Water For People, a nonprofit international development organization, announced today receipt of a $5.6 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support their innovative Sanitation as a Business program.
The grant represents a significant investment over four years in Water For People’s Sanitation as a Business work, testing possible sustainable sanitation services in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This groundbreaking program seeks to revolutionize the sanitation sector. The program will combine profit incentives for small local companies and income generation programs for poor households and schools, demonstrating a shift from unsustainable, subsidy-based sanitation programs toward sustainable, profitable sanitation services. By merging business principles of market research and segmentation with comprehensive community involvement and thorough evaluation of results, Water For People aims to create a truly scalable model, expanding affordable sanitation coverage in multiple locations worldwide. Read more
WEF has submitted comments to to help EPA determine whether and how to modify the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) regulations as they apply to municipal sanitary sewer collection systems and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs).
The Water Environment Federation (WEF) fully endorses EPA’s decision to collect information and views in support of developing a comprehensive program addressing sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) and peak flows. These critical environmental management issues must be effectively addressed in order to improve both the quality of our nation’s waters and the health and safety of local communities. WEF stands ready, as always, to technically support EPA in these efforts.
Read the full comment letter. WEF also contributed a presentation on benchmarking sanitary sewer maintenance programs.
Comments are due August 2. Visit EPA’s site for more information.
Paul Freedman, 2009–2010 WEF President
Spring is here now, and with it come graduations from most of our high schools, colleges, and trade schools. As many young adults begin their life career pursuits, I ask you to reflect on how many of your children, brothers, sisters, cousins, and friends chose clean water as a career? I can tell you the answer: not enough.
Not only do we not have enough family and friends entering the water field, but more so, we have an overall shortage of new professionals entering our field to replace retirees and take on new industry challenges. The reasons are complex, but we are part of the problem. We have undersold the excitement of our profession and its importance. The Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) recognizes this challenge and is committed to changing this oversight to attract a new generation of professionals.
www.WorkforWater.org is the place where students and job seekers can explore green careers, and utilities will find a clearinghouse of resources for recruiting in the wonderful world of water. Developed by the American Water Works Association and Water Environment Federation, the world’s leading technical experts on drinking water and water quality, this site is packed with resources to find jobs or prepare for rewarding careers in protecting public health and the environment. Learn about what it takes to work for water and get a great job for a great cause! The site has landing pages for four audiences: high school and vocational school students, college students, second career and retired military job seekers, and advanced science professionals. For more information, visit www.WorkforWater.org.
Bill Bertera
Bill Bertera, WEF’s executive director for the past ten years, has announced that he will be leaving the organization effective December 31, 2010. He will leave the organization with an outstanding history of accomplishments and in a good position to continue its role as a leading water organization. Over the months ahead, Mr. Bertera will maintain his ongoing role as Executive Director, with programs and operations continuing uninterrupted.
Bill Bertera
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On April 30, 2010, the WEF Board of Trustees adopted a position statement, “Management of Wet Weather Flows by Municipal Utilities.” This position encourages EPA to develop a comprehensive strategy and provide practical guidance that would allow municipalities to manage wet weather flows in a holistic manner. The EPA strategy/guidance should be based on the wet weather management principles and practices described in:
1. WEF’s “Guide to Managing Peak Wet Weather Flows in Municipal Wastewater Collection and Treatment Systems” [2006]; and,
2. WEF/NACWA’s “Core Attributes of Effectively Managed Collection Systems.”
WEF is offering to partner with EPA to develop such a strategy and related guidance.
WEF wants to hear from you – Utility Personnel – on what you expect and need from WEF and CWEA. Visit www.wef.org/wwpersonnelsurvey/ by June 1 to get started.
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The new WEFTEC website provides information on all aspects of the event including the technical program, workshops, seminars, facility tours, committee meetings, events, and exhibition.
A popular feature over the past few years, the “My WEFTEC Planner” allows users to create their own complimentary conference schedule that can be printed, downloaded and saved as a Word/CSV file, or saved online in a personalized account that can be accessed and updated both before and during the event.
Other notable updates include:
- an interactive calendar with upcoming deadlines;
- an improved WEFTEC Exhibitor Directory and search function;
- an increased focus on WEFTEC’s Global Business Opportunities and official publications;
- a photo gallery from past WEFTECs;
- and a homepage slideshow that highlights the five main reasons thousands of water quality professionals from around the world attend WEFTEC each year—Education, Exhibition, Events, Exploration, and Networking.
WEF, CWEA and IWF are pleased to announce the 2nd Membrane Applications Specialty Conference covering the latest research and experience in the design and operation of membrane treatment systems for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants. The conference will focus on membrane system design and operation, energy management, and modeling including membrane bioreacters (MBRs), tertiary filtration and nanofiltration/reverse osmosis applications.
The conference will be held June 6-9 at the Hilton in Anaheim. Attendees may earn .75 CEUs, 12 PDHs and 4 contact hours.
Register by May 5 for Super Saver discounted rate of $145 for WEF Member or $165 for nonmembers.
The recently released White Paper on Graywater, sponsored by the Water Environment Federation, WateReuse Association and American Water Works Association, considers graywater reuse as it relates to municipal water reuse. The report describes various elements of graywater including sources, characteristics, and potential concerns. The report also discusses a variety of graywater reuse topics including its history, practices and trends, standards and guidelines, infrastructure elements and different types of systems, public health and economic aspects, impact on municipal water recycling, policy and planning approaches, and its place within the municipal water recycling framework. WEF members can log in to read the full report and its findings.
