Registration brisk for ISA Water/Wastewater and Automatic Controls Symposium

Research Triangle Park, N.C. — The International Society of Automation (ISA) announced that pre-registration activity for the 2014 ISA Water/Wastewater and Automatic Controls Symposium (WWAC Symposium) has been brisk. Taking place Aug 5-7 at the Crowne Plaza Orlando-Universal Hotel in Orlando, the 2014 ISA WWAC Symposium focuses on the challenges associated with automation and instrumentation in the water and wastewater sectors.

The symposium features more than 30 technical speakers, two full days of technical presentations, a tour of a local treatment plant, a general reception and a supplier showcase. This symposium is unique as it focuses entirely on the needs of automation professionals in the municipal water and wastewater sectors.

“Our secret is our focus,” says Patrick Gouhin, CEO and Executive Director at ISA. “Our annual ISA Water/Wastewater Symposium specifically caters to the needs of professionals involved with automation, instrumentation and SCADA in the municipal water and wastewater sectors. It is a unique niche event and we are proud of its increasing popularity. There is no other event like it in North America.”

Technical program
This year’s technical program features more than 30 speakers. Thomas W. Sigmund, P.E., Chair, NACWA Utility and Resource Management Committee & Executive Director, NEW Water, will present a keynote address on A Vision for the Water Resources Utility of the Future. The Water Resources Utility of the Future (UOTF) Task Force was created by NACWA, WEF and WERF in 2012 to bring together industry experts to identify opportunities and challenges faced by clean water agencies and to identify forward looking solutions, some of which are being implemented today. The UOTF will transform both the way traditional wastewater utilities view themselves and how they will manage their operations and relationships with their communities and contributions to local economies.

Other notable speakers in the 2014 WWAC symposium technical program include:

• Don Lovell, of ISA, who will deliver a talk about the importance of troubleshooting in daily plant operations.
• Bryan Singer, Principal Investigator for Kenexis Security, who will talk about how one can conduct vulnerability assessments and know what attackers can, and can't do.
• Michael Sweeney, deputy executive director of the Toho Water Authority and long-time member of the American Water Works Association, who will talk about current news and trends in the municipal drinking water sector.
• Tom DeLaura, Chair of the Water Environment Federation’s Automation and Info Tech Committee, who will present on current news and trends in the wastewater sector.

In addition, a Forum Session on the Role of Automation within the Utility of the Future will be moderated by Tom DeLaura and will include panel members: Tom Sigmund, P.E., Chair, NACWA Utility and Resource Management Committee & Executive Director, NEW Water; Kalanithy Vairavamoorthy, Ph.D., Dean, University of South Florida, Patel College of Global Sustainability; Barry Liner, P.E., Director, Water Science & Engineering Center at Water Environment Federation (WEF); Zdenko Vitasovic, Ph.D., Senior Engineer, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California; and Mike Sweeney, Ph.D., P.E., Florida Section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) & Deputy Executive-Director, Toho Water Authority.

For the full program schedule, including full presentation abstracts and speaker bios, visit www.isawwsymposium.com/program-schedule.

Registration is still open at www.isawwsymposium.com. Attendees can register online or register by contacting ISA customer service at 919-549-8411. Registration for the three-day symposium is $450, and includes catered breakfasts and lunches, as well as a printed attendee note set of the symposium proceedings. Discounts are available for ISA, AWWA, FWEA, ITA and WEF members.

Attendees will also receive approved continuing education credits (PDHs and CEUs) from ISA and the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association. These credits can be used toward continuing education requirements for various state-issued water operator, wastewater operator and engineering licenses. See the symposium website for more information.