This new edition is marked by the growing, both social and professional interest

Zaragoza trade fair facilities host, from 17 to 20 February, the sixteenth edition of Smagua, the international water exhibition, one of the most important fairs of Europe in its field. With the contest, is also held the 6th National Congress of the water and the environment.

Smagua 2004 arrives in the present Edition full of proposals and technological innovations in all fields related to water, from prospecting and recruitment to the purification and reuse, passing through the distribution.

Despite his seniority, arguably it's a "crecedero" Hall, every two years it is necessary to extend the exhibition area to accommodate the deployment of new business firms that are incorporated into the same. Similarly, the assistance of professionals from all over the world, attracted by the need to see first hand the new techniques and solutions and the latest technological developments in this dynamic sector is multiplied with each edition, as it is the water industry.

By all indications, the situation of general uncertainty for several months hindered many businesses and maintained a certain slack in the markets, especially the foreign is exceeded. The latest data with regard to economic recovery are encouraging and have been estimated rates of progress in the trade of 6.4 per cent for 2004.

For the sector which is based at Smagua, these are, without doubt, good news; However, his momentum is so strong that it has probably been one of those who have experienced fewer variations in times of crisis.

With regard to the water framework directive, newly adapted to Spanish law, it is early yet to make an assessment of the results of the implementation of the rules. However, it would be desirable that standard to start with sufficient effectiveness and clarity in their articles to ensure compliance with the spirit and objective of the European directive, which is none other than the protection of waters, with all that it encompasses planning and efficient management of water resources.

But this is an issue for which there will also be an area of discussion in Smagua, within the 6th Congress of the environment, dedicated to explain and debate, if necessary, this water framework directive, among other issues of great interest.

The importance of water for development and subsistence of societies makes water policy is one of the most debated issues at the global level, because the consequences of incorrect management, without criteria of conservation of the resourcethey can lead to compromise the future of human development on the planet.

Thus, while the DMA is more than an environmental standard, the directive establishes a clear precedence of the environmental objectives on other aspects of the hydrological planning. The environment into account, since it is present, and increasingly, in each and every one of sustainable development policies are trying to apply today.

From that perspective, this industrial and business sector plays an integration between the different subsectors that comprise the water industry, as shown by the continuous increase of solutions, equipment and systems that are presented in Smagua, which are based on ecological criteria for the development and subsequent marketing.

The management and planning, together with sustainable criteria in the management of water resources, are the keys to addressing shortcomings related to the supply of water. The improvement of the management should depart from all areas, from engineering to the socio-economic management of the resource, through the optimisation of transport systems, improvements in irrigation or research in new technologies.

The prospects are excellent, by the very nature of the sector and the importance of the resource handles. The dynamism that shows is still far from exhausted or even stabilized in its growth; precisely now that the Spanish, large and small companies are launching with force to international markets, it is time to review the strategies to follow, that they should support on three pillars: innovation, agreements and synergies and brand imagethree fundamental aspects to gain this internationalization and shake the limits that still persist in the global competitiveness.

The chapter of the information technologies and communications gain weight at times. Aside, the continued development of software applications and systems applied to all kinds of equipment for water management, measurement of quality of water, process control, etc. contributes, without a doubt, to revive the industry. On the other hand, the use of ICT in the own business practices has shown that these are a key factor in productivity: reduce costs of coordination and improve the production and distribution, with retrenchment associated with these processesresulting, in turn, in an improvement of the competitive conditions for enterprises.

In addition to the 6th Congress of the water and the aforementioned environment, which will be discussed such important issues as the right to water or demand management and the efficient use of the resource, as well as the own DMAthe Organizing Committee of Smagua has given special attention and care to address the hottest topics of today's business and the sector, without forgetting the commercial aspects in this edition.

Thus, activities are planned as the interesting technical Conference on purification of wastewater in small urban centres, for example, or an important business meeting to identify opportunities in the sector, this guided the hand of subject matter experts and professionals and renowned entrepreneurs.

The broad international participation is one of the hallmarks of the show, in fact, in this as in previous editions, in addition to call several foreign trade missions, participating companies of Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, France, Italy, Portugal, among others.