The American Water Works Association (AWWA) and Water Environment Federation (WEF) today announced that the Utility Management Conference (UMC) and Young Professionals Summit (YP) have been postponed from February to August 2021. The YP Summit will be Aug. 1-3 and UMC will run from Aug. 3-6, both in Atlanta.

Both UMC and the YP Summit are known for their exceptional in-person learning and networking opportunities, and an August in-person event seems more viable given public health concerns associated with COVID-19, the organizations said in making the announcement.

Visit the conference website for details on registration, programming, presenting and sponsorship.

“As we all are aware, the public health concerns arising from COVID-19 continue to pose tremendous challenges for face-to-face conferences,” said AWWA CEO David LaFrance. “At the same time, we know our members are looking forward to the day when they can share experiences in-person, learn from one another in those impromptu hallway conversations, and renew old friendships.”

“While all of us in the water sector are looking forward to spending time together in-person, the health and safety of our members continues to be our priority, so we will delay the Utility Management Conference and Young Professionals Summit to later in 2021 in hopes that we can gather in Atlanta,” said WEF Executive Director Walt Marlowe.

In the event in-person conferences are not advisable in August 2021, AWWA and WEF would create a first-rate virtual event at a similar time. AWWA and WEF intend on returning to their regular schedule in 2022, hosting UMC and YP as in-person events in the February timeframe.

About AWWA
Established in 1881, the American Water Works Association is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water, the world’s most important resource. With approximately 51,000 members, AWWA provides solutions to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen the economy and enhance our quality of life.

About WEF
The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization of 35,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations representing water quality professionals around the world. Since 1928, WEF and its members have protected public health and the environment. As a global water sector leader, our mission is to connect water professionals; enrich the expertise of water professionals; increase the awareness of the impact and value of water; and provide a platform for water sector innovation. To learn more, visit Water Environment Federation (WEF).