WEFTEC 2019 Editor Wrap Up

Water & Wastes Digest, Water Quality Products and Storm Water Solutions editors had jam-packed days during the Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) at McCormick Place in Chicago Sept. 23 to 25.

Below are videos of the editor's discussing what they got up to each day along with related links to what they mentioned in those videos. Stay tuned later this week and early next week for a podcast episode with US Water Alliance CEO Radhika Fox, a special WEFTEC episode with Mads Warming and other guests, and two videos with elevators pitches of brand new products on the WEFTEC 2019 show floor.

Until then, keep up to date with WEFTEC with the videos and links below!

WEFTEC 2019 Day 1

WWD Senior Managing Editor Bob Crossen, WQP Managing Editor Lauren Del Ciello and SWS Managing Editor Katie Johns talk through their first days at WEFTEC 2019. Crossen visited several booths to learn about new products and previewed the Top Projects Awards ceremony. Del Ciello had some take aways from the Opening General Session, and Johns reflected on her visit to the Stormwater Pavillion.

Did we mention the crew was interrupted by a special guest? Watch our recap video to find out more below!

Read our editor's guide to WEFTEC 2019.

• What's Happening at WEFTEC 2019?

  • Preview: The Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) is the largest water and wastewater treatment trade show in the U.S. In 2019, the show has 148 technical sessions, 27 workshops, 16 mobile sessions and seven local facility tours. As with every odd-numbered year, WEFTEC takes place at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. McCormick Place is located south of Chicago’s vibrant lake-front spaces including Grant Park, the Field Museum, and Soldier Field.

Read about this year's WWD and iWWD Top Projects Winners.

• WWD & iWWD Announce Top Project Winners for 2019

  • Preview: Water & Wastes Digest and Industrial Water & Wastes Digest awarded their 2019 Top Project winners with crystal awards Monday, Sept. 23 at Maggiano's Little Italy in Chicago during WEFTEC 2019. Each project was nominated through forms on the Water & Wastes Digest website and were evaluated by the editorial team. The winners exemplified excellence in collaboration, strength in overcoming project challenges and taking their project beyond just construction and technical goals. In this article is a list of project winners for iWWD and WWD with data points and small blurbs about each winning project.

Listen to last year's special WEFTEC episode of Talking Under Water.

• Talking Under Water Special Episode: WEFTEC 18

  • Preview: In this special episode of Talking Under Water: One Water, One Podcast, hosts Water Quality Products Managing Editor Amy McIntosh, Storm Water Solutions Managing Editor Lauren Baltas and Water & Wastes Digest Managing Editor Bob Crossen share insights and interviews from the Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC), held Oct. 1 to 3, 2018, in New Orleans.

WEFTEC Day 2

WWD Senior Managing Editor Bob Crossen, SWS Managing Editor Katie Johns and WQP Managing Editor Lauren Del Ciello review their second day at WEFTEC 2019. Del Ciello talks about interviewing Radhika Fox from US Water Alliance about the One Water Roadmap, Imagine a Day Without Water, the importance of art and culture to the One Water movement and the U.S. Water Prize winners. Crossen discusses the second Talking Under Water Podcast interview for WEFTEC with Mads Warming from Danfoss, who described an energy neutral facility in Denmark as well as advancements in efficiencies for variable speed drives. And finally Johns mulled the future of storm water and smart systems after attending several sessions.

Read more about the US Water Alliance One Water Roadmap & UN Sustainability Goals.

• One Water, One Future

  • Summary:  Engineers and operators know all too well that water is the defining issue of our time. The 21^st century is unfolding an unparalleled, complex set of water challenges. Aging infrastructure must meet stricter regulations. Climate impacts often are felt first and foremost in the water sector, but also offer an uncertain future. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, microplastics, and antibiotic gene resistance permeate wastewater systems and threaten public health. Federal funding for infrastructure is steadily declining. A generation of the workforce is nearing retirement. The urgent, multifaceted nature of our water issues calls for new ways of thinking, acting and investing.

• Relating One Water to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals

  • Summary: The availability of affordable, clean freshwater for potable use, food production and industry appears to be a major hurdle to quality of life in much of the developing world. To address this global challenge, the United Nations (U.N.) released its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) in 2015 after years of development. This approach to sustainable development has 17 specific goals.

Read about this year's U.S. Water Prize winners and listen to a podcast episode with an interview from DigDeep, a 2018 U.S. Water Prize Winner with the links and summaries below.

Talking Under Water Episode 6: Water Equity

• Summary: In this episode of Talking Under Water, One Water, One Podcast, your hosts Amy, Lauren and Bob discuss the importance of water equity, the act of ensuring a safe, affordable and accessible water future for all people. They kick off the episode talking about The Value of Water Campaign and their individual water footprints to commemorate "A Day Without Water." Bob also interviews U.S. Water Prize winner Emma Robbins from DigDeep about her involvement in bringing safe, affordable water to Navajo communities in the U.S.