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PNCWA2023 Call for Abstracts!

Abstracts Due March 8

Please join us in Tacoma, Washington for PNCWA2023, the 89th Annual Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association (PNCWA) Conference and Exhibition, September 11-13, 2023. This year we are focused on inspiring our vibrant water community to spark change and accelerate actions that sustain healthy watersheds for our future generations. We look forward to “Catalyzing a Sound Future for Water” with you at PNCWA2023!   

Our program committee invites you to submit your abstract for PNCWA2023’s Technical Program. We are dedicated to providing a program that educates and connects our water community. We encourage you to be creative and bold in sharing your experiences, lessons learned, collaborative solutions, and innovative approaches to confronting current challenges and promoting a healthy water environment in our region. General categories have been developed to guide presentation content but are not meant to be exhaustive.

Submission Guidelines:

  • Limit abstracts to 350 words with concise title. 

  • Include a brief resume of all presenters (not all authors). 

  • Notification of selections will occur in mid-April. 

  • Selected speakers are required to develop an in-person presentation. 

  • Presentation sessions will be either 30 or 60 minutes, as determined by the Technical Committee. If you have a strong preference, please include this in the additional notes section. 

  • Presenters are expected to register for the conference and pay all applicable registration fees. 

  • Electronic copies of accepted presentations will be collected at conference. 

  • Due to the high number of quality abstracts, fewer than 2/3 of submitted abstracts are usually selected for the program.

Submit Abstract

Download the Call for Abstract Guidelines & List (PDF)

Contact PNCWA2023 Conference Technical Chair Kristi Steiner at [email protected]

Examples of Topics that Fall Under Each Sub-Theme: 

Collection and Conveyance Systems: 

  • Pump stations 

  • Collection system modeling 

  • Trenchless technology implementation 

  • Pipeline condition assessment 

  • Inflow & Infiltration identification and elimination 

  • Conveyance through natural resource areas 

  • Data management and modeling 

Regulatory Changes and Challenges:

  • Emerging constituents 

  • Permit negotiation and compliance 

  • Wet weather 

  • Direct conveyance 

  • Future of regulation 

Construction and Alternative Project Delivery:  

  • Alternative delivery 101 

  • Risk evaluation, management, and mitigation 

  • Contract structure pros and cons  

SCADA and Data Security: 

  • Data collection, optimization, management, and integration 

  • SCADA system upgrades 

  • Cybersecurity improvements 

  • Funding for data resiliency and cybersecurity  

Facility O&M: 

  • Programmatic O&M 

  • Energy/Chemical optimization 

  • Biosolids management 

  • Operations under pressure  

  • O&M for side stream products  

  • Process optimization 

Stormwater:  

  • Green infrastructure 

  • Wet weather facility design  

  • Stormwater infrastructure maintenance  

  • Transportation focused stormwater controls  

  • Groundwater injection 

  • Stormwater treatment technology advancements and innovations 

  • Data management and modeling 

  • Private-Public Partnerships 

Industrial Wastewater:  

  • Pretreatment processes and programs 

  • Nutrient impacts and limitations 

  • Seasonal impacts of industrial wastewater 

Utility and Asset Management: 

  • Capital plan development 

  • Program and project prioritization 

  • Data management strategies  

  • Organizational resiliency 

  • Organizational strategic planning  

  • Capital project funding and rate structure development 

  • Programmatic asset condition assessment  

Leadership and Workforce Development: 

  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion 

  • Leading teams 

  • Conflict resolution 

  • Mentorship 

  • Succession planning 

  • Project and task management skills and tactics

Water Reuse and Resource Recovery: 

  • Water reuse and reclamation 

  • Biosolids management and utilization 

  • Gas and energy nexus 

  • Nutrient treatment, management, and recovery 

Planning and System Resiliency:  

  • Strategic Planning for collection, conveyance, treatment systems  

  • Emergency risk assessment and response  

  • Natural disaster planning, response, and recovery 

  • Digital tools for information sharing 

  • Digital twins 

Wastewater Treatment Process: 

  • High-Strength wastewater 

  • Process modeling 

  • Solids handling and treatment 

  • Sidestream treatment 

  • Advancements and innovations in wastewater treatment 

  • Small/rural system treatment processes 

  • Decentralized and onsite treatment processes 

  • Advanced removal of nutrients and emerging constituents 

  • Wastewater Treatment 101