Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – Noon
W1: Waste to Worth: Water Solutions for Food & Beverage Growth
IWC Rep: Jeff Easton, ClearStream Engineering, Salt Lake City, UT
Session Chair: Craig Mills, WesTech Water, Salt Lake City, UT
Discussion Leader: Samantha Fowler, Kurita America, Salt Lake City, UT
This session explores how food and beverage facilities are leveraging advanced and adaptable wastewater treatment strategies to support growth, sustainability, and operational stability. Across diverse applications, the presentations highlight innovations in anaerobic treatment, membrane systems, mobile and modular solutions, water reuse, and process intensification. A common focus is managing complex, high-strength waste streams while maximizing resource recovery and enabling reliable, compliant operations without limiting production or requiring significant infrastructure expansion.
W2: Membranes 2: Innovative pretreatment and operational features for high-recovery and reverse osmosis system optimization
IWC Rep: Jane Kucera, UCC Environmental, Naperville, IL
Session Chair: Wayne Bates, Hydranautics Nitto Denko, Rocton, IL
Discussion Leader: Brandon Yallaly, Carollo
This session highlights advancements in industrial RO and NF water treatment, focusing on automation, footprint reduction, and cost optimization. Together, these studies demonstrate an industry shift toward chemical minimization and sustainable, high-recovery membrane designs. This can be achieved by improvements in mechanical and chemical pretreatment, advances in instrumentation and monitoring, and dynamic membrane operations where new design techniques are used to achieve maximum recovery.
W3: Mine Water Treatment: Critical Minerals and Vital Resources
IWC Rep: Bill Kennedy, Stantec, Charlotte, NC
Session Chair: Jaron Stanley, WesTech Water, Salt Lake City, UT
Discussion Leader: Evan Claytor, Veolia, Glen Allen, VA
The growing demand for critical minerals highlights the importance of effective and sustainable mine water treatment. This session will focus on treating complex mine waters. Topics include next generation membranes for resource recovery, integrated system design for pit dewatering, multistage treatment of metals, and improved understanding of softening sludge behavior. These presentations demonstrate how design based on real world and theoretical experience enables more efficient recovery, reuse and discharge of mine water.
W4: Advancing Wastewater Solutions for Power Generation: From Compliance to Implementation
IWC Rep: Michele Funk, P.E., Bechtel, Reston,VA
Session Chair: Otto Morales, P.Eng., Kubota, Bothell, WA
Discussion Leader: Mayra A. Giraldo, P.E., Stantec, Alpharetta, GA
Power generation facilities face increasing pressure to balance regulatory compliance, operational reliability, and economic viability. This session highlights emerging and practical solutions for wastewater treatment and compliance, including physical-chemical system optimization, innovative ZLD strategies, comparative compliance pathways, and accelerated project delivery models. Through case studies and implementation experiences, presenters will share lessons learned and provide actionable insights for utilities, consultants, regulators, and technology providers navigating the next generation of power sector water challenges.