Report: BIWWEC 2026 (Borneo International Water and Wastewater Exhibition & Convention)
- Hiroyasu Satoh
- Jul 21
- 2 min read
Following an invitation from a connection made at last year's IWA Sludge Management Conference, I visited Kuching on the island of Borneo, Malaysia, in mid-July.
"Kuching" means "cat" in Malay and is the capital of Sarawak State, with a population of around 700,000. I was there to attend the international conference "Borneo International Water and Wastewater Exhibition & Convention (BIWWEC)."
BIWWEC: A Vibrant International Conference
Around 1,500 participants gathered from Southeast Asia and Europe. It was a prestigious event with a strong diplomatic presence, featuring keynote addresses by the Ambassadors of the Netherlands and Finland, as well as the Premier of Sarawak.
Key Highlights of the Conference
Welcoming Atmosphere: Casual panel discussions and local pop music playing during breaks created a friendly vibe.
Practical Themes: Focused on labor-saving through IoT/AI, non-revenue water (NRW) countermeasures, and sanitation in rural areas.
Future-Oriented Discussions: Explored how to leverage information technology and community collaboration under severe resource constraints.
Stepping away from the framework of major megacities, I truly felt that Kuching was an ideal location to rethink solutions for regional cities and their surrounding areas.
2028 IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition to be Held in Kuching!
A major announcement at the venue was that the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition will be held right here in Kuching from September 12 to 16, 2028! Hosting a 10,000-participant scale conference in a city of 700,000 is a bold challenge, but leveraging its rich natural and tourist resources promises to make it a highly attractive event.
Exploring Kuching and Meeting the "Man of the Forest"
Here is a quick look at the town during my stay:
The Town & Food: Cat monuments are everywhere (though actual cats were surprisingly rare!). The food is generally not spicy and absolutely delicious!
Meeting Orangutans: At the end of the conference, I visited a nature reserve to see the "men of the forest." A magnificent 30-year-old male orangutan emerged from the jungle to greet visitors. It was a profound experience that reinforced the importance of continuing peaceful coexistence alongside Sarawak’s future development.
Regarding My Research & Local Inspection...
I shared insights on the potential of in-pipe purification technology and the current status of our R&D. (I've attached my presentation slides here!) Fortunately, many attendees expressed great interest.
also had the opportunity to tour local wastewater facilities in Kuching. Sewerage services in Sarawak are managed at the state level rather than by individual cities, overseen by the Sewerage Services Department Sarawak.
The treatment process utilizes activated sludge combined with stabilization ponds, with dewatered sludge sent to landfills. They adopt a separate sewer system (rather than a combined system), expanding coverage outward from the city center. However, the connection method for individual buildings seems somewhat different from what we consider a typical separate sewer system in Japan.
Comments