10:45 a.m.-11:45 a.m. 

Business Meeting

Asset Management Best Practices and Water Quality Accountability

Water infrastructure asset management is essential to ensuring the longevity of infrastructure and the safety and reliability of water service.  In recognition of the importance of adequate asset management, some states have begun to implement policies to ensure that all water systems, regardless of ownership structure, are effectivley managing their infrastructure.  NARUC recently passed a resolution on the issue, and states like New Jersey have implemented laws that require water systems to "create and implement an asset management plan designed to inspect, maintain, repair and renew its infrastructure."  This panel will examine such approaches and discuss potenital benefits and challenges related to asset management.

Moderator:

Hon. David Ober, Indiana

Panelists:

James Chelius, Engineering Director, American Water 

Justin Kauffman, Director of Asset Management, Aqua America

Evan Kirk, Project Director, Environmental Finance Center, UNC School of Government

David Rubin, Aclara

Small Systems and Cybersecurity

Small water systems may not have the same resources to invest in elaborate cyber security protections as larger companies, but ensuring that their data and systems are safe is equally important.  Panelists from small systems will discuss how their utility has conquered this issue and share best practices for other small utilities. 

Moderator:

Hon. Brad Johnson, Montana

Panelists:

Jay Fusco, Connecticut Water Service, Inc.

John Lucas, Citizens Energy Group

TBA - Arcadis

Safe Drinking Water Act Compliance

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in February 2018 found that community water systems owned by regulated water companies are significantly less likely to violate the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) than water systems owned and run by local governments.  The study found that private ownership of a water system was “significantly associated with higher compliance” with the SDWA.  Panelists will address best practices and expectations for SDWA compliance

Moderator: TBA

Panelists:

Kyle Butts, Research Manager at Forward Observer

Cheryl Norton, President of Missouri American Water

Karen Stachowski, Assistant Attorney General at Consumer Advocate Unit of Tennessee Attorney General

1:30pm - 2:30pm

Extreme weather events and climate variation  What are the implications?

With the recent release of the Fourth National Climate Assessment, public attention is once again fixed on the importance of resilient infrastructure as it relates to implications of climate variability and extreme weather eventd.  Among other concerns, the report finds that our nation’s deteriorating water infrastructure exacerbates the climate risk faced by society and that the “quality and quantity of water available for use by people and ecosystems across the country are being affected by climate change, increasing risks and costs to agriculture, energy production, industry, recreation and the environment.”  Given these recent findings, it is essential that regulators get water policy right.  This panel will examine the report’s finding and discuss current approaches and policies to these concerns.

Moderator: 

Hon.  Comer "Randy" Randall, South Carolina

Panelists:

Suzanne Chiavari, Engineering Director, Treatment and Resiliency, American Water

Charles Davidson, New York Law School

Megan Levy, Local Energy Programs Manager, Wisconsin Office of Energy Innovation

Michael Mares, Vice President, California Operations, California Water Service Group

Emerging Contaminants

Water quality considerations are under increased scrutiny as customer expectations continue to increase, contaminant testing technology advances and additional health impact studies becomes available.  Emerging contaminants such as Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are one of the most reported-on issues in the water space.  Across the country, water utilities are detecting emerging contaminants and many are struggling to assure water quality.  States like Michigan have acted swiftly to establish cleanup rules for some PFAS and recently New Hampshire has proposed drinking water Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) with many other states poised to impose similar standards.  This panel will address emerging contaminants and mitigation approaches as well as potential costs to ensure compliance.

Moderator:

Hon. John "Jack" Betkoski, III, Connecticut

Panelists:

Robert Scott, Commissioner, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

David Spacht, Chief Financial Officer, Artesian Resources Corporation

Mark A. Vannoy, P.E., Technical Expert, ECT2