2020 Water Conservation Symposium!
While 2020 has been full of ups and downs, Colorado WaterWise is happy to be hosting the Annual Water Conservation Symposium through an online structure. Acknowledging that many of us are busy and taking a full day to be on an online conference isn't enjoyable or engaging, we have decided to host the Symposium sessions over a variety of dates in mid to late October in two-hour blocks of time.
We also know that these times are financially challenging for many organizations and because of that we are making the entire Symposium complimentary to active Colorado WaterWise members. For non-Colorado WaterWise members, we have dramatically reduced the registration cost to make it affordable for all. Not a member but interested in joining? Check out all the benefits to you and your organization here.
We also want to thank our event sponsors. Without them, we would not be able to host a Symposium with the ticket structure that we are able to offer this year. If your organizations is interested in becoming a sponsor, you can check out the levels here.
Schedule of Sessions:
Tuesday, Oct. 13 1 to 3 p.m. - System-wide technologies: real-world review of AMI and Leak Detection systems
The water meter has been the traditional boundary between the water utility and the customer, but new technologies for measuring water use, detecting leaks, alerting customers, and even remotely closing valves are breaking through this barrier. This 90-minute session will feature presentations and discussion from three companies that are leaders in the intersection of customer service and water management: WaterSmart Software, Flume, and Phyn. Each technology offers a unique approach to measuring where and how customers are using water - with or without AMI - and each provides direct feedback to customers about their water use patterns. Come learn about how water use measurement and customer information are changing how utilities do business and giving customers real insight into their usage patterns.
Speakers:
Clay Kraus - Flume
Dana Haasz - WaterSmart
Paul Vacquier - Flo
Moderator: Peter Mayer - Water DM
Thursday, Oct. 15 10 a.m. to noon - Managing water in the headwaters of Colorado
With all the water that falls in Colorado as both rain and snow, water managers in the headwaters of Colorado have a very important job. The Colorado River serves more than 40 million people and it is vital to ensure we have enough to go around today, tomorrow and into the future. This session with talk about initiatives in place on the local, regional and basin level to ensure this precious resource continue to flow downstream.
Speakers:
Marjo Curgus - Del Corazón Consulting
Mike Eytel - Colorado River District
Rachel Zerowin - High Country Conservation Center
Moderator: Chris Wolff - Eagle River Water & Sanitation District
Tuesday, Oct. 20 10 a.m. to noon - Supporting water resources through alternative water supplies
Distributed, on-site water infrastructure is being deployed across the country to address our most pressing drinking water, stormwater, and water quality challenges. Over the past few years, Colorado has passed important legislation to allow for the use of graywater and rainwater supplies to meet our state’s non-potable water demands. In this session we’ll hear from leading experts on the growing use of alternative water supplies that can be reused on-site to reduce potable water demands, extend wastewater treatment plant capacity, and protect our valuable water resources. We’ll learn about an exciting graywater reuse pilot program between Denver Water, Greyter Systems, and Lennar Homes with the potential to reduce indoor water consumption by 25%. We’ll discuss turn-key rain barrel education and incentive programs that your utilities can implement to encourage the use of rainwater for irrigation. And we’ll hear about Denver Water’s innovative new “one water” campus that incorporates a variety of water reuse solutions.
Speakers:
Deryn Davidson - CSU Extension
Jeff Tejral - Denver Water
John Bell - Greyter Systems
Theresa Worsham - City of Golden
Moderator: Luke Runyon - KUNC
Thursday, Oct. 22 1 to 3 p.m. - Introduction to landscape and irrigation certification programs in Colorado
Landscape certification programs provide landscape professionals with the tools and resources they need to make smart decisions when it comes to managing our outdoor water use. This panel of irrigation experts will introduce participants to the various landscape certification programs available in Colorado including the training required, the process to become certified, and the benefits associated with the various certifications. Panelists will also explore how landscaper training programs are not only beneficial to cities and utilities, but also to the landscaper business community and their customers. Finally, panelists will discuss the potential for developing a statewide landscaper certification requirement in Colorado.
Speakers:
Bob Howley - Irrigation Analysis
Eric Olson - City of Fort Collins
John Berggren - Western Resource Advocates
Kevin Hartley - City of Greeley
Rick Schultz - Castle Rock Water
Moderator: Thomas Riggle - Centennial Water and Sanitation District
Tuesday, Oct. 27 2 to 4 p.m. - Understanding water conservation efforts across Colorado
The Colorado Water Plan calls for 400,000 ac-ft of water savings by 2050. Yet, more than 2,000 utilities serve potable water in Colorado. Colorado WaterWise piloted a project that analyzed conservation data submitted under HB 10-1051 as well as new data collected through a survey to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the state of municipal conservation in Colorado. This presentation will share preliminary findings and open the conversation to help inform future work and offerings that benefit our members.
Speakers:
Amy Volckens - Brendle Group
Charlotte Roehm - Western Resource Advocates
Diana Denwood - Aurora Water
Moderator: Courtney Black - Intera
Thursday, Oct. 29 10 a.m. to noon - Advancing Water Efficient Landscape Ordinances: What’s been done and where do we go next?
On average outdoor water use accounts for more than 50% of all residential water demand in Colorado. In this session, we’ll hear from utilities that have taken a leading role in reducing their communities’ outdoor water demand through water efficient landscaping standards and ordinances. Panelists will describe some of the features of their ordinances and discuss what they’ve learned along the way through implementing these standards. Participants will also learn about available resources for implementing water wise landscaping standards in their own communities.
Speakers:
Jennifer Simmons - Town of Frederick
Logan Burba - Element Water
Marjo Curgus - Del Corazon Consulting
Rob Gregor - City of Aspen
Moderator: John Berggren - Western Resource Advocates
Happy Hour and Networking: Tuesday, Oct. 27 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Come ready to celebrate Halloween a little early and through Zoom! We will be hosting a Halloween costume contest so dust off those creative costume ideas and join us for an online happy hour and networking time.
