The world’s largest annual water quality event began September 29 and runs through October 3 in New Orleans, LA. The Water Environment Federation’s 91st Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference, known as WEFTEC, provides the latest developments, technologies and services for the water sector. More than 20,000 water professionals and 1,000 water companies will attend to learn, connect and work toward a better future for water.
On Friday, September 28, students and young professionals engaged students at St. Mary’s School in hands-on and demonstration activities on the importance of water, to encourage students to become stewards of their environment. On Saturday, September 29, WEF held a community service project at Treme Recreational Community Center to build a rain garden and install an educational graphic about green infrastructure.
Awards and more
WEF announced the 2018 WEF Awards recipients for published papers which recognize WEF members for valuable research that has the potential for broad contribution to industrial wastewater management. The 2018 recipients are:
- Eddy Wastewater Principles/Processes Medal: “Rethinking the Mechanisms of Biological Phosphorus Removal,” James L. Barnard, Patrick Dunlap, Mark Steichen,Water Environment Research, Volume 89, p. 2043 (2017)
- Gascoigne Wastewater Treatment Plant Operational Improvement Medal: “Marrying Step Feed with Secondary Clarifier Improvements to Significantly Increase Peak Wet Weather Treatment Capacity: An Integrated Methodology,” Glen T. Daigger, John S. Siczka, Thomas F. Smith, David A. Frank, J. Alex McCorquodale, Water Environment Research, v. 89, no. 8, August 2017, pg. 724
- McKee Groundwater Protection, Restoration or Sustainable Use Award: “Indicators of Groundwater Potential for Nitrate Transformation in a Reductive Environment,” Marija Perović, Vesna Obradović, Srd-an Kovacˇevic, David Mitrinović, Nevena Zˇ ivancˇev, Tanja Nenin, Water Environment Research, 2017, v. 89, no. 14
Awards for operational and design excellence, which recognize individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the water environment profession, included:
- Collection Systems Award: James A. Hewitt
- Innovative Technology Award: SimuWorks OpTool™– Hydromantis Environmental Software Solutions, Inc.
- Morgan Operational Solutions Awards: City of Boise Lander Street Water Renewal Facility Operations and Process Coordination Team and Jeffery Mahagan, Town of Hillsborough, NC
WEF’s annual Project Excellence Award pays tribute to excellence and innovation in the execution of projects and programs in the water sector.
- Central Pasco County Beneficial Water Reuse Project: 4G Ranch Wetlands:Pasco County, Fla., Southwest Florida Water Management District, and Jacobs/CH2M
- The McCook Reservoir: Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
- WEF Safety Award: City of Garland (Texas) Wastewater Treatment