Designing for Change: Understanding Climate Impacts and Adaptive Solutions for Treatment Design
October 28, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM ET | 10:00 AM CT | 8:00 AM PT
Duration: 60 minutes
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Summary
Climate hazards require rethinking how wastewater treatment processes and assets are designed. This webinar delves into both understanding climate change impacts and implementing potential solutions. This includes how changes from hotter, drier climates can impact receiving waters, the ability to meet discharge requirements, and chemical storage among other considerations; while more intense rainfall events, storms, and sea level rise can result in flooding of treatment facilities, impede outfalls, and limit access to treatment operators and engineering personnel. Examples of strategies to address these impacts will be presented and discussion will focus on the feasibility and implementation of these potential solutions.
Speaker
Dr. Tess Sprague
National Climate & Resilience Lead, Planning and Policy
Brown and Caldwell
Dr. Teresa (Tess) Sprague is a scientist and planner working on climate adaptation and resilience for over 16 years. She serves as Brown and Caldwell’s National Climate & Resilience Lead for Planning and Policy. She also serves as the American Water Works Association Climate Change Committee Chair and is the co-Chair for the AWWA Manual 71 Update on Climate Adaptation Plans for water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities. (Please reach out if you are interested in joining the Committee!)
