American Water Works Co. Inc. announced that John R. Bigelow, senior vice president of business services, will moderate the panel of experts at the National Water Infrastructure Summit on Tuesday, April 16, 2013 in Washington, D.C.
Hosted by Water Environment Federation (WEF) and its Water for Jobs campaign partners from across the country, including American Water, the free Summit aims to raise awareness that water infrastructure must be a top national priority, and that reinvestment in water creates jobs, drives innovation and safeguards public health. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. Registration by April 10 is required to attend the event.
Bigelow, recognized in the water industry for his decades of senior management expertise, will engage discussion among the following leaders in local and state governments and the private sector on the economic need for resilient water infrastructure systems to meet current and future challenges:
- • Harlan Kelly, Jr., general manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
- • George Hawkins, general manager, DC Water
- • Howard Neukrug, commissioner of the Philadelphia Water Department
- • Brian T. Pallasch, CAE, managing director, Government Relations & Infrastructure Initiatives, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
- • George R. Schink, Ph.D., managing director and principal, Navigant Economics
- • Carter Strickland, commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection
The speakers will also share their perspectives on such challenges as the impact of ongoing under-investment in water infrastructure, how to bridge the funding gap, and what is responsibility to the future of water infrastructure.
“The D grade that U.S. water and wastewater systems received in the ASCE’s newly-released Report Card on America’s Infrastructure is the latest reminder of how much the nation stands to gain or lose by either investing in or neglecting its water systems,” said Bigelow. “The country’s economic health is greatly dependent on a resilient water infrastructure, and the Water for Jobs Infrastructure Summit is a timely opportunity for some of the best minds in the water industry to highlight this fact and turn discussion into action.”
Online registration at http://bit.ly/w4jsreg by April 10 is required to attend the Water for Jobs National Water Infrastructure Summit. Seating is limited, so early arrival is encouraged. The event will also be live-streamed and recorded.
Source: American Water