The Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group (PWTAG) is proud to host the third international Swimming Pool & Spa Conference. PWTAG has secured the prestigious Royal College of Physicians building in London’s Regent's Park for the conference, which will run from 17-20 March 2009.

The first of these biennial conferences was in Budapest in 2005; the second in Munich last year. The conference now has an established reputation for bringing together leading academics, professionals and practitioners whose work bears on the treatment and quality of water in pools and spas. The 2009 conference is expected to attract some 250 delegates from the UK and mainland Europe, as well as from further afield.

The third international Swimming Pool and Spa Conference comes at an important time for swimming.

• There are debates about the different standards of pool treatment that prevail in different countries; and about different pre-swim hygiene regimes.
  
• The World Health Organisation has produced guidelines in this area – but how well are they used?
  
• There is a disputed connection between disinfection byproducts and childhood asthma.
  
• Products and processes are promoted that claim to short-circuit some of the traditional challenges in running healthy pools.
  
• Pathogenic microorganisms like Cryptosporidium and Legionella must be dealt with rigorously
  
• The warm waters of spa pools present a particular challenge.

The 2009 conference will deal with subjects like these over two and a half days, in the five sessions listed below.

FIVE SESSIONS

Session 1 – Infections associated with pools and spas
Mycobacterial infections; Amoebae; Legionellosis; Viral infections; Giardiasis; Cryptosporidiosis; Pseudomonas; Cyanobacteria; Outbreaks

Session 2 – Health impact of disinfection byproducts
Child health and swimming; Swimming and pregnancy; Risk assessment; Optimising air quality; Toxicology of disinfection byproducts

Session 3 – Water treatment
Improvements in filtration; Design, health and control; Pool microbiology; Particle counting and water quality; Alternative treatments; Developments in poolside testing; Standards

Session 4 – Technical management of pool hygiene
Hydrotherapy; Natural pools; Holiday pools; Domestic pools; Ships; Tourism; Hotels

Session 5 – Risk management
Public health interventions; Heat and water conservation; The role of regulation; Health and safety; Olympics; Risks from flumes and inflatables; Drowning and neck injuries; Communicating with the public; Pool management for health

PROGRAMME
Tuesday 17 March 2009 – Registration from 1600
Wednesday 18 March – conference programme from 0900-1730
Thursday 19 March – conference programme from 0900-1730; Gala dinner
Friday 20 March 2009 – conference programme from 0900-1230; Open forum from 1400-1730

VENUE
SWIMMING POOL & SPA 2009 will be held at The Royal College of Physicians, Regent’s Park London which offers excellent modern facilities, including a tiered conference hall seating 300 delegates. The venue is just a short distance from Regent’s Park, Baker Street, Marylebone, Euston and St Pancras stations and a short journey to London’s West End. A detailed map and information about hotels will be supplied to delegates.

CALL FOR PAPERS – Deadline Friday 5 September 2008
The Conference Technical Committee is inviting papers under the topic headings listed below. Potential authors are requested to complete the on-line registration form and attach a synopsis, or just email the conference office with the following information:
• title of the paper
• name of the author and affiliation/organisation
• synopsis of 150-200 words
• the session for which it is intended.

WRITTEN PAPERS
Authors who are accepted for submitting a paper in the conference will be required to provide a written paper for inclusion in the official Conference CD. Full guidance notes will be submitted to accepted authors.

KEY CONFERENCE DATES
Call for Papers closing date Friday 5 September 2008 
Authors notified of acceptance Friday 12 September 2008 
Final date for submitting written papers Friday 16 January 2009

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
companies interested in sponsoring the conference are invited to contact PWTAG for more information on our excellent value for money packages.
Conference office SWIMMING POOL & SPA 2009, Westrade Group Ltd, PO Box 28970, London SW14 8XH
Telephone +44 (0) 20 8876 1881.
Fax +44 (0) 870 429 9275.
Email cprescot@westrade.co.uk

PWTAG Office Field House, Thrandeston, Diss, Norfolk IP21 4BU
Telephone +44 (0) 1379 783678.
Email guthrie@pwtag.org

REGISTRATION FEES
Early bird booking rates are available until 16 January 2009

Full Conference
Early bird rate – before 16 January 2009 @ £350 + VAT
After 16 January 2009 @ £395 + VAT

Gala dinner
Thursday 19 March @ £45 + VAT per head

Note All conference speakers are required to register at the quoted rates.

HOW TO REGISTER

On-line


By mail or fax Complete the registration form and return together with payment using one of the methods below.

• By cheque – enclose your cheque payable to Westrade Group Ltd.
  
• By Credit Card – Visa, Mastercard, Diners or American Express. Provide credit card details as requested.
• By BACS Transfer to: Lloyds TSB, 1 Butler Place, Caxton Street, London SW1H 0PR. Sort Code: 30-98-97. Account Name: Westrade Group Ltd. Account number: 00654058.

Booking conditions
Admission to the Conference can only be guaranteed to delegates whose fees are paid in full at the time of registration. A cancellation charge of £35 + VAT will be made for all cancellations. No refunds after 16 January 2009. Substitute names may be given at any time.

Free book
All delegates will receive a free copy of the new, 2008 edition of the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group's authoritative book - Swimming Pool Water.

About the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group
PWTAG is an independent, UK based, non-commercial organisation, operating since 1984 and dedicated solely to raising standards in swimming and spa pool water treatment. This is achieved through public statements, reports, books and professional advice - all backed by practical research and the experience of its members and advisers. These are drawn from professional institutions, national and local government, health authorities and trade associations. The organisation is funded through the sale of its own influential publication Swimming Pool Water and from the subscriptions of its members.

Conference sponsors