U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson To Keynote Special Water Leaders Session At WEFTEC 2012

EPA Chief, key thought leaders to explore a new vision for water management

Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will deliver the keynote address at a special water leaders session on Monday, October 1 in New Orleans, La. “Rethinking Water Services: Navigating Our Water’s Future” is one of the most highly anticipated events of WEFTEC 2012, the Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) 85th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference.

Scheduled for 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. in the New Orleans Theatre of the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, this timely session will discuss smarter and more efficient ways to manage water to best meet present and future demands and related challenges. Jackson’s presentation, “40 Years of Clean Water and Innovation for Tomorrow” will set the stage for a panel of key thought leaders to look at the big picture of water and explore a new vision for success.

“The water sector is at a crossroads and the challenges we face are clear. It’s time to reinvent the water utility and adopt a more innovative approach to water management,” said WEF Executive Director Jeff Eger. “We are thrilled that Administrator Jackson will be joining us at WEFTEC to lead and help frame this important and timely discussion.”

Administrator Jackson leads EPA’s efforts to protect the health and environment for all Americans. She and a staff of more than 18,000 professionals are working across the nation to usher in a green economy, address health threats from pollution in our air, water and land, and renew the public’s trust in EPA’s work.

The Administrator’s keynote will revolve around 2012 as the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. She will talk about the critical role of innovation in the achievements of the past 40 years, in the protections for water today, and in the strides we need to make in the future. The Administrator also will discuss the economic importance of clean water and innovation.

The session, which will be facilitated by Eger, will feature industry thought leaders including: George Hawkins, General Manager of DC Water; Jeff Sterba, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Water Works Company Inc.; Gretchen McClain, Chief Executive Officer for Xylem Inc.; and Kala Vairavamoorthy, Executive Director of the University of South Florida’s Patel School of Global Sustainability.

As the largest annual water quality conference and exhibition in the world, WEFTEC 2012 will be held at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center from September 29 to October 3, 2012. 

About WEF
Founded in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization of 36,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations representing water quality professionals around the world. WEF members, Member Associations and staff proudly work to achieve our mission to provide bold leadership, champion innovation, connect water professionals, and leverage knowledge to support clean and safe water worldwide. For more information, visit www.wef.org.