WaterSmart Innovations Conference & Expo
October 7-9, 2009 Las Vegas, Nevada
Click here for Call for Abstracts
2008 Partners:
2008 Sponsors:
Couldn't make it to WSI? Here's what you missed...
Nearly 1,200 participants from 42 states and the District of Columbia and 17 foreign nations attended the inaugural WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition, October 8-10 at the South Point Hotel and Conference Center in Las Vegas.
Presented by the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) WaterSense Program and other leading national and international organizations, WSI offered 150 professional sessions in a variety of tracks as well as an expo hall featuring nearly 140 exhibitors.
"The fact that so many people from such a range of professions came together to discuss the challenges and solutions related to urban water efficiency underscores the conference's goal of sharing ideas and experiences on a global scale," said program Chairman Doug Bennett.
Conference highlights included the opening session October 8, with such speakers as U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and SNWA General Manager Pat Mulroy.
Keynoting the opening session, Prince Feisal Ibn Al-Hussein of Jordan discussed his country's unique water needs and creative methods of using water more efficiently. He noted that residents of Jordan's capital, Amman, are approaching their tenth year of aggressive residential water rationing, as they receive water just one day a week.
"Our water situation has forced us to become early leaders in conservation, water use efficiency and demand management," Prince Feisal said. "At the same time, we are also developing every new supply we can identify, including brackish water sources and inaccessible resources where the production costs are very high."
Speaking at the conference's keynote luncheon October 9, acclaimed climatologist Dr. Jonathan Overpeck, coordinating lead author for the United Nations' Nobel Peace Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment, discussed the current and future effects of climate change on drought and water supplies in the desert southwest, and around the world.
The luncheon also featured the presentation of the first WaterSense Partner of the Year Awards by Benjamin Grumbles, assistant administrator of the U.S. EPA's WaterSense Program.
That evening, about 200 registrants who entered a special drawing for free tickets attended a special screening of the film The American Southwest: Are We Running Dry?, presented by the film's producer, Jim Thebaut. Attendees also participated in technical tours October 7 and 10 to such locations as Hoover Dam, the Springs Preserve and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
WSI '09 will be held October 7-9, 2009, at the South Point Hotel and Conference Center. Be sure to bookmark www.WaterSmartInnovations.com and check back for news, updates and registration information throughout the year.
WSI08 Video Highlights
Did you miss WSI08? No problem – you can watch videos of the opening session and keynote luncheon addresses, as well as the presentation of the first U.S. Environmental Protection Agency WaterSense Partner of the Year Awards, simply by clicking on the photos below.
Professional Session Presentations
In case you missed a session at WaterSmart Innovations that you really wanted to hear, or if you want to catch up on all the information shared with attendees during our professional sessions, you can access PDF versions of all presentations by clicking here.
Also, if you are interested in submitting an abstract for consideration for WSI '09, the deadline is January 30, 2009. Be sure to check back for more information.
WaterSmart Innovations would like to thank you for a successful 2008...
On behalf of our partners and sponsors, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) would like to thank our attendees, presenters and exhibitors for making the inaugural WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition a success. By coming together for three days, you were able to spread the word on urban water efficiency practices and policies with colleagues and peers from across the United States and around the world.
A special thank you to all of 2008's sponsors!
A special thank you to all of 2008's partners!
