As of writing this Punxsutawney Phil just failed to see his shadow, meaning we're in for an early spring this year.

It feels fitting that spring is right around the corner, as we're just three and a half months away from our Spring Meeting. We are currently accepting abstracts for this event, which is taking place May 19-22 at the Viking Hotel in Newport, RI. The deadline to submit an abstract is this Friday, February 9. Scroll down to learn more and click the link to submit.

Also coming this spring is the Collection Systems/Stormwater Conference, hosted by WEF in collaboration with NEWEA in Hartford, CT April 9-12. This event will gather water professionals for a three-day program focused on design and operations of wastewater collection systems, as well as wet weather control and stormwater management.

Registration for this conference is now open, the sponsor prospectus has been released, and exhibit space is available to be reserved. Additionally, NEWEA is hosting a Welcome Reception on April 9 at the Connecticut Science Center. Scroll down to learn more and click the link to reserve your tickets/enroll as a sponsor.

As always, we invite you to contact Jordan Gosselin at jgosselin@newea.org with committee news and updates you would like to share in future editions.

Spring Meeting Abstracts Deadline Approaching

The Spring Meeting consistently attracts more than 300 engineers, consultants, scientists, operators, and students, and features a variety of technical sessions, exhibitor displays, and the Operations Challenge competition. It provides an opportunity for professional exchange of information and state-of-the-art concepts in wastewater treatment and water environment issues.

Submit an abstract by this Friday, February 9.

Register for the CS/Stormwater Conference

Join us April 9-12 at the 2024 Collection Systems and Stormwater Conference! WEF, in collaboration with NEWEA, is delighted to welcome you to Hartford, Connecticut, for another exciting conference featuring 3 pre-conference workshops and 31 technical sessions focused on a wide variety of topics related to both collection systems and stormwater.

Join us at NEWEA's Welcome Reception

NEWEA is hosting a welcome reception on April 9, 2024 at the CT Science Center during WEF’s Collection Systems and Stormwater Conference! Tickets are separate from conference registration and include two drink tickets, appetizers, and networking with your water industry friends and colleagues.

Sponsorship opportunities are available!

Buy your tickets and sign up as a sponsor.

Reserve your Stay for the CS/Stormwater Conference

The room block at the Hartford Marriott Downtown is now open. The Hartford Marriott Downtown is located at the intersection of four highways, conveniently situated in downtown Hartford and connected to the Connecticut Convention Center. Room rates start at $199 per night.

Book your room.

NEWEA to Co-Host a World Water Day Celebration

Join EBC, NEWWA, and NEWEA on March 21 for a celebration of World Water Day at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation in Waltham, MA. Enjoy appetizers and networking with your water industry colleagues while taking in the incredible architecture and fascinating exhibits and artifacts that the museum has to offer.

Water Environment Federation’s Young Professional Scholarship

The 2024 National Water Policy Fly-In will take place on April 9th in Washington, DC.

Each year Water Week invites water professionals from across the nation to help advance key water policy priorities such as sustained growth in federal infrastructure investment, addressing water affordability, supporting water research & development and advancing sound science-based solutions, and making our critical infrastructure more resilient.

This scholarship will cover the registration cost for recipients to attend the National Water Policy Fly-In during Water Week 2024 in Washington, DC, as well as provide a $800 stipend to help cover transportation, lodging and food costs.

Fill out the application form and return before March 1, 2024. Hope to see you there!

ME Changes Labor Rule to Attract Veterans to Industry

One of the biggest challenges in growing Maine’s economy is the aging workforce. With 22-percent over the age of 65, more Mainers are expected to retire than enter the workforce creating the potential for a statewide labor shortage, according to Maine’s 10-Year Economic Development Strategy.

This problem is being felt acutely in Maine’s clean water industry where the average age of an operator is 56 – eight years older than the national average. The ‘silver tsunami’ has led to a 24-percent decline in the clean water workforce from 2015 to 2023, shrinking it from 850 water operators to 650.

Read more about how MEDEP and MEWEA worked together to make it more competitive for the water industry to recruit a talent workforce and their plan to attract Maine Veterans to careers in water.

Clean Water Act Analytical Methods

EPA recently published two final analytical methods for PFAS: Method 1633 and Method 1621, fulfilling a commitment in its October 2021 PFAS Strategic Roadmap. These analytical methods will be used by laboratories to test samples for PFAS in a consistent and reliable way.

The agency collaborated closely with the Department of Defense to validate Method 1633, which measures 40 PFAS compounds and is suitable for use in various applications, including compliance monitoring. Method 1621 measures adsorbable organic fluorine in wastewater, a surrogate for measuring the total amount of PFAS, which will also help detect fluorine-containing pesticides and pharmaceuticals.

These methods are a significant step forward in efforts to identify what PFAS are present in environmental samples, and at what levels, enabling EPA, states and Tribes, wastewater facilities, and other entities to monitor a range of different effluents and media for PFAS, including under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program.

As a next step, EPA expects to propose both methods for adoption in the Code of Federal Regulations, a necessary step for them to be nationally required for Clean Water Act use. That formal promulgation process will include public comment.

Both methods and their multi-laboratory validation study reports are available on the Agency’s Clean Water Act Laboratory Methods website.

Tighe & Bond Recognizes New VPs & Senior VPs

Tighe & Bond is excited to announce that they have promoted five employees to Vice President in recognition of outstanding project and client management skills in addition to leadership and organizational impact. Additionally, the firm has elevated Margo Armstrong to Senior VP and Chief Human Resources Officer, Jason Curtis to Senior VP, and Keri Drake to Senior VP and Chief Marketing Officer.

Learn more.

Ways to give

Make a donation online.
When you shop online, use Amazon Smile and choose New England Water Environment Assoc as your charitable organization.
Take a moment to share how NEWEA has impacted your career, education, and/or community.
Establish a legacy gift or memorial fund, or include NEWEA in your will.
Designate NEWEA for a Qualified Charitable Distribution. (If you have to take a Required Minimum Distribution from your retirement funds in 2024, you may be able to offset the tax impacts. Contact your financial advisor/IRA custodian for more information.)

New England Water Environment Association newea.org