, I would like to highlight the first edition of an international conference that will be held concurrently with SIGA. We have invited the main organisations involved in the water sector to participate, such as the International Water Association (IWA), the European Federation of National Associations of Water Services (EUREAU), the World Bank, the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition, and the Regional Government of Madrid.
On the other hand, this year IFEMA decided that SIGA should be in a new location, occupying the entire pavilion no. 2, and will be held concurrently with other important exhibitions in IFEMA's annual programme.
With regards to the contents of the trade fair, the exhibitors will showcase the latest technological developments in the water industry. Particularly, innovations that can be applied to water cycle infrastructure and solutions made possible by digitalisation of water in this era of industrial revolution 4.0.
SIGA will have an extensive programme of activities and professional seminars addressing the key trends and solutions for urban water management
Q - Which topics will be emphasised in the fair's programme?
A - The content of the Seminar Programme has been prepared in coordination with practically all the water industry associations and is close to being finalised, with some talks still to have a definite title. The core theme of the programme will be innovation to address water challenges in cities and their water supply services, seeking to achieve water cycle efficiency.
Q - SIGA is held concurrently with some leading trade shows for their respective sectors. What are the advantages of having these events at the same time?
A - Essentially, the possibility of having a very broad audience from the different sectors; while the trade fairs held concurrently are attended by different professional profiles, there is a high degree of converging interests around water.
Q - In addition to being a business trade fair, would you like SIGA to have an impact on the general public in some way?
A - The fair offers the possibility of sending out a message about the importance of proper water management. This event should raise awareness about water as a very valuable and scarce resource, and draw attention to the efforts of water management companies and professionals that work daily so that we can enjoy a water supply service that brings safe quality water to our homes, cities and small communities.