Texas Water 2022

Q1 16

Information on Texas WaterTM 2022!

Texas WaterTM 2022 will be held April 4 - 7. Join us in person to take part in the largest regional water conference in the U.S.TM

Abstracts have been submitted for the Texas Water 2022TM Technical Program!

More information to come in December 2021. The final status for abstracts will be given in January 2022.

For Hotel Room block information, please visit txwater.org!

The host hotel for Texas WaterTM 2022: Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk (123 Losoya Street, San Antonio, TX 78205).

(210) 222-1234 (Code: G-TAWW)

Room rates at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk are $189.00 single/double plus taxes for one room. Standard Internet is included in the rate. The self-parking rate is discounted by 50%. The cutoff date for room reservations at the group rate is March 11, 2022.

For reservations, please click here.

Many of our Texas Water special events will be held, such as:

  • Monday, April 4 - Scholarship Golf Tournament
  • Monday, April 4 - Curtis Smalley Environmental Event
  • Monday, April 4 - Meet and Greet
  • Monday, April 4 - WEAT Board Meeting (2 PM to 5 PM at Hyatt Regency)
  • Tuesday, April 5 - Opening Session/Keynote Address
  • Tuesday, April 5 - YP & Student Reception/Mentoring Program Networking Event
  • Tuesday, April 5 - Dodson's Drive 5K Fun Run/Walk
  • April 5 - Texas Water Awards Lunch
  • Monday-Wednesday, April 4-6 - Operations Challenge (Sponsorship Information)
  • Tuesday & Wednesday, April 5 & 6 - Water for People (WFP) Silent Auction
  • Wednesday, April 6 - Women of Water Breakfast
  • Wednesday, April 6 - Professional Ethics Workshop for Engineers
  • Wednesday, April 6 - WEAT Ops Challenge Awards Ceremony
  • Wednesday, April 6 - Conference Night-Out • San Antonio Botanical Garden
  • Thursday, April 7 - YP Technical Session
  • Thursday, April 7 - Facility Tours

You will also be able to visit the wonderful vendors that have continued their support of the conference.

Important Info & Featured Events at Texas Water 2022

WEAT Committee Meetings

Take action and join a committee! WEAT offers a wide variety of specialized committees to its members. Committee connections provide members with a sense of camaraderie and mutual goals, which are especially rewarding at this time. Committees will be having open meetings the week before Texas Water 2022. Feel free to jump in and join any or as many of the meetings as you’re interested in and have time to attend. Click below to join a meeting!

Check out WEAT Committee Meetings

WEAT Leadership Meet & Greet

WEAT will be having a membership meeting for all WEAT members and those interested in joining WEAT.
Interested in enhancing your network? Join WEAT!

Interested in broadening your knowledge? Join WEAT!

Interested in being a Leader? Join WEAT!

Interested in access to education and training? Join WEAT!

Interested in updates on innovations and new developments? Join WEAT!


Monday, April 4, 2022 at 3:30 PM

Hyatt Regency

Register Here

Registration

Online registration is now open at txwater.org!

Contact the WEAT office for your WEAT/WEF Member number.

Opening General Session/Keynote Address

Tuesday, April 5, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM, Room 305

Join us for the Opening General session as Robert R. Puente, SAWS President, and CEO since May 2008, discusses the Texas and national water horizon.

Robert Puente is the longest-serving leader of one of the nation's largest utilities delivering water and wastewater services to over 1.8 million consumers.

During his tenure, SAWS has achieved the highest bond rating in its history, been named a Leading Utility of the World, and constructed one of the largest inland desalination plants in the nation. Under Mr. Puente’s leadership, San Antonio also has gone from being almost entirely reliant on the Edward’s Aquifer for drinking water to experiencing the greatest diversification of its water supply in city history. Those efforts include the completion of the Vista Ridge pipeline, the most ambitious public-private utility partnership in Texas history, which provides San Antonio with 50,000 acre-feet of water annually.

Prior to SAWS, Puente served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1991-2008 and was Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, where he was instrumental in crafting landmark legislation regarding water management.

Operations Challenge

Tune in and cheer on your favorite Ops Challenge team in this year's competition. This year, even more than years past, sector operators have proven that they are essential frontline workers protecting human health and the environment. Show your appreciation and watch some of Texas' best water professionals compete in the Collections Event simulating real-life operations challenges. More information to come!

Sponsors, complete and send in the sponsorship form or sponsor online by March 1, 2022.

President’s Reception

Each year, WEAT invites friends and colleagues to our President’s Reception — an evening of celebration, networking, and accolades as we honor WEAT’s President. You are cordially invited to President Caffey’s Fiesta at Texas Water 2022. Seats are limited. RSVP today!

Sponsorship Opportunity

Sponsors of Presidents Caffey’s Fiesta at Texas Water 2022 will benefit from exposure to WEAT Leadership and our online marketing. Seats are limited. Sponsor today! Sponsorship includes your name and logo acknowledgment at the virtual reception, on the WEAT website, in Texas WET, and logo with thanks on WEAT social media pages.

$500 Gold Sponsor
includes 1 invitation to President’s Fiesta

$300 Silver Sponsor

Sponsorship Deadline: March 21, 2022

WEAT Swag Sale

WEAT Swag Sale spotlight:

- Miir camp mugs

- Kavu fanny packs

- Socks

-Texas Water Mystery Grab Bag: featuring an assortment of WEAT swag from Texas Water conferences of the past...

- Bandanas

- Stickers

Purchase Here!

Student Design Competition (SDC)

Tuesday, April 5, 9 AM to 1:30 PM

The WEAT Student Design Competition gives students the opportunity to design and present a project based on a real-world wastewater treatment plant design problem. Students will be competing to represent WEAT at the Student Design Competition in New Orleans at WEFTEC 2022. The prompt this year is focused around the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) Panther Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant (PCWWTP) in Frisco, TX. Students shall develop detailed alternatives and final recommendations for expansion of the PCWWTP from 10 to 15 MGD average annual daily flow (AADF) (30 to 52.5 MGD Peak 2-Hr Flow (P2H)), as well as a high-level concept for the site layout for the ultimate build-out capacity of 35 MGD AADF (122.5 MGD P2H). Recommendations for plant expansion shall include both the liquids and solids process trains. Students will prepare the alternative evaluation and recommended expansion plan in a design report and presentation as described in the Competition Details handout. Come on out and support your alma mater or see some prospective future leaders in the industry!

This year, teams from Abilene Christian University, Southern Methodist University, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, University of Houston, the University of Texas at Austin, and Tecnológico de Monterrey will compete.

Women of Water Breakfast

Wednesday, April 6, 7:15 AM - 9:00 AM

Ticket required

Each year at the annual Texas Water™ Conference, we host the Women of Water Forum. This event focuses on the career paths, professional wisdom, and achievements of leading women in the water community who are willing to share their experiences to empower others to be successful in their careers. This year, we look forward to hearing from a panel that includes Jelynne Jameson, San Antonio Water System Board of Director; Suzanne Scott, Texas State Director at The Nature Conservancy; Patrice Melancon, Brigadier General US Air Force – Retired; and Marisa Vergara, Vice President at CP&Y, Inc.

These phenomenal women will be sharing insight into their leadership and management roles and sharing their stories on how they have made a difference in the water industry. We look forward to having you join us for breakfast as these women showcase the difference women can make in the water community, while also providing a forum for future leaders to network with seasoned professionals. One ticket is included with Full Registration. Additional breakfast tickets are available at $40.00 each if purchased on or before March 11, 2022; $50.00 after March 11.


Facility Tours

Thursday, April 7, 8:30 AM

Attendees can add to their Texas Water 2022 experience by registering for one of the three Thursday morning tours. Tour tickets are in addition to the conference registration and include transportation. The cost is $30 if purchased by March 11, 2022; $35 thereafter. A limited number of tickets may be available to purchase on-site. Choose one of the three tours that will leave from the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center at 8:30 AM Thursday morning!

Option 1: SAWS Agua Vista Station

San Antonio Water System's Agua Vista Station was commissioned in 2020. This $70 million water treatment plant, which delivers 50,000 acre-feet of water per year (approximately 45 MGD) and serves up to 20% of the utility's customers, is the cornerstone of integrating the Vista Ridge Regional Water Supply into the SAWS water distribution system. The water supply is a blend of two sand aquifers in Burleson County, TX, over 140 miles away. The Agua Vista Station provides treatment of the incoming supply to ensure compatibility with SAWS' primary supply from the limestone Edwards Aquifer.

The plant has a unique hydraulic profile that makes beneficial use of static head available from the Vista Ridge transmission system; water passes through the treatment process without supplemental pumping, and approximately 80% of the treated water is conveyed by gravity into the SAWS water distribution system. Tour highlights include breathtaking cityscape views from the top of the lime storage silos and a state-of-the-art on-site hypochlorite generation facility. Tour is limited to 25 attendees. Participants should wear comfortable clothes and close-toed shoes.

Option 2: SAWS Medio Creek Water Recycling Center

San Antonio Water System's Medio Creek Water Recycling Center (WRC) is an extended aeration wastewater treatment facility with an average capacity of 16 million gallons per day (MGD) that serves the growing Far West Side of San Antonio. The tour will showcase how the original plant constructed in phases beginning in 1972 works in parallel with the "new" plant commissioned in 2009.

Tour highlights will include the recently upgraded tertiary filtration and ultraviolet disinfection facilities as well as the upstream facilities, including the influent lift station, headworks, carrousel aeration basins, and secondary clarifiers. Tour is limited to 25 attendees. Participants should wear comfortable clothes and close-toed shoes.

Option 3: San Pedro Creek Culture Park & Confluence Park

San Pedro Creek Culture Park, located on the western edge of downtown, exemplifies beauty with purpose, as it serves as vital infrastructure for a growing downtown. Bexar County and the San Antonio River Authority, in coordination with the City of San Antonio, have restored San Pedro Creek's natural environment and created a world-class linear park. It combines public art, architectural design, and historic preservation with engineering, ecosystem restoration, and native landscaping. This project will deepen and widen the existing channel and replace eight street bridges so that the 100-year floodplain can be contained within the banks.

The first segment of Phase 1 - stretching from the flood tunnel inlet at N Santa Rosa Street near Fox Tech High School to Houston Street - opened to the public on May 5, 2018. The San Pedro Creek Culture Park encompasses a total of four phases, with three segments in Phase 1.

With segment one complete, the second and third segments - from Houston Street to Cesar Chavez - are under construction. Currently, Phases 1.2 and 1.3 are set to open to the public in the Fall of 2022. Phases 2, 3, and 4.1 are expected to be complete by the Fall of 2023.

Following the tour of the park, the group will visit Confluence Park and the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River, which has over 16 miles of trail along the river with connections to Mission Portals, which serve as gateways to the San Antonio World Heritage Mission Sites. Don't worry - a bus will help you get to the key landmarks without extensive walking! Tour is limited to 25 attendees. Participants should wear comfortable clothes and close-toed shoes.

Dodson's Drive 5K Fun Run/Walk

TUESDAY, APRIL 5

6:30 A.M. CHECK-IN, 7:00 A.M. START

The Young Professionals Dodson’s Drive 5K supports the Texas water industry’s young professionals by raising funds to support the WEAT/TAWWA Young Professionals Dodson Drive Fund, which provides scholarships for YP’s and funds to send YP’s to the Young Professional Summit each year. The Dodson’s Drive Fund was started in Spring 2011 in honor of Kenneth Dodson. Ken worked in the wastewater industry for 35 years and was a tireless supporter of YP education and growth throughout Texas. Ken passed away after battling cancer, but his memory and efforts live on through the Dodson Drive Fund and the Young Professionals Dodson’s Drive 5K. After two years of hosting the event virtually, this year’s 5K Fun Run/Walk will be an in-person scenic tour of the world-famous San Antonio Riverwalk.

Click here to register for the Dodson's Drive Virtual Fun Run.

Click here to explore the YP Dodson's Drive Fun Run Facebook page!

InFLOW Program

InFLOW stands for Introducing Future Leaders to Opportunities in Water and was conceived by the Water Environment Federation (WEF) in an effort to introduce promising students from underrepresented groups to professional careers in the water industry. InFLOW aims to enhance diversity and inclusion in the water workforce.

Learn more about InFLOW by visiting WEF's InFLOW page!

The InFLOW program is intended to showcase and inform students of the many rewarding careers in the water sector; as well as facilitate networking and mentoring opportunities for successful careers in the water sector.

WEAT Awards (Virtual & In-Person)

WEAT Awards Zoom Ceremony (Wednesday, March 30), Virtual Awards Luncheon (Tuesday, April 5), Awards Celebration Lunch (Wednesday, April 6)

Join your incredible colleagues, WEAT Board members, and friends and family in celebrating and recognizing WEAT award winners at the Texas Water 2022 WEAT Awards Ceremony. We will celebrate our members for their hard work and dedicated service to the water environment in Texas.

Register Here!

Watermark Awards Ceremony

Awards Celebration Lunch (Wednesday, April 6, 12-1 PM)

Join us in celebrating your incredible colleagues and their contributions to our industry! Texas Water will honor WEAT and TAWWA friends and colleagues who have demonstrated their commitment to the water and wastewater profession.

Click here to watch last year's virtual Awards Ceremony!

Conference Night Out

Wednesday, April 6, 6:15 PM to 8:30 PM

Ticket required

Our conference mixer and night out will be your chance to get away from the middle of the city and get a hint of the Texas Hill Country - without making the long drive. The San Antonio Botanical Garden is just 5.5 miles from the Convention Center, but its location on a wooded elevation not far from the San Antonio River makes you feel that you are away from it all!

The Gavel Passing will be at 6:15 PM and the mixer begins at 6:30 PM, with plenty of food and drinks and a chance to wander through flowers and lush plants at the Botanical Center's relaxing and well-shaded Greehey Lawn alongside the Betty Kelso Center.

The San Antonio Botanical Garden was envisioned by members of a local garden club. They believed 38 acres from an old limestone quarry (and former waterworks site) could be transformed into a "living museum of native and imported plant life for visitors to appreciate, learn from, and enjoy." The property was known as the Brackenridge Waterworks in 1877. After voters approved bonds in 1970, the ground was broken six years later, and the San Antonio Botanical Garden was opened in 1980.

The centerpiece of the property is the recognizable Lucile Halsell Conservatory. It was designed by Argentinian architect Emilio Ambrasz (former Curator of Design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York) and incorporates five climate-specific greenhouses.

Our mixer will be centered in the 3,500-square-foot Betsy Kelso Center. It impressively opens to the Greehey Lawn and provides both indoor comfort and an outdoor stroll that is often accompanied by an evening breeze. The lawn includes a Wisteria Arbor, mature Texas live oaks, and a limestone-paved plaza that leads to peaceful sounds of gently running water from the Fountain of Ferns.

San Antonio Water System is involved in a cooperative project with the Botanical Garden, highlighted by the WaterSaver Garden and WaterSaver Lane. As a commitment to education and conservation, these features demonstrate different types of drought-tolerant landscaping that emphasize groundcover, perennial flowerbeds, herbs, native and adapted plants, and patio space. Displays also include solutions for irrigation and watering techniques and permeable paving surfaces.

Throughout the evening, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the unique and colorful history of this site as part of San Antonio's early water-supply efforts. This includes Spanish Colonial aqueducts, early artesian wells, and local water management techniques.

Transportation to the evening's events will be provided at the Conference hotel. The event concludes at 8:30 PM. A Conference Night Out ticket is included with Full Registration or with the Guest Program. A limited number of tickets are available for purchase for $95 by March 11 and $105 after March 11.

Scholarship Golf Tournament

Tuesday, April 4

7 AM Check-in with breakfast; 8 AM Shotgun Scramble with lunch

Prizes & awards following


This year's golf tournament will be held at the Quarry Gold Course located at 444 E Basse Rd, San Antonio, TX 78209. The golf course is just 11 minutes away from the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center! The Quarry Golf Course was formerly the abandoned quarry of the Alamo Cement Plant. Keith Foster converted this unique location into a challenging layout with a links-style front nine and a back nine that plays entirely through the former rock quarry with limestone walls over 100 feet tall on three sides. The first half of the golf course plays through open fields of rolling hills with native grasses and multiple creeks and streams along six of the front nine holes. The quarry pit on the back nine is truly the most unique feature of the golf course, which features a beautiful overlook from the clubhouse. The course's most dramatic hole is the 17th, which requires a tee shot over a deep ravine that is framed by a 40-foot waterfall.

Note: There will be no on-site registration.

Register online at www.txwater.org or mail form with payment to:

TW22 Golf Tournament
P.O. Box 676
Pflugerville, TX 78691

Tournament Co-Chairs:

Jaime Kypuros, (830) 776-0077, jaime.kypuros@tetratech.com
Jeremy Doege, (210) 860-9224, jeremy.doege@wginc.com
Mario Valdez, (210) 321-3407, mario.valdez@kimley-horn.com

Water for People (WFP) Silent Auction

Now, more than ever, access to clean water is critical. That is why Texas Water™ is committed to continuing to raise funds to support the important work that Water for People is doing across the globe to provide access to safe, reliable water services. The 2022 Water for People Silent Auction will be hosted online using HANDBID, a mobile silent auction platform that allows you to bid from your smartphone. (If you’ve attended our in-person conferences before, this is the
same platform we have used to support the Water for People Silent Auction in 2018, 2019, and 2020.)

To make a monetary or item donation, please fill out the online submission form.

Exhibit Hall

MEET & GREET/EXHIBIT HALL
MONDAY, APRIL 4, 5 TO 7 P.M.

Texas Water attendees Meet & Greet in the Exhibit Hall at the Henry B. González Convention Center for refreshments. Registration opens at 4:30 p.m., then you can enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the Exhibit Hall. Texas WaterTM 2022 hosts the largest regional water exhibition on the continent. More than 600 exhibitors are in one place, at one time, in the Convention Center.

Young Professionals (YP) Technical Session

Thursday, April 7, 8:30 AM to Noon

Young Professionals will share their knowledge and experiences on an array of matters aimed at engaging YPs and seasoned professionals alike. Reference the program lineup for details.

YP & Student Reception/Mentoring Program Networking Event

Tuesday, April 5, 5:15 PM to 6:15 PM

Come out and join the YPs and seasoned professionals for drinks and hors d'oeuvres as we continue to network. We will also recognize the winners of the Student Design Competition, the University Forum, and the Dodson's Drive Fun Run! The Mentoring Program's Networking Event will have participants discuss their experiences with mentors. Join us to learn more about the program and how you can participate!

Professional Ethics Workshop for Engineers

Wednesday, April 6, 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM

The Texas Water Engineer’s Ethics Seminar is an interactive and thought-provoking session led by Bob Pence and Gina Smith from Freese and Nichols, Inc. While earning one Professional Development Hour and satisfying the annual ethics requirement, you will learn to recognize ethical situations faced by engineers, analyze the issues of ethical situations, and discuss how to resolve ethical situations in a creative and professional manner. There is no additional fee or need to pre-register for this training.

Curtis Smalley Environmental Event

MONDAY, APRIL 4, 8 AM to 12 PM

The Curtis Smalley Environmental Event honors the legacy of Curtis Smalley. His contribution, leadership, mentorship, dedication to service, and passion for the water industry left a significant impact. He was a driving force to include the environmental event as part of Texas Water to provide fellowship for colleagues and an opportunity to give back to the community in a fun and engaging manner.

This year we will be hosting the "Texas Water Basura Bash" cleaning up the Mission Reach segment from Mission County Park to Espada Park. Volunteers can kayak or walk along this mile stretch while assisting to pick up as much basura (trash) along the way.

All volunteers will be provided with gloves, trash pickers, trash bags, and water. Breakfast tacos will be available at the start of the event, adding a San Antonio twist to this year's Curtis Smalley Environmental Event.

Note: RSVP will be required to help us determine the number of supplies and kayaks needed. Please sign up using the event registration form!

Transportation to/from the conference hotel is not included, so please plan accordingly and carpool if possible. Parking will be available at Mission County Park.

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