WEF, WaterReuse and AWWA to jointly sponsor 2005 symposium

ALEXANDRIA, VA, Sept. 30, 2004 -- The Water Environment Federation (WEF) has entered into an agreement with the WateReuse Association (WRA) and the American Water Works Association (AWWA) for joint sponsorship of WRA's 20th Annual Symposium in 2005. The event will be held Sept. 18-21 at the Hyatt Regency in Denver and is expected to attract more than 600 attendees.

In announcing the agreement, WRA executive director Wade Miller said that "partnering with AWWA and WEF is a tremendous plus for the water industry as a whole." He said that the partnership is the "right thing to do given the fact that water reuse interest and membership in the three organizations overlaps substantially."

"WEF is looking forward to working cooperatively and collaboratively with WRA and AWWA to plan and implement a successful event that will yield benefits for all our members," continued Lynn Orphan, WEF President-Elect. "WEF's 36,000 members have a vested interest in water reuse. In the not too distant future, our society will not view water reuse as either a water or wastewater issue, but simply as a water resource issue."

Jack Hoffbuhr, executive director of AWWA, noted many of AWWA's 57,000 members are industry leaders in water reuse. "Water reuse and desalination will be important components of water management in the 21st century," he said. "The WateReuse Symposium is an excellent forum for utility professionals who want to be on the leading edge of technology and water resource planning."

AWWA and WEF will have equal representation with WRA on the technical program committee responsible for developing the overall program. The three organizations will also develop and implement a coordinated marketing plan for the event.

About WEF
Founded in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with members from varied disciplines who work toward the WEF vision of preservation and enhancement of the global water environment. The WEF network includes water quality professionals from 79 Member Associations in over 30 countries.

About WateReuse Association
The WateReuse Association is an Alexandria, VA-based trade association whose mission is to advance the beneficial and efficient use of water resources through education, sound science and technology using reclamation, recycling, reuse and desalination for the benefit of our members, the public and the environment.

About AWWA
Founded in 1881, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) is an international non-profit scientific and educational society dedicated to the improvement of drinking water quality and supply. Its more than 57,000 members represent the full spectrum of the drinking water community: treatment plan operators and managers, scientists, environmentalists, manufacturers, academicians, regulators and others who hold a genuine interest in water supply and public health.

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