Sustainable Collection Systems Conference Held in May

The NEWEA Sustainability & Collection Systems Committees held a Joint Specialty Conference on May 1, 2017 at the Doubletree Hotel in Westborough, MA. Nearly 100 professionals from the region (and some from as far away as Ireland) participated in the event. The participants included consulting engineering firms, management and operations teams from multi
ple municipalities, water/wastewater equipment manufacturers and reps, and NEWEA Management and staff.

The conference was broken down into two sessions.  The Maintenance and Planning Session including presentations on: Improving FOG Management in Urban Areas; Sustainable Maintenance Approaches; PACP Asset Management; and Predictive Models.  While the Pumps & Piping Systems Session including presentations on: Intelligent Wastewater Pumps; Trenchless Rehabilitation Technologies; Pumping Station Consolidation; and Subsurface Stormwater Detention Design

Special thanks to Stephen Estes-Smargiassi, Director of Planning and Sustainability from MWRA, for doing yeoman’s work as keynote speaker. Stephen’s presentation and discussion was a perfect opening for the important discussions on sustainability, planning, construction, present and future needs, etc.Thank you as well to Jim Barsanti, NEWEA President, Mary Barry, NEWEA Executive Director, Peter Garvey, Collections Systems Committee Chairman, Courtney Eaton, Sustainability Committee Co-Chair, and all of the Presenters, Moderators, volunteers, and most importantly – the participants in the event!

Article by Robert Montenegro