ASDWA’s Hybrid Member Meeting Brings Everyone to the Table
After two seemingly endless years of virtual engagements, ASDWA staff wish to extend our appreciation to the state and EPA staff who participated in our first hybrid 2022 Member Meeting in Old Town Alexandria, VA. Approximately 70 participants attended the Meeting in person, with over 250 individuals joining the broadcast sessions online, bringing together state and EPA staff representing 48 states across all ten EPA Regions. The Meeting kicked off with a panel discussion on the current and future outlook for the water sector featuring insights from ASDWA President Lori Mathieu from Connecticut, ASDWA Executive Director Alan Roberson, EPA AA for Water Radhika Fox, and GM for Prince William County Service Authority Calvin Farr. The afternoon ended with a hybrid session on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), including a detailed overview of the BIL and Justice 40 initiatives.
The spotlight on BIL continued the morning of Day Two, which kicked off with in-person attendees diving deeper into several implementation challenges identified the day prior, focusing on potential solutions to manage the historic investment in drinking water infrastructure. Following the morning discussion, ASDWA invited remote participants back into the mix for a series of three 90-minute interactive sessions on LCRR and other regulatory activities, PFAS-CERCLA, and a “double feature” session on SDWIS modernization and cybersecurity.
Day Three opened with another deep dive into Workforce challenges, with onsite attendees sharing successes and exploring innovative approaches to attract and keep talent within the water sector. After a lively discussion, remote state and EPA participants joined to discuss drinking water “hot topics” identified through ASDWA’s regional report-outs, including emergency response, program administration, and compliance challenges.
As we begin to emerge from our virtual spaces, ASDWA staff look forward to continuing to leverage new opportunities to connect with our members and partners in different formats, engaging an ever-changing landscape of challenges facing the water sector. We hope you’ll join us!
