News & Updates







Save the Date

Student Design Competition
May 3, 2021

Managing Sewer Systems and Meeting Regulatory Officials Expectations Webinar
May 25, 2021

Laboratory Practices Seminar
June 2021

Spring Meeting
June 8-10, 2021 

CSO Conference
Fall 2021 

Northeast Residuals & Biosolids Conference
Fall 2021
As we move into the Spring and Summer months, we are getting ready for a few of our annual events. We've had to make some changes to how we host these events, but we are looking forward to gathering virtually for some great technical content.

Our Student Activities Committee is hosting the Student Design Competition virtually this evening, Monday May 3. The link to join tonight's event is included below.

The 2021 Spring Meeting, which will be taking place entirely virtually, is just one month away! We will be hosting three days of technical sessions on June 8-10. Each event day will take place from approximately 11:45 am - 2:30 pm. More information, including the program and registration, will be sent out in the coming weeks.

In addition to our events planned for the next month, we are also beginning to plan for our 2022 Annual Conference & Exhibit. We are now accepting nominations for our 2021 slate of awardees, who will be honored at our 2022 Annual Conference, and we will soon be sending out the call for abstracts.

Our committees also are busy planning for the coming year and implementing new initiatives. The Nominating Committee is currently accepting submissions of NEWEA Officer nominations, and the Innovation Council is looking for an intern to support their work. More information on these committee initiatives is included below.

Check out the rest of the newsletter for more on committee news and details on upcoming events. Until next newsletter, we hope everyone has a great month and stays healthy.

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.
Nominate a NEWEA Officer
The Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations for vacant Officer positions! Officers are voting members of the Executive Committee and will use their time and talents along with those of their colleagues to help direct and guide NEWEA into the future. Please complete the nomination form by June 15, 2021.
Nominate a Deserving Water Professional
Nominations for NEWEA/WEF awards are now being accepted! Our awards recognize deserving water professionals for their outstanding contributions to the industry. Awards are given in a variety of categories, including safety, engineering, operations, public education, public relations, management, collection systems, laboratory expertise, and service to the organization. All nominations are due June 1, 2021 unless otherwise noted.
Register for Infiltration and Inflow Control Plans Webinar
This presentation will review the origin and current status of the infiltration and inflow (I/I) Control Plans required under Massachusetts 314 CMR 12.04. Supported by practitioners from Weston & Sampson, Kevin Brander (MassDEP) will speak about the regulations and provide an update on current and future strategies MassDEP will be using to achieve I/I reduction.
TCHs will be awarded for participating states (1.0 MA/ME/NH/RI/VT).
Attend the Virtual Student Design Competition
NEWEA's Student Activities Committee is hosting the regional Student Design Competition today, May 3 from 5:00-7:00 pm. NEWEA members are invited to attend and watch teams present their projects. Two teams are competing in the Water Environment category and one team is in the Wastewater category.
Updates from the Innovation Council
The Innovation Council celebrated its first anniversary at the end of January and has actively been focused on our charge to build connections between utilities, regulators, academia and innovators to facilitate experimentation and adoption of new technologies, methods and policies that will improve the industry. We had an active 2020 that included a survey of member's perspectives on innovation and series of Virtual Reverse Pitch events. To kick off 2021, we hosted NEWEA's 3rd Innovation Pavilion in January and co-hosted a webinar on Innovations in Workforce Development in March. If you missed any of these events please check out the recordings.

As with many of you, we too are experiencing some "zoom fatigue", and are redirecting efforts over the next few months to focus on building connections. The three priorities for the remainder of 2021 are:

  1. Expansion of our Innovation Business Partner network to explore new approaches to co-create value and bring new ideas to market. Thank you to Watts Water and UHRIG, our first two Innovation Business Partners, for joining forces with us.
  2. Create a digital platform to facilitate navigating the water innovation ecosystem for NEWEA members. We are hiring an Innovation Intern to support this effort.
  3. Support the efforts of the new NEWEA Task Force focused on Innovative/Alternative Onsite Water Treatment Systems and their collaboration with EPA's SNEP team to bring solutions to water quality challenges to our coastal communities.

If you are interested in participating and/or learning more, please contact Marianne Langridge (marianne@sustainablesynthesis.com) for more information. And, in June look for the Innovation themed NEWEA Summer Journal which has some great insights from Innovation Council members and partners.
NEWEA’s Giving Task Force set out to develop a collection of stories based on asking members a simple question: “How has NEWEA helped your education, career or community?” This is one of those stories.

Name: Janine Burke-Wells

Title: Executive Director, North East Biosolids and Residuals Association (NEBRA)

NEWEA member since 2001
NEWEA President in 2018

Current Positions Held: Nominating Committee Chair
Contaminants of Emerging Concern Committee Chair
If you would like to support the efforts of NEWEA members like Janine and volunteer programs like the Service Project organized by the Youth Professionals, please visit our Donations page today. By making a contribution to NEWEA, you are investing in our region’s water quality and supporting essential water workers.

What’s your story? If you have a story to share, please fill out a brief form on www.newea.org/charitable-giving-task-force-survey/ or contact Jordan Gosselin, Communications/PR Coordinator
New England Water Environment Association newea.org