Attending WEFTEC 2024 in New Orleans with Max Herzog was a dynamic and productive experience, filled with incredible opportunities to connect with water technology leaders and explore new innovations.
Our week began with Sunday night’s innovation reception, sponsored by Imagine H2O, where Max and I caught up with key partners and innovators in the water tech space. On Monday I dedicated my time to walking the floor, meeting some companies for potential testbed collaborations, and exploring some exciting new technologies. One that stood out to me was a fast and accurate water testing device from E-Sens that fits in the palm of your hand. I also connected with Trinnex and learned about their new promising technology.
On Monday, Max judged the Water Research Foundation and Water Environment Federation’s Intelligent Water Systems Challenge. This challenge highlighted the transformative potential of smart water technologies, showcasing how intelligent water systems can leverage data to enhance decision-making and optimize water management.
Later in the day, I attended the Industry Roundtable on the Role of Water Reuse Technology. This session focused on enhancing global water resilience and decarbonization goals. The discussions reinforced the critical need for water reuse technologies in today's landscape.
On Tuesday, we participated in multiple sessions that showcased important developments in the industry. I presented at the Water Clusters 101 session, where I shared Cleveland Water Alliance’s work in creating a connected freshwater ecosystem and emphasized the importance of collaboration among various water clusters.
Later that day, I spoke at the Meet the Buyer session at the Netherlands Pavilion, where I had the opportunity to discuss innovation needs from U.S. utilities and industrial partners. Max also participated in a panel with the Korea Water Partnership on smart water technology. This session focused on the role of international collaborations in advancing smart water initiatives.
Beyond the sessions, WEFTEC allowed us to deepen our connections with corporate and financial partners. It was also great to touch base with local companies like Eaton and Sherwin Williams. We also got to reconnect with Alaina Harkness from Current and discuss Great Lakes ReNEW, a Type II NSF Engine focused on treating challenging contaminants and recovering critical resources from wastewater. Cleveland Water Alliance is collaborating with Current to build commercialization pathways for the use-inspired research generated by the ReNEW consortium.
WEFTEC 2024 was an excellent opportunity to reinforce Cleveland Water Alliance’s local and global partnerships while uncovering new technologies that could drive the future of water innovation. Max and I made sure to connect with many of our innovators, and we left the event with valuable insights and new relationships that will enhance our efforts in advancing the water sector.
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