IAEA/RCA Meeting on Assessment of Trends in Freshwater Quality using Environmental Isotopes and Chemical Techniques for Improved Resource Management will be held in 20-25 February 2006 in KL, Malaysia.

The global overview of water availability versus the population stresses the continental disparities, and in particular, the pressure put on the Asian continent, which supports more than half of the world's population with 36% of the world's water resources. It is noted that presently, over 1.1 billion people lack access to improved water supply and Asia has the highest number of people unobserved by water supply (65%). Moreover, over 2.4 billion people lack access to improved sanitation and Asia has 80% of them.

In this regard, there is a clear need to develop regional monitoring networks and database on isotope and chemical constituents of surface water and groundwater. RCA with the support from IAEA has been carrying out cooperative project among the Member States to study on the trends in water quality degradation, to set up of early-warning indicators for corrective management decisions and other necessary works in order to understand various components of the water cycle as a start point to develop regional monitoring networks and database on the chemical constituents.

At the meeting in February in Malaysia, RCA Member States will consolidate and finalize details of the project scope and specific project activities at the national and regional scales such as identifying the necessary training requirements in support of the project.

For further information,
Mr Mohd. TADZA Abdul Rahman at mohd_tadza@mint.gov.my