Second WEF Circular Water Summit to develop sustainable solutions

ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 14, 2024 (PRNewswire) — The Water Environment Federation’s second annual Circular Water Economy Summit (CWES) will be held in Dallas, Texas, July 15-17. This unique event brings together industrial and urban water experts focused on sustainable solutions to water challenges.

“WEF has always been a place where the water sector comes together, and now we are focused on working with professionals who understand the water needs and challenges facing commercial and industrial users,” said Ralph Exton, member of the Circular Water Summit Advisory Committee Closing Committee and newly appointed WEF Executive Director. “I attended last year’s inaugural CWE Summit and it was the first event to bring together great minds from both the municipal and industrial water industries. We learned about real, collaborative solutions that already exist and made valuable connections to share knowledge beyond our usual circles. “

The discussion on circular water management focuses on clean water, nutrient recovery and renewable energy. Last year’s participants exchanged ideas from various sectors and between public and private entities, supporting innovative solutions. This year’s registered participants include representatives from Nestlé-Purina, Meta, Exxon Mobil, Walmart, Samsung, Ambev, GM and Hyundai.

“I come to the CWE Summit because water is circular in our sector,” said presenter Matthew Jalbert, executive director for the northern region at the Trinity River Authority (TRA). TRA is a large Texas conservation and restoration district that provides water and wastewater treatment in the 18,000-square-mile Trinity River Basin. “The North Texas region is growing rapidly and new industries are emerging. These industries need to understand how their wastewater discharges may impact our wastewater treatment plants, and local utilities want to work more closely with these industries.”

One of the most important benefits of this meeting is the opportunity for experts to talk to their counterparts from other sectors and learn about solutions applicable in their own industries. “The Circular Economy Summit attracts executives, policymakers and thought leaders from organizations that are effectively transforming waste streams into value streams,” Exton said. “I can’t imagine a more effective way to accelerate sustainable development.”

More information can be found at https://www.wef.org/cwesummit.

About WEF
The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with over 30,000 individual members and 75 affiliated member associations representing water quality professionals worldwide. Founded in 1928, WEF’s mission is to inspire the water community in the pursuit of human and environmental well-being. WEF’s goals are to attract and develop a passionate workforce, cultivate a purpose-driven community to sustainably solve water challenges for all, and lead the transformation towards a circular water economy. More information at https://www.wef.org