This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at Entrevista a Roque Gistau, Presidente del Comité Organizador de Smagua

Interview to Roque Gistau, President of the Committee Organiser of Smagua

20/02/2008

20 February 2008

Of the 11 to 14 March will celebrate in Fair of Saragossa the XVIII edition of Smagua, the International Living room of the Water, and the VIII edition of the Living room of the Environingingment. Smagua Is in the actuality the international meeting of reference for the water sector and of the environingingment and all his sectors associated. To few weeks of this new announcement, the President of his Committee Organiser, Roque Gistau, answers to our questions about the fair and of the special moment that lives the sector.

You joined the Organizing Committee of Smagua the last edition of 2006, how was the experience and assessment of the results obtained then?

It has been a satisfying experience from all points of view. When things go well and met the objectives with more than and in addition it has the interest and the full support of the sector, one can only feel satisfaction. The figures speak for themselves: with a total of 1,567 exhibiting companies, 66,000 square metres of exhibition and nearly 29,000 visitors, truly fair was a success.

Is Smagua increasingly more international?

Smagua is a European reference, as evidenced by the fact that the participation of foreign companies grew by 30 per cent, figure significant if we consider that in the past they already reached almost half of the participating companies in the last edition. By the way, recently the competition has revalidated as internationality, an explicit recognition of the Ministry of industry, tourism and trade, for whose production is necessary to comply with a series of demands regarding surface; number of Spanish and foreign exhibitors; typology of trade visitors and unanimous support of the sector.

What differentiates this fair from the rest of the events in his specialty?

I would highlight their high, both at the level of technology, with a large number of innovations presented in each issue, as at the commercial level, as evidenced by the increasingly high business participation. Smagua is a bet on water technology, a technology showcase, an international business platform and a place for the transmission and sharing in common progress and technical studies in the field of integrated management of water.

The technical seminars held in the Hall have gained much prestige, we could anticipate something here?

In this edition of 2008, among other topics of great interest to the sector, it will deepen in the reuse of purified wastewater. It's a field of great potential, capable of responding to the general scarcity of water resources for certain uses. The Conference will attempt both the technical side as legal, technical, practical experiences, uses and applications and analysis of the present and the future of this activity.

"Smagua is a European reference, as evidenced by the fact that the participation of foreign companies grew by 30 percent in the last edition"

In your opinion, what is the unfinished business of our country's water?

I do think you need to order the management of the water. In Spain we have too many agents and it is necessary to simplify the system and to give more space to innovation and the search for solutions to the truly integrated and sustainable management of the resource.

Do you think that we will arrive to comply with the European framework directive on water quality?

Sanitation, water supply and water-purification schemes are multiplying throughout the Spanish and the last year has launched the National Plan for water quality 2007-2015 which aims to cover the deficit of sewage treatment plants that exists in many Spanish towns. Tools, technology and the will are there, to resolve the funding issue no doubt be able to fulfil our commitments to Europe.

How do you think that it will resolve this issue of the funding?

The Ministry will only cover a 32 per cent of the nearly 20,000 million euros in investments referred to in the Plan. Given the high level of indebtedness of many autonomous communities, it will be the private sector who take charge of the financing, in granting mode, as done with the transport or the desalination plants, without going any further.

Does it supports enough r & d in the field of water in our country?

In this case all the resources are few, since that innovation depends in good part the progress and survival of any activity. However, more recent water policies seem to have referred to so and the same quality Plan referred to above includes items of approximately EUR 28 million until 2009 for the grant to the research in the field of sanitation, purification and water quality.

As head of the Expo 2008 could explain what relationship exists between the international exhibition and fair?

Obviously the purpose of both events is common: water and its management, and also common tool is the search for the best available technology to achieve optimal management of the water. From there, the Expo has been established since its inception some relationships and synergies with Smagua, and indeed, as part of their promotional activity for the most important fairs, the Expo will also be present in Smagua 2008 in March.

What expectations are for this show?

Smagua is today the best sectorial offer in existing water and environmental matters. He is a veteran Hall of sustained growth and that is also home to an industry in full boiling. With this combination of factors for this 2008 Edition forecasts cannot be more optimistic and expected growth of 18 to 20% in business participation. As visitors will have to wait for the final accounts, but I dare to predict that they will exceed the 30,000.

How do you see the future of the sector that houses the Hall?

It is a bright future, with a high growth potential and great opportunities of globalization for the companies in the sector. Our country is pointer in numerous technologies relating to the management of the water, and desalination techniques, for example, in water treatment. It is expected that the sector continue to grow at a good pace over the next decade.

Finally, what would you say to all the participants in Smagua 2008?

I would like to thank them for their support and also to congratulate you on your decision, Smagua is one of the elements of greater future and progression to the growth of enterprises and the promotion of international trade. This will be an edition that will make history, the first companies and leading-edge firms in the sector in an excellent framework for the launch of its products and innovations, with a total guarantee of success will meet.

"Our country is pointer in numerous technologies relating to the management of the water, and desalination techniques, for example, as well as in water treatment"