Thousands of academics, professionals and business people from around the world are to gather in the southern port city of Busan this week to discuss the global water crisis.

At BEXCO on Sunday, the IWA 2012 World Water Congress and Exhibition will kick off its six-day run from Sept. 16 to 21, packed with workshops, exhibitions, business forums and various social events.

“More than 7,000 participants from about 130 countries are expected to attend,” the International Water Association, the organizer, said in a press release. 

It is a biennial event where world-leading water professionals and experts gather to discuss and find solutions to water-related problems in the 21st century, as well as serving as a global platform for related companies, it explained.

Presentations at the congress relate to all aspects of the water cycle from water supply to treatment, conveyance and wastewater treatment. Aside from those traditional subjects, Korea’s ambitious yet controversial four-river restoration project will be in the spotlight, the IWA said.

The $19 billion project of dredging and damming the country’s four large rivers is a source of constant criticism of President Lee Myung-bak, with some environmentalists calling for the project’s outright reversal. It was officially declared complete late last year.

Based in London, the IWA is a global network of water professionals spanning the continuum between research and practice and covering all facets of the water cycle.

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)