As a public works professional, your time is a precious commodity.

Odds are, you're so insanely busy juggling meetings and putting out fires in the field, you rarely see the inside of your office. Then there's your budget—or, more to the point, lack of one. With so few dollars and so little time, how do you justify taking the time and money to attend a trade show?

To that end, the program roster for the 2007 American Public Works Association International Congress & Exposition speaks for itself. The four-day event offers a wealth of exhibits, seminars, workshops, tours, networking sessions, and special events to heighten your industry knowledge. Whether you're a solid waste manager, water treatment foreman, engineer, or public works director, the schedule includes programming tailored to your needs.

Yes, you'll have to tear yourself away from your agency, but if you can get yourself to San Antonio's Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center for the annual APWA get-together—even if it's just for one day—you'll have tons of chances to hear advice from industry experts and commiserate with peers from across the country, all in one place:

  • Seminars: The schedule includes sessions in 15 tailored topic areas. Each of these is run by a leading manufacturer, industry expert, or public works professional who's tackled problems just like yours and come out on top.
  • Thought Leaders: New for 2007, this program consists of three separate sessions in which leading experts discuss leadership, recruitment, and planning for the future of public works.
  • Stormwater Summit: Free for all Congress registrants, this full-day event is geared toward helping public works directors and storm-water managers wrestle with NPDES compliance issues and other trends.
  • Workshop Wednesday: Each workshop digs deep into subjects such as urban forestry management, street reconstruction, gauging employee performance, and equipment replacement strategies.
  • Technical Tours: This year's tours include a visit to the San Antonio Tunnel and River Improvements project, a trip to a 35,000-square-foot emergency operations center, and the site of a former brewery being turned into a mixed-use development.
  • Exposition: Stretched across more than 100,000 square feet, manufacturers will be showing off the latest equipment, tools, software, and materials for all areas of public works.
  • Special Events: Several events, both inside the Convention Center and offsite, give newcomers and Congress veterans a chance to meet and mingle.

Plus, many seminars and workshops offer continuing education units, with the added bonus of boosting your career. In the next few pages, we'll share with you highlights of the upcoming APWA Congress & Exposition. For the full picture, visit www.apwa.net. See you in San Antonio!

Browse events by topics:

Construction & equipment

Sunday Sept. 9, 3:30 p.m.

Get Out of the Same Old Rut: Solve Your Underground Infrastructure Challenges with Trenchless Technology and Design-Build

When paired with the design-build project delivery method, trenchless technology offers several advantages in underground infrastructure rehabilitation, according to speaker Homer Guy, head of federal programs for Insituform Technologies Inc.

“This is the perfect solution for pressing environmental, energy, and maintenance headaches, including deteriorated and leaking transmission lines,” says Guy. “Although water and wastewater projects constitute the second largest design-build market, water, sewer, and drain lines are rarely accomplished by design-build—and that misses a grand opportunity.”

Guy will discuss how the practice can help reduce cost, cut project time, and reduce risk.

Monday Sept. 10, 10:30 a.m.

Excavator Safety and Operating Techniques

Maintaining rights of way can be dangerous—especially with improperly trained excavator operators.

“This session will enable you to turn the potential of your excavator operators into performance,” says Jim Green, presenter and corporate training manager for Alamo Industrial. “By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to develop their own excavator safety checklist, train their operators in safety best practices, and improve the safety of their equipment operators.”

Monday Sept. 10, 10:30 a.m.

Multiagency Benchmarking Study: Improving Capital Project Delivery Efficiency

When undertaking a big project, it helps to know what the neighbors are up to. In this session, Bill Lacher, vice president and project director for Vanir Construction Management Inc., will share the benefits of comparing delivery costs and best-management practices with neighboring agencies.

“The cost to deliver public works projects may be increasing due to regulations and community-involvement requirements,” says Lacher. “Once the cost of project delivery is benchmarked, agencies can identify and implement practices that make delivery more efficient, and reduce those costs.”

Monday Sept. 10, 3 p.m.

A Core Strategy for Utility Cut Repairs

Keyhole technology makes it possible for crews to maintain and repair underground pipe and other buried infrastructure, without worrying about long-term traffic disruption, extensive damage to surrounding pavement, and the headache-inducing racket of a jackhammer.

“Participants will be better able to evaluate a practice that saves money and minimizes the impact of utility cuts,” says session leader E. Marshall Pollock, president and CEO of Toronto-based Utilicor Technologies Inc. “The technique provides an environmentally friendly, aesthetically pleasing permanent pavement repair that is waterproof and requires no repaving or resurfacing.”

 

Fleets & facilities

Monday Sept. 10, 3 p.m.

From Woe to WHOA!: >Public Works Facility Improvements

If done right, upgrades to public facilities can enhance the efficiency of your operation. According to presenters Marc Rohde (of Legat Architects) and Michael Reynolds (maintenance supervisor in Arlington Heights, Ill.), smart facility renovations and enhancements can help improve the level of service your agency provides. In addition, the changes can create a more appealing work environment, leading to improved employee productivity and retention.

Monday Sept. 10, 2 p.m.

Modernizing Fleet Operations: How to Implement Changes

It's not impossible to create a state-of-the-art public fleet operation that rivals the private sector. Two cases in point: operations in Calgary and Minneapolis, two cities discussed at this session.

“The changes they implemented put to rest concerns whether internal fleet operations truly were efficient and effective, or if outsourcing should be considered,” says speaker Prabhakar Rao, director of Minneapolis' Fleet Services Division. “We'll discuss activity-based costing, customer service, service-level agreements, separating charges for fleet supply, etc.—in short, operating fleet services as a true internal service fund.”

Monday Sept. 10, 4 p.m.

Fleet's Role as First Responders

In hurricane country, the ability to respond quickly and efficiently to an emergency is crucial, and fleet professionals play an important part in the response effort.

“We'll discuss the absolutely essential, but seldom considered, factor in disaster response—a fleet's unique role,” says presenter Bob Stan-ton, director of fleet management for the Polk County (Fla.) Board of Commissioners.

In addition, representatives from the Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission will lay out the need for fleet personnel to attain National Incident Management System certification.

Tuesday Sept. 11, 3:45 p.m.

Safeguarding a Civic Icon for Future Generations

The city of Pasadena, Calif., has a treasure on its hands—namely, its historic city hall building. However, the beautiful structure is vulnerable, thanks to years of wear and tear, and being located in an earthquake-prone area. Public works director Martin Pastucha will discuss how the $117 million seismic retrofit and general rehabilitation of the building preserved its beauty and its place on the National Register of Historic Places and—maybe most importantly—ensured its usefulness to the city for years to come.

Wednesday Sept. 12, 8 a.m.

Equipment Replacement Strategies and Developing a Fleet Chargeback System

How do you determine equipment-replacement life cycles? And if you need to replace aging gear, where do you get the money? This session offers answers.

“We'll provide the tools necessary to develop your own replacement goals and objectives,” says speaker Bill DeRousse, fleet superintendent for Everett, Wash. “Also, we'll help you establish a method to recover operational costs that are fair and competitive with the garage down the street.”

Technology & asset management

Monday Sept. 10, 10:30 a.m.

Lessons Learned: Integrating GIS With Asset Management, Pavement Management, and Mobile/GPS

In this session, a group of high-tech experts from ESRI, Enterprise Information Solutions Inc., Azteca Systems, and TC Technology will discuss the ins and outs of implementing and integrating GIS with their asset and pavement software, along with mobile GPS applications.

“As budgets get tighter and demand grows, infrastructure managers have turned to technology to balance resource use and costs,” says Chuck Cmeyla, public works industry manager for ESRI. “Each of these presentations will discuss how specific data is managed, analyzed, and used within a GIS.”

Tuesday Sept. 11, 3:45 p.m.

So My Manager Wants Me to Actually Use this IMMS?

An infrastructure maintenance management system is a good way to keep tabs on complex infrastructure needs. However, because the system itself can be extremely complicated, launching an IMMS is a formidable challenge. Lydia Cox, senior consultant with LA Consulting Inc., will discuss how to get employees to use your IMMS and its data.

“This session will show how an IMMS can be used to track work, provide accountability, and serve as a catalyst for efficiency improvement,” says Cox.

 

Management & training

Sunday Sept. 9, 3:30 p.m.

Public Works Around the World

In this industry, every day brings new challenges and problems. However, many of these problems have also been encountered—and solved—by other professionals just like you.

“The issues we face in our day-to-day jobs are not that dissimilar across the globe,” says leader Patricia Bugas-Schramm, transportation asset management coordinator for the Portland (Ore.) Office of Transportation. “This session explains the 2006 international exchange of best-practice information, innovations, skills, and experience form APWA-supported study tours to New Zealand and Mexico.”

Sunday Sept. 9, 3:30 p.m.

Tracking for Success: Learning to Be Better

Everyone wants to be better. However, it's difficult to improve and move ahead if you don't know where you are right now. This session seeks to help attendees gauge their performance and progress—an essential task.

“Static resources and higher expectations demand that service providers accurately account for and demonstrate their performance,” says speaker Daryl Grigsby, public works director of Kirkland, Wash. “This workshop provides the latest information from those actually delivering and managing public works services.”

Topics will include setting a strategic vision, establishing goals, measuring success, and using data to manage and adapt to change.

Monday Sept. 10, 2 p.m.

It's All About Talent: Find It, Keep It, and Use It to the Max

Public works agencies are in a tug of war over talented employees. On the other side of the rope: other public agencies and, more importantly, companies in the private sector. How to balance changing demographics, declining budgets, and other factors in your quest to hire and keep the people essential for success?

“Hire the right employees into the organization,” says speaker Dave Chambers, director of public works for Aurora, Colo. “It's more important than ever to know the strengths of each employee rather than to fit a generic job description. This session will provide a real-world example of how our department improved retention and cultivated a workforce much more engaged in their daily activities.”

Monday Sept. 10, 4 p.m.

Leading Successful and Sustained Organizational Transformation

Sometimes, for an agency to truly improve, it has to nearly reinvent itself. That was the case in Dallas County, Texas, where presenter Don-ald Holzwarth oversaw such changes while public works director. “This topic will appeal to people interested in leading effective change—those who see the need for it, and who see the untapped potential in their people,” says Holzwarth.

In addition, representatives from Chula Vista, Calif., will share their journey through a similar transformation, and how they measured their progress.

Monday Sept. 10, 4 p.m.

Building Depth Into Your Leadership Team

You can train the top people at your agency, but how do you ensure that the knowledge gets passed down to everyone in the organization? The answer lies in building an effective training program. Greg Meyer, deputy director of public works for the city of Woodland, Calif., will lead this session on infusing your staff with the knowledge, experience, and skills necessary to ensure the success of your organization, and their careers.

“We'll tell you how to fashion an extensive, focused, and inexpensive training effort that instills your public/ customer service philosophy, personnel management, personal ethics, and site-specific supervision skills,” says Meyer.

 

Management & training (cont'd)

Tuesday Sept. 11, 1:30 p.m.

How Consortiums Help Smaller Communities Do Big Things

The city of Highland Park, Ill., believes in teamwork. The Chicago suburb has banded with neighboring communities to provide a higher level of service than would be possible if it were flying solo.

“We'll talk about the processes we've used for establishing the consortium, the group dynamics, and some of the things we've done to be successful,” says speaker Mary Anderson, the city's public works director.

Projects made possible through the consortium include development of a cost-effective GIS, and successfully lobbying Congress for the funds necessary to address a serious inflow/infiltration problem.

Tuesday Sept. 11, 2:30 p.m.

What is She Wearing?, What Did He Say?

The public works workforce isn't getting any younger, and a batch of talented young professionals must be attracted to take their place. Once you've cultivated this crop of newbies, the next trick is to understand what makes them tick.

“It is imperative that the public works industry becomes more attractive to younger generations of workers,” says presenter Will McClave, local government program manager for Info Tech Inc. “Our cities and counties literally depend on it.”

Among the topics the session will focus on: technology and young workers' expectations in that area. For example, Treos, Blackberries, and “virtual days” might seem sci-fi to public works veterans, but these tools are digital-age essentials to newcomers.

Tuesday Sept. 11, 3:45 p.m.

Progressive Women in Public Works

Despite advances in equality over the past several years, there are still challenges unique to being a woman in public works. During this session, several professionals from all areas of public works will share their trials and tribulations—and their triumphs.

“Hard work and determination can help you excel, and make things happen to get the results you want,” says panelist Elia Twigg, division manager for the public works department in Palm Bay, Fla. “Each panel member will share her experiences in an effort to inspire others in their careers, and in their lives.”

Wednesday Sept. 12, 8 a.m.

Back to Basics: World-Class Hiring, Orientation, Training, and Evaluation

You might find it challenging to attain and retain a top-rate workforce—especially if the system you use to hire, train, and monitor your work-force isn't itself up to snuff. Many public agencies follow the unfortunate lead of ineffective companies, leading to wasted hours and dollars compensating for poor hiring decisions and an inability to properly train and hold employees accountable for performance.

“This training program is designed to help managers better understand and perform their roles in the interviewing, hiring, orienting, and job skills training processes,” says leader Alex Semilof, human resources manager at InterHealth International.

Tools shared in this workshop include interviewing techniques that pinpoint candidates with the right skills and attitudes, creating successful training programs, and performance feedback and coaching for employees at all levels.

Wednesday Sept. 12, 8 a.m.

Telling Your Story: Gaining Community Respect Through Effective Public Outreach and Media Relations

We all know public works can be a thankless job. Maybe it's because we don't make the public aware of all the things they should be thankful for. Speaker Michele Lovenduski is seeking to help end that.

“Effective communication is essential to any successful operation,” says Lovenduski, senior management analyst for Irvine, Calif.'s public works department. “This presentation explores creative tools designed to do just that.”

Lovenduski will share practical ways to work with the media, tips for honing your presentation skills, and ways to deal with elected officials.

 

Roads & traffic

Sunday Sept. 9, 2 p.m.

A Sign of the Times: Nashville's Automated Sign Inventory

Traffic signs cost money. Granted, not as much as maintaining a waste-water treatment plant, but even the smallest city has a lot of signs to track and maintain. In larger cities, keeping tabs of the signs is a daunting task. Nashville paving manager Donald Reid will lay out how his city uses automated sign inventory to keep tabs of its signs.

“Asset management and the maintenance of signs could become a legal and financial issue for local and state governments,” says Reid. He will explain how Nashville developed a special inventory of its signs, complete with age and condition information.

Sunday Sept. 9, 3:30 p.m.

Pavement Preservation Techniques

Maintaining roads is time-consuming as well as costly. But it's preferable to dealing with the nasty consequences of tearing up and replacing neglected pavement.

“Timely preventive maintenance is the key to pavement preservation,” says speaker David Hein, infrastructure management division manager for Applied Research Associates Inc. “By not allowing pavement to deteriorate to a state requiring expensive rehabilitation or reconstruction, we improve the overall condition of the network and the ride quality of the traveling public.”

Attendees will learn about expected service life, recent innovations, and how to select a technique.

Monday Sept. 10, 10:30 a.m.

On the Road Again: Asphalt Recycling

Recycling makes sense—if not for the increasing public demand to conserve materials and save the planet, then for the need to stretch budget dollars. Representatives from Hot In Place Paving LLC will discuss an asphalt recycling method that meets these demands.

“This process can save up to 50% on a typical 11/2 inches of mill and pave road surface,” says general manager Brad Mathas. “And the environmental savings and impact on traffic congestion is an intangible benefit to taxpayers.”

Topics covered include skyrocketing asphalt prices, environmental emissions, and traffic congestion.

Monday Sept. 11, 2 p.m.

The Power of the Penny: A Transportation Funding Solution

Six years ago, the city of Topeka, Kan., faced a dual challenge—significant bridge failures, and a serious budget shortfall. When a $40 million bridge reconstruction project surfaced, it required hard work, creative thinking, and artful negotiation.

“A catastrophic event turned into a huge positive for the community, using a combination of federal funding and a major sales-tax initiative,” says presenter Neil Dobler, former public works director for the city and senior project manager for Bartlett & West. The city's efforts made the bridge revamp possible, as well as $108 million in other road and bridge projects, plus $60 million over the next 12 years for economic development incentives.

Tuesday Sept. 11, 10 a.m.

Fiber to the Premises: Force Them to Pave?

Dealing with telecommunications companies regarding the resurfacing of utility cuts can be tricky. How can public works professionals balance the public's need for faster communications technology with the need to preserve street infrastructure?

During this session, leader Jay Spurgin, deputy public works director for Thousand Oaks, Calif., will lay out how to work with telecom companies to minimize the impacts of citywide trenching, and discuss right of way infrastructure and aesthetic concerns.

 

Roads & traffic (cont'd)

Tuesday Sept. 11, 10 a.m.

Using Roadway Lighting as a Successful Countermeasure for Roadway Safety

If your house is too dark to see your way around at night, you'll bump into things. The same is true of roadways—although in the latter case, the potential consequences of inadequate lighting are more dire.

“Our talk will highlight a strategic planning program in Hillsborough County, Fla., to plan for future enhancements in roadway lighting in this rapidly growing county,” says speaker Marc Rogoff, project director for SCS Engineers. “Lessons learned during this process will be beneficial to other communities.”

Other topics discussed include using GIS technology to evaluate safety needs, and developing an overall capital improvement plan.

Tuesday Sept. 11, 2:30 p.m.

ATD: Better Than Aspirin for Your Transportation Headache

Advanced transportation districts are a new funding tool used by Texas municipalities. During this session, speakers will explain the concept, and how ATDs help agencies tackle myriad transportation challenges.

“Communities shouldn't wait for the federal or state government to provide solutions,” says Clay Smith, director of transportation planning and development with the Texas DOT. “Communities need to implement local solutions to solve congestion problems.”

Tuesday Sept. 11, 2:30 p.m.

The Ability of Equipment to Evaluate Pavement Structures

Knowing the condition of your pavement is crucial to planning for repairs, reconstruction, and maintenance. First, however, you need to know what your pavement evaluation equipment can do—and what it can't.

“The capabilities and limitations of this equipment is valuable knowledge to agencies, by ensuring the proper use and application of equipment,” says speaker Tim Martin, senior project manager with Fugro.

Topics will include the kinds of equipment used for evaluation, including ground-penetrating radar technology.

Tuesday Sept. 11, 3:45 p.m.

What is your IQ on Smart Growth?

Rapid expansion is widespread, and it deeply affects a community's streets and roadways. While it might be a common challenge, dealing with it calls for uncommon thinking.

“Smart growth practices are a good way to promote walking, bicycling, and increased use of transit,” says Debbie Hale, president of The Surface Transportation Policy Project. “Attendees will learn about transportation designs that foster cost-effective mobility.”

Tuesday Sept. 11, 3:45 p.m.

Traffic Intervention: Neighborhood Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Program

A group of experts from across the country will discuss their experiences in creating innovative, effective plans to make their communities more livable. Chula Vista, Calif., senior civil engineer Jim Newton will share how his city launched a community-based effort to reduce vehicle collisions and increase pedestrian and cyclist safety.

“The partnership between the engineering and police departments, school district, and the community has resulted in grant awards totaling $1.5 million, a 72% public awareness rating, and—most importantly—zero fatalities due to vehicle collisions to date this year,” he says.

Wednesday Sept. 12, 8 a.m.

A Demo: Innovative Street Reconstruction Techniques

Get a firsthand glimpse at how creative techniques and materials extend the life of a community's pavement.

“We'll discuss the important aspects of every layer of street reconstruction, and demonstrate innovative technology, such as proper lime design, asphalt-emulsion base, and warm-mix asphalt,” says presenter Larry Peirce, executive director of the Lime Association of Texas. “It's important to do it right.”

 

Sidewalks, roadsides & urban forestry

Monday Sept. 10, 10:30 a.m.

Money CAN Grow on Trees: New Software for Effective Urban Forest Management

On the surface, trees and software might not seem to go together. However, i-Tree is a high-tech tool that urban foresters have found invaluable in planning and managing their tree systems.

“This is an opportunity to learn how electronic public-domain assessments allow communities to integrate the environmental benefits that trees provide into an operations/planning framework,” says presenter Greg Ina, general manager of The Davey Institute.

In addition to assessment tools, the i-Tree software includes flexible application scenarios that can be tailored to a particular community's needs, and examples of how communities are applying i-Tree to their urban forestry program.

Monday Sept. 10, 3 p.m.

A Step in the Right Direction: Effective Sidewalk Management

A crumbling sidewalk is sure to get attention from cranky constituents.

“Residents want cities to take better care of sidewalks,” says speaker Janet Luessenheide, engineering technician II in Overland Park, Kan. “Cities are trying to stretch dollars further while meeting this request, but have no idea how to start.”

Learn how to craft a proactive repair and replacement program, assess condition, and build and maintain a sidewalk-condition database.

Tuesday Sept. 11, 10 a.m.

Urban Forestry for Public Works

Sure, trees are pretty, but they can have a big impact—positive or negative—on the public right of way. Effective tree management can make a significant difference.

“As a result of an APWA-sponsored project, managers now have access to urban forestry best-management manuals,” says Jennifer Gulick of Davey Resource Group. She and other presenters will lay out budgeting and funding, staffing, legislation, and urban forest management plans.

Snow & ice

Tuesday Sept. 11, 1:30 p.m.

Reactive to Proactive: The Metamorphosis of an Agency

The McHenry (Ill.) County Division of Transportation has come a long way in handling winter storms. Progress didn't happen by accident, as maintenance superintendent Mark DeVries attests. During his tenure, the department has implemented an innovative deicer blending system, received a number of awards, and served as an example for departments across the country.

“My hope is that attendees will review how their own organizations are operating and implement some of the methods we are using,” DeVries says. “The idea is to try to break the mold, from ‘that's the way we've always done it,' to, ‘if they can do it, why can't we?'”

Tuesday Sept. 11, 2:30 p.m.

Melting vs. Hauling: A Study in Cost Efficiencies

Learn the benefits of melting snow rather than hauling it to a remote dumping location.

“This new technology that's being used worldwide can result in savings of more than 50% off snow removal budgets,” says presenter John Allin, president of Snow Dragon Melters. He'll also cover the environmental impact and safety issue surrounding both melting and hauling.

 

Solid waste

Monday Sept. 10, 10:30 a.m.

Household Organics: Case Studies in Curbside Collecting and Composting

Hamilton, Ontario, decided to jump on the eco-friendly bandwagon with its Green Cart Smart biowaste management program. The practice provides curbside collection of organic materials from residences, which cuts down on landfill space.

“We'll talk about integrated waste-management planning, options for processing organics, and implementing a source-separated curbside organics program to 150,000 households,” says Pat Parker, manager of solid waste planning for the city.

Also covered will be a similar biowaste management program implemented by an agency in Austria.

Monday Sept. 10, 2 p.m.

Curbside Recycling Methods and Alternatives

There are nearly as many recycling methods to choose from as there are types of recyclables. Solid waste managers have to decide how to collect, how to sort, and how to promote their programs.

“There have been a lot of new developments in collection and processing of recyclable materials,” says speaker Richard Gertman, president of Environmental Planning Consultants. “You'll find out about these new developments and how they can improve recycling in your community.”

Gertman will discuss how automation has changed recycling, how to promote recycling to constituents, and how to market the sorted materials.

Monday Sept. 10, 3 p.m.

Landfill Gas as an Economic Resource

The public is clamoring for renewable energy sources, and ways to reduce dependence on foreign oil. Waste-to-energy technology is one way to meet this need, and it's a potential revenue stream.

“The beneficial use of landfill gas provides economic opportunities,” says Chad Leatherwood, senior project professional with SCS Engineers. “Additionally, landfill gas energy projects create local jobs and increase local economic output.”

The session also will explain the U.S. EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program, which provides free assistance to cities investigating the benefits of such projects.

Tuesday Sept. 11, 10 a.m.

Garbage Collection Has Been Franchised—Now the Real Work Begins

Outsourcing solid waste collection can be a load off your shoulders, but there are risks involved. How can you ensure you're getting good service, and that your collection needs will be met now and into the future?

“Organizations that are thinking of franchising solid waste collection should attend,” says presenter William Newman, operations manager for Lee County (Fla.). “We'll discuss setting up franchise areas, developing requests for proposal, contract monitoring, and ordinance compliance.”

 

Water, wastewater & stormwater

Sunday Sept. 9, 2 p.m.

Selecting CSO Controls

The combined sewer overflow control technologies preferred by the U.S. EPA are expensive: They add infrastructure, eat up funding, and increase O&M budgets.

“There are different ways to manage this issue,” says presenter Vincent Spada, project manager with SEA Consultants Inc. “Springfield, Mass., for example, used an a la carte approach of selected separation, targeted infrastructure upgrades, and pump station improvements.”

Monday Sept. 10, 3 p.m.

Yes, Decentralized Wastewater Programs are Growing Alternatives to Sewers, But How do We Manage These Little Systems?

The number of non-conventional wastewater treatment systems is increasing. While the more sophisticated ones can provide a high degree of treatment before discharge, there are a number of challenges.

“The weak link is the operation and maintenance of the treatment units,” says presenter Peter Grose, senior vice president of Fuss & O'Neill. “A variety of management approaches can be used to ensure better performance.”

Learn what questions to ask when considering whether or not to incorporate non-conventional technologies into your wastewater treatment system.

Wednesday Sept. 12, 8 a.m.

Public Works Stormwater Summit

Staying on top of the latest NPDES requirements and other stormwater issues is an arduous job. In this extended session regulators from federal and state agencies will offer insight into enforcement actions occurring across the country, as well as offer tips for staying clear yourself. Topics include erosion control, enforcement of discharges, data collection and reporting, and best management practices such as green roofs, porous pavement, and bioretention.

Special programs

Sunday Sept. 9, 7:30 a.m.

First-Timers Meeting

If you're a new to the Congress, the experience can be overwhelming. Attending this two-hour introduction will help you make the most out of your show-going experience.

Sunday Sept. 9, 10 a.m.

Dave Barry

Public works is a funny business. During this keynote address, best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize-winning commentator Barry shares his views on the lighter side of being an infrastructure manager.

Sunday Sept. 9, 5 p.m.

Get-Acquainted Party

After the hustle and bustle of the show's first day, join your peers in San Antonio's La Vililita, a mix of shops, galleries, and historic sites.

Monday Sept. 10, 7 a.m.

Professional Women in Public Works Breakfast

Back by popular demand, this is designed to help the growing number of female infrastructure managers learn from experienced peers. Additional registration and fee is required.

Monday Sept. 10, 5 p.m.

Awards and Recognition Ceremony and Reception

This event recognizes significant achievement by individuals, agencies, and corporations. Honors include this year's Top Ten Public Works Leaders, Projects of the Year, and Professional Manager of the Year.

Wednesday Sept. 12, 1 p.m.

Technical Tours

Choose from one of three tours to innovative local public works facilities and projects. These in-depth site visits are popular, so sign up early.

For more information about the 2007 APWA International Congress & Exposition, visit www.apwa.net.

 
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