Lauren Del Ciello | Managing Editor | [email protected]
undefinedAs of press time, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Coronavirus, also known as the COVID-19, a pandemic. A 30-day travel ban from Europe to the U.S. was enacted and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued guidelines that encourage cancelling gatherings of more than 250 people.
The impact has been felt throughout the water industry as events throughout the industry have been cancelled, including the Water Quality Association (WQA) Convention & Exposition. Other events in the storm water and municipal water treatment industries have similarly faced cancellations or delays. I’m confident these decisions were not made lightly, as these industry gatherings provide essential opportunities for water professionals to explore new technologies, attend educational sessions and network with their peers from across the globe.
I want to stress that while we cannot gather at this time, that does not prevent us from uniting. The WQA Convention theme this year was slated to be “Vision 20/20,” which encourages all of us to look to a brighter future and foster innovation. So reach out to your network or peers you may have intended to meet with at the cancelled events. Ask questions and share lessons learned, even if it may not be face to face. Reach out to manufacturers and challenge yourself to explore new technologies or best practices. The possibilities are endless.
And as far as missed educational opportunities, you can continue to count on WQP to bring you the latest updates in industry innovation straight to your mailbox or inbox. You can also follow along on our social media channels for daily updates in industry news and more content.
As health professionals work to contain the Coronavirus outbreak, it is unclear how the next few months may impact the workforce, the economy and even our daily lives. Regardless, we cannot hit “pause” on the need for clean drinking water and the role of water professionals remains absolutely critical. To our readers, I encourage you to stay safe, be cautious, and please, wash your hands.
Please take WQPs COVID-19 survey:
How is COVID-19 impacting the water industry and your business? If you have two minutes, please take our short survey and let us know. Comment with tips and best practices to stay prepared. Stay safe, readers. https://bit.ly/wqpcovidsurvey
