Climate Change, Risk Communication, Performance Measurement Headline Sessions At AMWA Annual Meeting

International Presenters Will Add Global Perspectives

Climate change implications are a rapidly developing challenge for water systems, and the program will feature an international panel of utility leaders from the U.S. and Australia, as well as a leading researcher from the Netherlands, who will present on current and future actions to confront the impact of global warming on drinking water supplies and then engage in interactive discussion.  Recently added to the agenda is a meeting of AMWA’s new climate change committee.  All are invited to attend the Wednesday morning session, which will address water systems’ perceived needs, anticipated federal involvement, current practices and adaptations to deal with climate change.

Effective risk communication is an ever-growing priority for utility managers, and Dr. Vincent Covello will present his internationally recognized message mapping approach with its specific applications to water security emergencies.

Performance measurement is a key tool for effective utility management, and consultant Mark Graham Brown, author of Beyond the Balanced Scorecard, will take participants to the newest generation of performance analytics that can help assess such factors as corporate culture, customer relationships, communications and intellectual capital.  The program will include roundtable discussions on barriers to developing sound business intelligence and a case study on the successful program at Santa Clara Valley Water District.

Other program highlights include:

• Using the rate-setting process to stabilize a utility’s financial position
• Innovative European approaches to customer service
• New findings from endocrine disruptor and pharmaceuticals research
  

Chuck Clarke, director of our host, Seattle Public Utilities, will pull the entire program together in a session showing how lessons learned are being applied at the Seattle water system.  SPU will also provide a Wednesday morning field trip to the Landsburg Diversion Dam and Fish Ladder (in place of the earlier scheduled trip to the Cedar Water Treatment Plant).  Seattle Public Utilities oversees the Landsburg mitigation program to address salmon migration problems caused by the dam.  Information on the program is available here.

Over and above the outstanding agenda, the Annual Meeting offers a unique opportunity for executives of the nation's largest water systems to network in both formal and informal settings.  The Tuesday luncheon will honor the 2007 winners of AMWA's Gold and Platinum Awards, the Donald R. Boyd Award and the President's Award.