SCHEDULE

8:00 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.
Welcome and Introductions | Dave Viola (IAPMO CEO), Kerry Stackpole (PMI CEO), Billy Smith (ASPE CEO)

Day 1 Morning Moderator: Steve Spaulding

8:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
KEYNOTE: Water Sustainability | Sarah Porter, Director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy, Arizona State University

9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Flume and Goodyear Partnership Helps Beat the Drought | Joe Fazio – Flume Water and Andrew Pirrone, City of Goodyear, AZ

The City of Goodyear, Arizona, faced a severe 15-year drought affecting over 3 million residents, prompting innovative water conservation initiatives. In 2022, Goodyear partnered with Flume to distribute water monitors to residents, offering real-time insights through a mobile app that detailed indoor and outdoor water use, appliances, and fixtures. The program’s success was notable, with a 14.6% reduction in residents’ water consumption, saving an average of 14,000 gallons per household annually. Flumes’ technology not only empowered residents to manage their water efficiently but also provided valuable insights for city leaders to address outdoor water use challenges and policy and program changes.

9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Current Movement Towards Decentralized On-site Water Sources and Rainwater Harvesting | David Crawford – ARCSA International

Highlight the movement toward harvesting different on-site waters sources, and identify points of traction in the current market. Discuss obstacles the industry faces moving forward.

10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
From Waste to Wealth: The Technology and Economics of Onsite Water Reuse Strategies | Eric Hough – Epic Cleantec

Onsite water reuse solutions are redefining the urban infrastructure by accelerating the water reuse revolution in the built environment, making cities more resilient, sustainable, and water-secure for generations to come. From greywater and blackwater reuse to full resource recovery, this session will describe the technology landscape, building integration options, long-term operations and maintenance requirements, and regulatory implications associated with the various onsite water reuse strategies. Attendees will learn of cost tradeoffs for different systems, with a focus on practical solutions for cost-conscious developers and owners. The session will also provide an overview of strategies to reduce first costs, incentive program options and an in-depth look at what to expect during any permitting process.

10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
15-minute break

10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Saving Energy and Reducing Carbon with WaterSense Labeled Homes | Jonah Schein – WaterSense

A case study that highlights (on a granular level) what the impact of water efficiency can be on energy consumption and carbon emissions. By using a case study of WaterSense labeled homes in Southern California, this session will highlight how detailed estimates the energy used in each phase of water supply cycle is possible.

11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
A Pressure Management Approach to Decarbonization and Achieving Net Zero Goals | Gregg Semler, CEO and Founder, InPipe Energy

Gregg Semler, CEO and Founder of InPipe Energy will share pilot results from installations of InPipe Energy’s HydroXS at East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and several others. The HydroXS is an end to end, digitally enabled product line that converts running water to electricity in existing and new pressurized water pipelines. The HydroXS replicates the functionality of a control valve, but instead of wasting energy it produces a consistent, predictable, and reliable source of renewable energy and revenue leveraging existing water pipeline infrastructure without effecting operations.

11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Cooling Tower Conversion to Geothermal Sources Saves Precious Water | Jay Egg – President, Egg Geo, LLC

Cooling – tower = elimination by going geothermal. Cooling towers in commercial buildings are the number two consumer of potable water in buildings in the US. Elimination of freshwater consumption from cooling tower use can be accomplished through geothermal exchange methods.

12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Lunch

1:20 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Making a WAVE in the Desert Using Robotics | Desert WAVE (Women in Autonomous Vehicle Engineering)

2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Emerging Water Contaminants Impact on Premise Plumbing Systems | Bob Bowcock – Integrated Resource Management

An introduction to emerging water contaminants from the Safe Drinking Water Act, Clean Water Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and their implication for plumbing designers, installers, building owners and operators.

2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
15-minute break

2:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Yorba Linda Water District Installs Largest Ion Exchange PFAS Removal Water Treatment Plant in the US | Neal Megonnell – Aqueous Vets

PFAS contamination is currently a national issue for both military and civilian drinking water sites. Granular activated carbon (GAC) and ion exchange (IX) resin treatment have become the most economical solution in removing PFAS compounds from groundwater. The Yorba Linda Water District (YLWD) was one of eleven (11) groundwater producers whose wells had low levels of Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). This technical session will detail the process YLWD went through to evaluate the best solution for their ste and water quality and OCWD’s role in taking a proactive approach to addressing PFOA and PFOS in the groundwater. This session will conclude with lessons learned throughout the process of building the country’s largest ion exchange treatment plant.

3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Circular Sanitation – Urine Recycling as a Solution to Decarbonizing Both Cities and Agriculture | Pat Lando – Recode and John Lansing – PAE

PAE Living Building Case study; design recommendations, code requirements, and approval processes for eco-sanitation in a 5-story office building. Circular sanitation is a paradigm shift from the high-carbon, high cost sewer and wastewater treatment approach. This approach can be successfully implemented in regions with high levels of infrastructure development, such as downtown Portland, Oregon and regions with low levels of infrastructure development.

3:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Final Barrier Solutions to the PFAS in Drinking Water | Eric Yeggy – Water Quality Association

Point-of-Use and Point-of-Entry water treatment technologies which can remove PFAS from drinking water.

4:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Public Health Protection with an Evolving Plumbing Code | Christopher Radziminski and Phillip White – City of Vancouver

The plumbing code in Vancouver has been responsive to regulatory obligations, infrastructure constraints, housing development, near research and sustainability initiatives. Objectives can conflict and well-meaning regulations can have unintended consequences, so what has been done to keep public health at the forefront? Cities are facing enormous pressures, technology is changing, and research literature is expanding, and consequently building plumbing and mechanical systems are evolving rapidly. A key message from this presentation is that public health protection must be explicitly prioritized in plumbing code changes.

4:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
Premise Plumbing Materials and Opportunistic Premise Plumbing Pathogen Growth | Abraham Cullom, PhD – Special Pathogens Laboratory, a Pace® Laboratory 

This presentation delves into the intricate interplay between premise plumbing materials and the growth of opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens (OPPPs) within in-building plumbing systems. The in-building plumbing environment is a complex biological-chemical milieu, where pipe materials’ impact extends beyond their direct effects on water quality. Material effects are mediated through interactions with myriad other features such as water chemistry and microbial ecology, influencing the proliferation of OPPPs. The importance of material interactions in premise plumbing is emphasized, addressing practical considerations for different pipe materials. Insights into how these materials contribute to disinfectant decay, nutrient addition, and their potential role as antimicrobials are explored. Specific attention is given to the antimicrobial activity of copper and its susceptibility to variations in water chemistry. By examining the multifaceted relationships between premise plumbing materials, water chemistry, microbial ecology, and opportunistic pathogen growth, this presentation contributes valuable insights to the field, informing decisions that promote water safety and public health in built environments.

5:15 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
Measuring Pressure Losses in Plumbing Fittings at the NIST Plumbing Hydraulics Laboratory | Natascha Milesi-Ferretti — National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Provide an update to NIST’s plumbing hydraulics research and discuss first results. The plumbing industry needs better data in order to right-size plumbing systems for better efficiency, cost savings and water quality. NIST is conducting tests in their new laboratory using a new test method to better characterize the pressure loss in pipe fittings and replace outdated information.

6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Reception