Instructions for Submitting an Abstract/Presentation for the PWEA Annual Technical Conference June 16-18, 2026 • Hershey Lodge • Hershey, PA
The Pennsylvania Water Environment Association (PWEA) has issued a Call for Abstracts for its 97th Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition – PennTec 2026.
Individuals desiring to present at the PennTec Conference should submit an abstract no later than October 31, 2025. Please read the criteria below to be sure your abstract contains the most relevant information. Presentations will be in blocks of 30 minutes or 1 hour, which includes time for questions and answers.
There is no limit to the number of abstracts that may be submitted by an individual, company, organization, or institution. However, in order to provide a valuable educational experience for attendees, the Program Subcommittee will work to limit the number of presentations by a single company or organization during a technical session. Membership in PWEA is not a requirement to present. Speakers are responsible for their own transportation, lodging and travel related expenses. Discounted registration fees will be offered to the Primary Presenter for the day of presentation, or for the entire conference. (Any additional presenters must register at the regular conference rates.) Please note that only one Primary Presenter per technical session will be published in the PennTec Conference Registration Brochure.
Abstracts are being solicited on cutting-edge and hot topics for Wastewater, Stormwater, and/or Drinking Water in the categories below. The main bullets are the Technical Program categories, indicating the focus for each program. The sub-bullets are suggestions for topics in each discipline. Other topics not included on this list are welcome.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Water operations
Wastewater operations
Engineering
Assessment and Planning
Legal Concern & Issues
Biosolids
Innovative usage
WWTP Case Studies
Emerging Technologies
Dewatering
Disposal
Collection Systems
Inflow & infiltration
Private property issues
Flow issues related to climate change
Pump station topics
Force main topics
Measurement – tv – laser – sonar
Smart or intelligent system management
Pipe or lateral rehab
Water impacts with Data Centers
Other relevant issues
Engineering (W/WW)
New techniques and equipment for underground utility verification/location
Improvements related to drinking water or wastewater safety
Mitigation of disinfection byproducts
New and innovative WW Treatment Processes
Construction (W/WW)
Alternative Project Delivery methods
Use of Design-Build for project delivery
New/innovative construction techniques
Constructability reviews for Design projects
Government/Regulatory Affairs (W/WW)
Complying with regulatory requirements
Case studies about regulatory agency and regulated entity cooperation
Needed regulatory program changes
Impact of legislation and/or regulations on facility operations and budgets
Privatization of Public Systems
Industrial Waste Pretreatment
Innovative Design
Municipal Industrial Pretreatment Program Tasks
Emerging Contaminants
PFOS/PFAS
Water Source Protection
Developing and complying with EPA mandated Industrial Pretreatment Programs
Laboratory Practices (W/WW)
Catalysts and Reagents
Ethics
Equipment
Innovative Techniques & Methods
Data Management
Professional Operations (W/WW)
Ethics/Best Practices
Innovation
Preventative Maintenance
DEP - such as handling NPDES Permit renewals, DEP inspections and/or Regulatory compliance
PA One Call
Mapping/GIS integration
System Optimization
Smart Development/System Growth Practices
Crisis/Emergency Management
Safety (W/WW)
OSHA Updates and Practices
Employee Safety – office, plant and field
Public Safety (EPCRA, DOT HazMat, RCRA, etc.
Stormwater
Regional approach to stormwater management
Integrated water resource planning
Ramping up a stormwater authority
Water quality at the watershed scale
GIS tools for planning and asset management
Stormwater BMPs – Case studies of funding, performance, and maintenance
Urban climate resilience
Impact of the new normal for weather patterns
Updating codes and ordinances for better stormwater management
Municipal collaboration for meeting MS4 requirements
Model programs for MS4 public education and involvement
Innovative and cost-effective approaches to community stormwater problems
Model programs for flood management
Stormwater rate making
Drinking Water Topics
PFAS
Microplastics
Mitigation of Disinfection By-Products
Jar Testing
Lead Contamination
Corrosion Control of Lead Pipes
Utility Management (W/WW)
Leadership Development and Organic Growth for Sustainable Management
Working effectively with neighboring utilities and municipalities; Community Outreach and meeting consumer demands with a focus on system sustainability
Effective Customer Service
Using Technology to Enhance Productivity
Setting rates based on sound operational and financial planning
Budgeting focused on critical activities for sustained performance
Inter-Agency cooperation: Meeting service expectations and regulatory requirements
Levels of Service: Improving responses to emergencies and the security and safety of assets
Prolonging asset life and improving decisions about asset rehabilitation, repair, and replacement
Asset Management/Business Case Evaluation/Capital Program Optimization: Reducing overall costs for both operations and capital expenditures
Abstracts should be a minimum of one and a maximum of three double-spaced full pages of text, including bibliography. Up to three additional pages of supporting tables and graphics may be included. The footer of each page should contain the corresponding author’s last name, abstract title, and the page number (example: Smith, Regional Approach to XYZ, page 1 of 3). Abstracts that fail to meet the maximum page requirement will be given consideration after other submissions. PLEASE SUBMIT ALL DOCUMENTS AS ONE ATTACHMENT. Abstracts must clearly define the objectives, status, methodology, findings, and significance of the investigation or study. Submissions on hot topics, regulatory issues, and new technologies are especially welcome. The Primary Presenter indicated on the Abstract Submission Form will be notified of acceptance or rejection by January 15, 2026.
CRITERIA FOR ABSTRACT SELECTION
RELEVANCE: The topic presented in the abstract should appeal to the Joint Conference audience; presenting breakthrough technologies, new concepts, novel applications of concepts, original ideas, new twists, hot topics, or application of fundamental techniques to today’s problems. The abstract should present ideas, concepts or lessons learned that are transferable and usable for other facilities and situations.
STATUS OF PROJECT: The abstract should establish that the project or case study is well-developed and should present data or results to support the hypothesis or principle being demonstrated. Data should have been subjected, at a minimum, to preliminary analysis. Abstracts showing concrete results with practical applications are more likely to be accepted.
TECHNICAL CONTENT: The objectives and scope of the project should be stated. The conditions under which the data were obtained, and the general procedures/methodology used should be presented. The abstract should address the consequences of the issue/project presented. The consequences, both intended and unintended, could include environmental, economic, and social impacts.
BENEFITS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Actual benefits and applications should be reported. Has the project helped to clean water or has it reduced pollutant discharges? Does the method described save time or money or increase accuracy? Is system management or operations more efficient or effective? Is this a specific finding or of more general application?
CONTENT, CLARITY, AND QUALITY: Authors should prepare clear, concise abstracts that follow the requirements. The quality and content of the abstract are considered indicative of the final technical presentation for PennTec 2026.
