More than 150 industry, water utility and government participants attended the sixth biennial Emerging Water Technology Symposium (EWTS) May 15-16 at the Doubletree by Hilton Ontario Airport, just minutes from IAPMO’s World Headquarters.

The EWTS provides a platform for plumbers, contractors, engineers, manufacturers and water-efficiency experts to introduce new technologies for the plumbing and mechanical industries, and to discuss emerging trends, challenges and opportunities important to anyone who cares about how water is used in the built environment.

In his keynote address, Dr. Peter Williams, IBM Distinguished Engineer and Smart Cities and Resilience Lead, discussed technological trends and how they will affect the water industry, water utilities, and, by extension, the plumbing industry as time goes forward. Water and sanitation issues that were addressed during the symposium included water demand trends; non-potable water systems; the first statistically based update to Hunter’s Curve since the 1940s; Legionellosis prevention; and a city of Los Angeles high-efficiency plumbing fixture ordinance.

“Our thirst for knowledge on emerging technologies and issues that currently impact society continues to drive our efforts in supporting the biennial Emerging Water Technology Symposium,” IAPMO CEO GP Russ Chaney said. “We weren’t disappointed given the timely and very interesting presentations and discussions that occurred on matters of significant concern to our industry. IAPMO and our co-sponsoring organizations continue to see great value in the EWTS and we’re already beginning to plan the 2020 event.”

Co-convened by the Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE), the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE), the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) and Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI), the event brought together more than two dozen respected experts in the fields of water and energy efficiency to discuss their areas of expertise.

The symposium included a panel discussion on “The ISO Water Efficiency Standard: Reducing Water Use through Water Efficiency Labeling” that featured Brett Lovett, Senior Manager of Stakeholder Engagement for Standards Australia; Carol Grossman, Ph.D., Director of Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards for the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources; Yvonne Orgill, Chief Executive of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association; and Veronica Blette, WaterSense Program Manager for the United States EPA.

The EWTS concluded on an uplifting note, as a group of sixth- and seventh-grade students from nearby Suzanne Middle School in Walnut known as the Robo-Rebels reported on a device they developed called the Pressure Potty Water Saving Sensor. The device was developed as a potential solution to the problem of unwanted flushing by automatic toilets, resulting in water being wasted. The Robo-Rebels have a provisional patent pending on the device.

The seventh EWTS is being planned for spring 2020.