Water professionals, regulators and public health experts will assemble at the American Water Works Association’s Annual Conference & Exposition at Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center June 20-22 to discuss federal and state lead policies, Lead and Copper Rule revisions and lead service line replacement developments.

Several events at the conference will also focus on the ongoing lead issues in Flint, Mich.

Events of particular include:

Mon., June 20, 2 – 5 p.m.
Session – MON04 – Water Policy: How the Big Picture Impacts Individual Utilities
Room W181AB
This session features an overview of new developments in federal, state and local policy that are shaping the business environment for water utilities across the United States. Perspectives on key issues from federal, state and local points of view will be presented, including from Peter Grevatt, Director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water.

Mon., June 20, 2 – 5 p.m.
Session – MON15 – Internal Corrosion Control in Distribution Systems
Room W183B
This session highlights key points of AWWA’s manual M58, Internal Corrosion Control in Water Distribution Systems, related to the latest research, tools and monitoring programs that assist water utility managers and operators maintain optimal corrosion control treatment and prepare for the upcoming Long-Term Lead and Copper Rule.

Tues., June 21, 8 – 8:45 a.m.
Keynote Address – An Exploration of What Happened in Flint, Michigan
Room W474
Chris Kolb, member of the Flint Water Advisory Task Force and President of the Michigan Environmental Council, will discuss findings from the Task Force report submitted to Governor Snyder of Michigan earlier this year.

Tues., June 21, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Session – TUE04 – Regulatory Update for Water Utilities
Room W183B
Relevant lead presentations in this session include:

• Flint, Michigan, Water Quality Challenges: A Chronology and Contributing Factors
• Flint, Michigan, Moving Forward: Data Collection Strategy
• Opportunities and Challenges in Redrafting the LCR: A Utility Perspective
• How Many Lead Service Lines Are There and What Are Implications of Different Monitoring Strategies?

Wed., June 22, 11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
H2Open Forum – A Conversation with Peter Grevatt, Director – USEPA Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water
Room W179
Peter Grevatt and Tracy Mehan, AWWA Executive Director of Government Affairs, will discuss the EPA priorities related to the drinking water sector. This discussion will cover the recent events in Flint, Mich., upcoming water quality regulations, the status of the State Revolving Funds and future implementation of the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act.

See the complete conference program here.

Media Note: Accredited members of the media may attend ACE16 at no charge. However, they are required to register on-site at the Press Desk. For media inquiries or to set up interviews with conference speakers, contact Greg Kail, AWWA Director of Communications.

ACE16, which will bring more than 12,000 water experts to the Chicago area, is the longest running water conference in the world, having first convened in 1881. The event will feature 111 sessions in 19 professional tracks and an exposition of more than 500 companies.