Summary of the Event

I participated in WEFTEC 2020, which was delivered entirely online as WEFTEC Connect due to the Covid‑19 pandemic. WEFTEC is one of the world’s largest and most influential water‑sector conferences, bringing together wastewater professionals, technology providers, researchers, utilities and regulators.

The 2020 virtual programme included technical sessions, workshops, keynote presentations, exhibitor demonstrations and networking events. The content focused on operational resilience, digital transformation, innovation in wastewater treatment, and the sector’s response to Covid‑19.

Despite the virtual format, the event maintained its strong technical depth and global reach, offering a wide range of sessions across wastewater treatment, biosolids, stormwater, water quality, and utility management.

Key Themes Covered

• Covid‑19 impacts on wastewater operations
  Workforce resilience, safety, continuity planning and lessons learned from the pandemic.
• Wastewater‑based epidemiology (WBE)
  Emerging research on using wastewater monitoring to track SARS‑CoV‑2 trends.
• Innovation in wastewater treatment
  Advances in biological processes, nutrient removal, energy efficiency and resource recovery.
• Digital transformation and smart utilities
  Use of sensors, automation, digital twins and data analytics to improve performance.
• Climate resilience and sustainability
  Strategies for adapting infrastructure to extreme weather, flooding and long‑term environmental pressures.
• Biosolids management
  New technologies, regulatory updates and best practice in treatment and land application.
• Utility leadership and workforce development
  Skills, culture and organisational resilience in a rapidly changing sector.