By Rasha Maal-Bared, Senior Microbiologist at EPCOR and Chair of WEF’s Waterborne Infectious Disease Outbreak Control Subcommittee (WIDOC)

This World Water Day, WEF’s research community has its eyes turned to public health issues and the treatment of unconventional contaminants. As data testing and analytics become more sophisticated, researchers are better able to detect contaminants in water that could have an adverse effect on public health. Fortunately, advances in treatment methodologies can also keep pace.

The Water Environment Federation is always focused on the health and safety of our members, whether at our events, in the water workplace, or here in the WEF office.

In 2019, we volunteered to be co-chairs of the steering committee for the National Stormwater Symposium and we are excited about the location (Leslie’s hometown of Cincinnati) and the prospect of meeting in an area where stormwater management is moving into the 21st century!

For too long the national discussion about infrastructure has sounded just like that classic movie with Steve Martin and John Candy – Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

Both of us frequently attend the WEF Residual and Biosolids Conference, and we’ve always found the attendees and atmosphere foster discussion, sharing, and collaboration among this dedicated group of enthusiastic professionals, and we’re sure this year’s conference will continue the tradition.

Of all our recurring industry events, the WEF Odors and Air Pollutants Specialty Conference is the event we look forward to the most. While wastewater collection and treatment are of vital importance to protect public health and the environment, most of our industry’s work is out of sight and out of mind for the general public – unless it stinks.

Utility managers Sam Paske and Jack Bebee make sure to attend the Utility Management Conference every year put on by the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation. 

WEF Board of Trustees President Jackie Jarrell details proposed key changes to the Water Environment Federation's governing documents.

In December, we turned on a new website portal that collects most all WEF news content in a single place. We want to share why we made this improvement and what you can expect to see.