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36th Annual WateReuse Symposium Agenda

The 36th Annual WateReuse Symposium launches on March 1 with a live opening general session. Following the opening general session, attendees will have access to dozens of on-demand technical sessions on all aspects of water recycling that you can view at your convenience.

The Symposium culminates with two weeks of daily live roundtable discussions March 15-25 that will allow you to turn on your camera and participate in breakout discussions on critical water recycling topics. The full program, including recordings of live roundtables, will be available through April 23, 2021.

Schedule at a Glance

Date

Program Overview

Sponsor

Monday, March 1
10:00 am – 11:30 am PT
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm ET

Live Opening General Session

Panel Presentation: Challenges and Opportunities of Integrating Public Health

Facilitator: Gilbert Trejo, Chief Technical Officer, El Paso Water, Texas

Panelists:

  • Peter Grevatt, CEO, The Water Research Foundation
  • Joan Oppenheimer, Vice President, Principal Scientist, Stantec
  • Dr. Donna Petersen, Senior Associate Vice President, USF Health Dean, College of Public Health
  • Rupam Soni, Principal Public Affairs Representative, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
  • Greta Zornes, Practice Leader – Water Reuse, CDM Smith

Monday, March 1
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm PT
4:00 pm – 5:30 pm ET

A Hypothetical – Potable Reuse Moves Towards Artificial Intelligence

In this hypothetical panel discussion, we will discuss the controls and automation of a potable reuse plant of the (near) future as it relates to safety, reliability, and redundancy.  What skills and capability will designers require? How will operators adapt and learn to trust the technology? What technical and maintenance skills will operators need? How will the system provide transparency and accountability for regulators, and will it build trust for the broader community?

Facilitators: Troy Walker, Water Reuse Practice Leader, Hazen and Sawyer and Ben Stanford, Associate Vice President, Hazen and Sawyer

Panelists:

  • Pablo Calabuig, CEO North America, GoAigua
  • Bob Hultquist, Consultant, California Department of Public Health
  • Kathryn Newhart, Engineer, Metro Wastewater Reclamation District, Colorado
  • Ricardo Valderi, Professor of Systems and Industrial Engineering, University of Arizona

Monday, March 1
Streaming through Friday, April 23, 2021

On-Demand Technical Sessions Available

Over 25 on-demand technical sessions will be released March 1 that you can view at your convenience. Each session is a 60 or 90 minute panel discussion or grouping of presentations that will prepare you to fully engage in the live roundtables.

Monday, March 15
11:00 am – 1:30 pm PT
2:00 pm – 4:30 pm ET

Water Reuse 101

This roundtable explores drivers, financing, technology adoption, research, public acceptance, and the biggest challenges of implementing water reuse projects.

Live Roundtable with Breakout Sessions

Facilitator: Tracy Lewis, Wastewater and Water Reclamation Practice Leader, Tetra Tech

Panelists:

  • Hubertus Cox, Division Manager, Water Recycling Implementation, LA Sanitation & Environment, California
  • Terry Lauritsen, Engineering and Water Utilities Director, City of Bartlesville, Oklahoma
  • Melissa Meeker, CEO, The Water Tower
  • Krishna Pagilla, Chair, Environmental and Civil Engineering Department, University of Nevada, Reno
  • Bart Weiss, Chief Officer, Innovation and Resiliency, Hillsborough County Public Utilities, Florida
  • Lauren Zuravnsky, Chief of Design and Construction – SWIFT, Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia

Breakout Topics:

  • IPR and DPR Regulations (Full)
  • Public Education
  • Funding Opportunities
  • Operator Training Certification
  • Enhanced Recovery
  • Innovative Technologies

Tuesday, March 16
9:00 am – 11:30 am PT
12:00 pm – 2:30 pm ET

Water Recycling and Public Health

In this session we will explore the importance of incorporating public health protection into recycled water planning, education, and outreach.

Live Roundtable with Breakout Sessions

Facilitator: Melanie Holmer, Water Reuse Practice Leader, Brown and Caldwell

Panelists:

  • Rabia Chaudhry, National Water Reuse Expert, US Environmental Protection Agency
  • Allegra da Silva, Rocky Mountain Region Water Reuse Practice Leader, Brown and Caldwell
  • Daniel Gerrity, Principal Research Scientist, Southern Nevada Water Authority
  • Daniel Nix, Utilities Operations Manager, City of Wichita Falls, Texas
  • Channah Rock, Professor, University of Arizona
  • Patricia Tennyson, Executive Vice President, Katz and Associates

Breakout Topics:

  • Medical Community Engagement
  • The Role of Pilot Projects to Demonstrate Health Protection
  • The Role of Research to Demonstrate Health Protection
  • State and Federal Governments’ Roles in Health Risk communication
  • Communicating Public Health Protection through Media and Outreach
  • Protecting Public Health in Light of Emerging Issues (PFAS/COVID)

Wednesday, March 17
9:00 am – 11:30 am PT
12:00 pm – 2:30 pm ET

Recycled Water as Drinking Water

In this roundtable, experts and attendees will share challenges and solutions to potable reuse implementation from enhanced source control programs to artificial intelligence in water reuse.

Live Roundtable with Breakout Sessions

Facilitator: TBD

Panelists:

  • David Ammerman, Division Director of Water, Wastewater, and Reuse, City of Altamonte Springs, Florida
  • John Burch, Water Quality Supervisor, Colorado River Municipal Water District, Texas
  • Manisha Kothari, Senior Planner, Innovations, Water Resources Division, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, California
  • Eva Steinle-Darling, Water Reuse Technical Practice Leader, Carollo Engineers
  • Scott Summers, Director of Environmental Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder
  • Nick Turner, Senior Principal for Strategic Projects, Water Corporation of Western Australia

Breakout Topics:

  • Enhanced Source Control Programs
  • Regulatory Guidelines Development
  • Incorporation of MBR into Advanced Treatment Trains
  • Carbon-Based Advanced Treatment
  • Artificial Intelligence and Water Reuse
  • Potable Reuse: The East Coast Perspective

Thursday, March 18
9:00 am – 11:30 am PT
12:00 pm – 2:30 pm ET

Recycled Water as a Resiliency Tool

Join us for a discussion of using water reuse to strengthen the resiliency of water systems.

Live Roundtable with Breakout Sessions

Facilitator: Zeynep Erdal, Water Business Leader, Black & Veatch

Panelists:

  • Bruce Chalmers, Program Manager, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
  • Glen Daigger, Professor of Engineering Practice, University of Michigan
  • Ted Henifin, General Manager, Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia
  • Felicia Marcus, William C. Landreth Visiting Fellow, Stanford University
  • Francesca McCann, Business Development Director – InfraManagement Group, Black & Veatch

Breakout Topics:

  • Early Planning as a Key Tool
  • Utility Resilience and Risk Management
  • Innovation and Technology
  • Opportunities to Implement Change at Utilities: Case Studies
  • Definition of Success: What are the Right Metrics?
  • Use of Sustainable Groundwater Management and Agricultural Strategies

Friday, March 19
10:00 am – 12:30 pm PT
1:00 pm – 3:30 pm ET

Regional Approaches to Water Recycling

Roundtable panelists will discuss water reuse in their communities, specific challenges with each project, and strategies for expanding the adoption of water recycling in the region.

Live Roundtable with Breakout Sessions

Facilitator: Joe Vesey, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Xylem

Panelists:

  • David Ammerman, Division Director of Water, Wastewater, and Reuse, City of Altamonte Springs, Florida
  • Robert Angelotti, Executive Director, Upper Occoquan Service Authority, Virginia
  • Doug Bode, Utilities Supervisor, City of Waconia, Minnesota
  • Allison Esvelt, Partner/Principal, Esvelt Environmental Engineering, Pacific Northwest
  • Cory Miller, Executive Director, University Area Joint Authority, Pennsylvania
  • Lydia Peri, Emerging Resources Program Administrator, Truckee Meadows Water Authority, Nevada

Breakout Topics:

  • Southeastern US
  • Northeast US
  • Midwest US
  • Northwestern US
  • South Central US
  • Southwestern US

Monday, March 22
8:30 am – 10:00 am PT
11:30 am – 1:00 pm ET

2021 WateReuse Awards for Excellence and Annual Business Meeting

Join us to celebrate accomplishments in water recycling! The WateReuse Awards for Excellence recognizes WateReuse members, their projects, and their partnerships that have made significant contributions in support of greater adoption of water reuse. 

This session begins with the live WateReuse Annual Business meeting featuring the State of the Association and bylaws vote, as well as a 2021 outlook.

Presenters:

  • Gilbert Trejo, President, WateReuse Association and Chief Technical Officer, El Paso Water, Texas
  • Patricia Sinicropi, Executive Director, WateReuse Association
  • Pam Kenel, Chair, WateReuse Awards Committee and Director of Water Resources, Loudoun Water, Virginia

Monday, March 22
10:00 am – 12:30 pm PT
1:00 pm – 3:30 pm ET

Implementation and Operation of Water Recycling Systems

Join us for a discussion of the largest implementation and operational challenges of a water recycling project, as well as insight into how the federal government could assist in overcoming those challenges.

Live Roundtable with Breakout Sessions

Co-Facilitator: Diane Taniguchi-Dennis, CEO, Clean Water Services, Oregon

Co-Facilitator: Jim Horne, Sustainability Program Manager, Office of Wastewater Management, US Environmental Protection Agency

Panelists:

  • Kevin Flis, Client Solutions Manager, Xylem
  • Mark Jockers, Government & Public Affairs Manager, Clean Water Services, Oregon
  • Christina Montoya, Communications and Marketing Manager, El Paso Water, Texas
  • Tressa Nicholas, Technical Support Coordinator, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality

Breakout Topics:

  • Employee and Operator Development and Training
  • Implementing and Operating Natural Systems
  • Public Partnerships and Acceptance
  • Pilot Project Development
  • Funding and Pricing for Continued Operation
  • Recruitment of the Right Team Members from Traditional and Non-Traditional Communities

Tuesday, March 23
10:00 am – 12:30 pm PT
1:00 pm – 3:30 pm ET

Water Recycling Research and Innovation

The roundtable will present compelling results from the latest water reuse-related research and discuss how the research can be used to advance reuse broadly.

Live Roundtable with Breakout Sessions

Facilitator: Adam Olivieri, Principal/Founder, EAO

Panelists:

  • John Albert, Chief Research Officer, The Water Research Foundation
  • Brian Bernados, Senior Engineer and Technical Specialist, California State Water Resources Control Board
  • Jean Debroux, Chief Technical Officer, Kennedy Jenks
  • Brian Pecson, Principal Engineer, Trussell Technologies
  • Krista Wigginton, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan

Breakout Topics:

  • Pathogens: Monitoring, QMRA, Removals through Advanced Treatment
  • Potable Reuse Regulations and Implementation Outside of California
  • Regional Applicability of Research
  • Regulatory Considerations for Emerging Chemicals, Plant Operations, and Source Control
  • Role of Water Reuse to Support the Environment
  • Water Reuse Action Plan Driving Reuse Research

Wednesday, March 24
11:00 am – 1:30 pm
2:00 pm – 4:30 pm ET

Water Recycling and Policy

The live policy roundtable will examine how policies and regulations can support water recycling as a resiliency tool. Panelists will discuss where and how polices and regulations are succeeding and where there are gaps and shortcomings. Specific examples will be given at the federal, state, and local levels.

Live Roundtable with Breakout Sessions

Facilitator: Jon Freedman, Senior Vice President, Global Government Affairs, SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions

Panelists:

  • Elizabeth Anderson, Chief Planning Officer, Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, New Mexico
  • Marilyn Hall, Former Senior Water Resources Planner, Athens-Clarke County, Georgia
  • Karen Mogus, Deputy Director, California Water Resources Control Board
  • Sharon Nappier, National Program Leader for Water Reuse, US Environmental Protection Agency

Breakout Topics:

  • Developing State Regulatory Frameworks and Regulations
  • Overcoming Policy Barriers
  • Policy and Industry
  • The Role of Coordination and Partnerships
  • The Role of the Federal Government
  • Using Policy to Support Stormwater Harvesting and Onsite Reuse

Thursday, March 25
11:00 am – 12:30 pm PT
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm ET

Live Closing Session: Making Water Recycling Accessible for All Communities

The live portions of the WateReuse Symposium will close with a panel presentation focusing on water recycling in the future. The panel will examine expanding applications of water recycling across the globe and national involvement in those expansions.

Facilitator: Beverly Stinson, Executive Vice President, Global Water Business Line Leader, AECOM

Panelists:

  • Charles Bott, Director of Water Technology and Research, Hampton Roads Sanitation District
  • John Enloe, Director, Natural Resources, Truckee Meadows Water Authority
  • Dr. Donna Petersen, Senior Associate Vice President, USF Health Dean, College of Public Health
  • Hugh Sealy, Special Envoy, Government of Barbados
  • Trent Stober, Director, Utility Management Services, HDR
  • Kyle Swanson, Director of Advanced Water Purification, Padre Dam Municipal Water District
  • Vijay Sundaram, National Water Reuse Technical Practice Leader, AECOM

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