The Collection Systems Conference highlights challenges and innovative solutions and technologies that utilities across the nation are utilizing to proactively maintain and improve the efficiency of their collection system infrastructure.
The 2019 WEF Collection Systems Conference, Race to Indy – 25 Years of Wet Weather Control is being held in Indianapolis, home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Collection Systems Conference highlights challenges and innovative solutions and technologies that utilities across the nation are utilizing to proactively maintain and improve the efficiency of their collection system infrastructure.
In Indianapolis, attendees will learn all about a history of improvements in the City and adjacent communities over the last 25 years, since the last time the conference was held in this location. This is expected to be another great event, including sharing of technical knowledge, tours, and networking with colleagues in the wastewater collection system industry. The 2019 conference begins on Tuesday, June 4 and extends through Friday, June 7, giving attendees ample time to experience Indianapolis and surrounding area while learning about exciting projects and technologies being utilized across the country. The conference will include 13 technical sessions, two pre-conference workshops, two mobile sessions, and two tours.
Technical Sessions provide presentations that cover a wide range of topics, including tunnels, trenchless technology, combined and sanitary sewer overflows, system analysis, project delivery, condition assessment, asset management and inflow and infiltration. In addition, two technical sessions will highlight local projects in Indianapolis and the surrounding communities.
Pre-Conference Workshops will focus on evaluating and mitigating inflow and infiltration in collection systems.
- WORKSHOP A — Best Sewer Rehabilitation Practices for Mitigating I/I: Integrated Approaches, Innovative Technologies and Interactive Solutions: Successful sewer rehabilitation programs will be highlighted in this workshop that showcases speakers from across the country. The focus will be on I/I reduction within the context of asset management programs, and will also explore new rehabilitation technologies.
- WORKSHOP B - Infiltration and Inflow Modeling for Collection System Utilities: This workshop will provide attendees with an understanding of rainfall-derived infiltration and inflow (RDII) modeling tools and monitoring best practices for establishing effective infiltration and inflow (I/I) reduction and remediation programs. Case studies for how the application of these tools reduced the overall cost of compliance programs and collection system maintenance will be discussed.
Mobile Sessions allow attendees to interact directly with exhibitors to gain hands-on knowledge about specific products and services that may benefit their communities and clients. The first session provides an interactive technical discussion about the benefits, limitations, and applications for various products and services. This non-traditional, anti-presentation approach allows attendees to ask specific questions in a small collaborative setting. The second mobile session will highlight emerging topics and technologies in the collection system community. These sessions will allow exhibitors to introduce new and innovative products and services that are available to effectively evaluate, maintain, and improve collection systems.
Tours are being offered to allow attendees a real-world look at projects implemented in the Indianapolis area.
- The Belmont Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant and Juan Soloman Park Lift Station tour will include a site visit to one of Indianapolis’ most interesting lift stations, with a capacity of 38 MGD, constructed under Juan Soloman Park in Indianapolis. Following the lift station tour, attendees will proceed to a walkthrough of the Belmont Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant (AWTP), one of two treatment plants owned and operated by Citizens Energy Group. The Belmont AWTP capacity was expanded to 300 MGD as part of the Combined Sewer Overflow Consent Decree and included improvements like eliminating primary effluent discharge and adding wet weather storage basins, new clarifiers, and UV disinfection.
- The DigIndy Deep Rock Tunnel tour will include a site visit to the working shaft location for the Citizens Energy Group DigIndy deep rock tunnel project allowing attendees the opportunity to descend 240 feet via personnel cage the to the bottom of the tunnel. The DigIndy Tunnel System is a 28-mile long network of 18-foot diameter deep rock tunnels being built beneath the city. The tunnel is part of a $2 billion program to reduce combined sewer overflows into area waterways keeping the utility in compliance with a Consent Decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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Christy Willson is a registered professional civil engineer with 22 years of experience in the water resources industry. She spent the first 15 years of her career at one of the largest sewer agencies in the country, where she participated in SSO master plan development, consent decree negotiations, hydraulic modeling, SSES activities, and sanitary, combined, and storm sewer design. Christy then moved to the private sector and has gained extensive design and project management experience over the last several years. She is now the Assistant Regional Manager of Water for Horner & Shifrin. Inc. with a background in both the public and private sectors. She brings a solid understanding of an owner’s perspective to each project.
Bradley E. Fix is the Superintendent of the Shelbyville Water Resource Recovery Facility in Shelbyville, IN with over 39 years of service. He manages the plant and the collection system of over 90 miles of sanitary sewers. He holds a Call IV Municipal license, Class D Industrial license, and a Class IV Collection Systems license. He is a recipient of the WEF Golden Manhole and 2015 WEF Collection Systems Award. He has served as a member of WEF and IWEA for almost 40 years. He served as President of IWEA in 2002. He has served as a WEF Delegate for over 10 years representing IWEA, PWO and Municipal Operators. He serves on several committees for IWEA & WEF. He is retiring at the end of this year.