98th Annual Conference by AZ Water Association

The AZ Water Association is hosting its 98th Annual Conference and Exhibition April 15-17. This nonprofit organization has a membership of over 2,800 water and wastewater professionals with a vision to champion resilient, reliable and safe water. The member of the association include contractors, suppliers for manufacturers, utilities and consultants from engineering firms.

Jeanne Jensen, AZ Water Conference and Exhibition Chair and Heather Tugaoen, AZ Water Conference and Exhibition Co-Chair joined us to discuss.

“We have a lot of different opportunities. We have training and technical sessions both for operators and professionals. We have a lot of different competitions that are going on, so different utilities will bring teams that are doing ‘Meter Mania’ and ‘Hydrant Hysteria’ and all of the fun things. Obviously a lot of networking and professional development is going on as well,” Tugaoen said.

Jensen said they will have a few keynote speakers as well. Mark Weaver, a crisis communications specialist will talk about the power of storytelling to attract the community. Also, David Fielder of the Detroit Water & Sewage Department, he works with the led removal program for the department, will be speaking as well.

“We have had such a sustainable and foward-thinking mindset in the state of Arizona for so many decades with the groundwater rule coming in, with all the AMAs, we have a sustainable water supply in Arizona and obviously with the things that are going on between the upper and lower basin on the Colorado River, there’s quite contentious, interesting discussions between all of us at the conference,” Tugaoen said.