The series of activities promoting the establishment of the China Chapter of the International Water Association, or IWA, concluded in Shanghai on Thursday, underscoring China's dedication to water microbial safety.

The event, including a summit on environmental and ecological disciplines excellence, and a seminar of the China Chapter of the IWA's health-related water microbiology specialist group, facilitated discussions on groundbreaking advancements in water microbial safety and highlighted China's innovative research in crucial areas.

The one-day seminar is a collaborative effort between the Chinese Academy of Sciences Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, China Water Environment Group, the editorial board of the journal Water and Ecology, and Tongji University's School of Environment.

The launch of the China Chapter in Beijing on May 20 marked a new era of collaboration, with Joan Rose, a professor from Michigan State University, and Qu Jiuhui, a professor from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, serving as honorable co-chairs. Liu Gang, a professor from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was elected as the China Chapter chair.

Liu expressed excitement about the newly-established China Chapter, emphasizing its role in uniting researchers and promoting Chinese scholarship on a global scale.

"We aim to utilize greener, more sustainable methods to safeguard water's biological safety," said Liu, underlining the chapter's ambition to drive impactful research and technological advancements in China.

Rose's visit to China, taking in various cities including Beijing, Dali in Yunnan province, Xi'an in Shaanxi province, Wuhan in Hubei province, Yixing in Jiangsu province, and Shanghai, has been pivotal in fostering international research exchanges and showcasing China's progress in water and wastewater management technologies and practices.

She highlighted the significance of her trip, noting the cutting-edge research being conducted by students and professors.

She added that she was impressed with the extensive water quality monitoring along the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, innovative riverbank filtration studies, the concept waste resource reclamation facilities in Yixing, and the integration of automation and robotics in environmental research.

Rose emphasized the potential for enhanced international collaboration facilitated by the newly-launched journal Water and Ecology and the establishment of the China Chapter.

The summit featured Rose's insightful keynote address on imperative science for health-related water microbiology, marking a transformative moment in aligning global efforts to ensure water microbial safety.

Rose also expressed optimism about the impact of the new China Chapter on global efforts in health-related water microbiology.

"I think the new chapter here in China is going to enrich the global efforts in health-related water microbiology, and it's going to be a model for other countries in the future," said the US professor.

Wang Biye contributed to this story.