The chief impact officer for Water.org, a nonprofit organization that has been working to bring water and sanitation to the world for 25 years, and the president/CEO of the public utility San Antonio Water System (SAWS) will be the keynote speakers for the seventh biennial Emerging Water Technology Symposium (EWTS), May 12-13 in San Antonio, Texas.

 

The EWTS provides an opportunity for experts to present new ideas and approaches, emerging technologies coming to market, innovative green plumbing and mechanical concepts, and more. Professionals from the manufacturing, engineering, plumbing and mechanical, and water utility industries participate, along with individuals from government and academia.

 

Dr. Richard E. Thorsten is the chief impact officer for Water.org, which has helped provide access to clean water and safe sanitation to more than 25 million people in 16 nations. He will discuss critical roles of financing access to piped water and off-grid sanitation solutions in developing countries. He will also outline examples of partnerships that Water.org has undertaken in these markets, especially connecting water utilities and product manufacturers with sources of household and enterprise financing.

 

Also delivering a keynote address will be Robert Puente, who has served as president/CEO of SAWS since 2008. As chief executive of one of the nation's largest utilities, he provides leadership in delivering water and wastewater services to more than 1.7 million consumers, developing new water resources, continuing infrastructure upgrades throughout the community, and building regional partnerships. Before coming to SAWS as the president/CEO, Puente served in the Texas House of Representatives. First elected in 1991, Puente was appointed to the House Natural Resources Committee, which develops water policy for the state. 

 

In addition to the keynote addresses, EWTS attendees will view presentations and discussions on today's most pressing water-related issues. The topics will include best risk management practices for Legionella and pathogen control, including high-capacity filtration; identifying key research needs for premise plumbing; enabling competitions to drive behavioral change; preventing temperature fluctuations in showers; wastewater treatment and whether it can be a consumer product; the applied water-energy nexus — using an integration framework; PFAS contamination in water; emerging water-from-air technologies; and many more.

 

"The EWTS provides attendees with a unique opportunity to hear from manufacturers, engineers, academia, futurists, policy makers and water efficiency experts," said Pete DeMarco, IAPMO's executive vice president of advocacy and research. "The two-day symposium will address global problems pertaining to the safe delivery and use of water in buildings and the new technologies and strategies that are being developed to keep plumbing systems safe and efficient. Having again received a record number of outstanding abstracts, this year's program will provide attendees with an amazing opportunity to hear from and interact with today's water leaders."

 

The symposium will be co-convened by the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE), the Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE), the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), and Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI), in cooperation with the World Plumbing Council (WPC).

 

Attendees are advised to register early as this symposium will sell out. The early-bird rate of $495 ends March 15. Additional information and details on how to register for the symposium may be found online at www.ewts.org. Videos of presentations from previous symposiums are also available on the website.