World Water Congress 2026 with Significant Participation by ICC

Andreas Farnleitner tackled a “monster schedule” there. Together with two collaborators from Luxembourg and the Netherlands, he led the workshop “Microbial Sensors for Real-Time Management of Drinking and Recreational Waters”. He also served as chair of the session “Invisible Threats: Tracking Chemical and Biological Risks in Our Waters”. As part of the “Wastewater Epidemiology” session, he presented the latest findings from our “ARISE” research project on wastewater monitoring of antibiotic resistance.

The methodological implications of the project resonated particularly strongly with water experts, as the findings challenge many long-held assumptions. Finally, he delivered a presentation - which also drew significant attention - on the implementation of genetic-microbiological diagnostics in water management on a global scale.

In addition, the ICC Water & Health was represented by Regina Sommer and Katalin Demeter. In addition to her role as a reviewer for the conference organizers, Regina Sommer led a session on “Disinfection and disinfection by-products”. Katalin Demeter presented a talk on chemophysical proxy parameters for faecal contamination in karst springs. These leading roles once again underscore the high visibility of our ICC on the international stage.