Utility leaders from throughout the Midwest recently gathered at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago’s (MWRD’s) Stickney Water Reclamation Plant to discuss, evaluate and learn about the latest technology being developed to protect taxpayers and the environment while also addressing many emerging industry challenges.

The Isle Utilities Midwest Technology Approval Group’s (TAG) conference brought together water and wastewater plant managers and leaders from Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Fort Wayne, Green Bay, Louisville, Milwaukee, and Chicago. They shared the latest innovations they are each implementing at their facilities, while also hearing from several companies presenting on their latest technologies utilized at similar utilities throughout the world. The meetings, which took place over two days, underscored the many challenges facing the industry but also the collective drive and peer-to-peer collaboration developed to share and exchange information to protect Midwest water resources and the planet.

“Thank you to Isle Utilities for giving us the opportunity to host an impressive collection of talented water utility experts,” said MWRD President Kari K. Steele. “I’m confident that these meetings and discussions will lead to promising innovations that benefit our water reclamation plants and our residents.”

Based out of the U.K., Isle launched a North American division in 2012. Since then, Isle has worked with more than 100 utility partners confronting new challenges that range from aging infrastructure and the impacts of climate change on water quality, to adapting to a changing workforce and meeting stringent regulatory requirements.

“The Midwest TAG network is a committed group of utility leaders who utilize TAG resources to discover emerging technologies and leverage peer experiences to help de-risk innovation within their organizations and enhance the services they provide to their customers,” said Isle Utilities TAG Manager Ellie Hudson-Heck.

Like an episode of “Shark Tank,” the utility executives and managers listened to the latest innovations in water management from companies throughout the world, and then conversed behind closed doors on the feasibility of implementing these unique technologies. Some of these technologies included real-time data collection and analysis for water quality, artificial intelligent systems for sewer management, trenchless pressure pipe rehabilitation, new wastewater infrastructure for secondary treatment clarifiers, and ultra-violet LED technology to disinfect water.

“We appreciate the opportunity to host and participate in a conference where many of the emerging trends and issues in wastewater treatment are highlighted,” said MWRD Vice President Patricia Theresa Flynn. “Having this opportunity to exchange and share knowledge in our industry provides insightful discussions and networking opportunities that ultimately help improve our water environment.”

An ideal host site, the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant is one of the largest wastewater treatment facilities in the world, with the capacity to transform 1.44 billion gallons of wastewater into clean water in a day. The plant currently serves over 2.2 million people from Chicago as well as 46 other communities within a 260-square-mile-area.