The Water Tower hosted more than 270 water professionals at its second annual Demo Day, Friday, April 21. More than 30 exhibitors showcased innovative solutions to help water and wastewater utilities tackle the many challenges facing providers of these essential services.

Attendees experienced hands-on demonstrations throughout the exhibit hall, three state-of-the-art laboratories, and outdoor demonstration areas at The Water Tower campus. Groundbreaking advancements on key topics and technologies in the water industry were presented during lightning talks throughout the day. The event was free for utility workers of all levels, including a networking lunch made possible by sponsors Kamstrup and Mueller.

“This event helps further our vision to be a thriving ecosystem of water innovation,” said Melissa L. Meeker, chief executive officer of The Water Tower. “Thanks to our broad network of partners and collaborators, we are able to provide water utilities across Georgia and beyond with access to smart solutions to help modernize water management processes and operations.”

The Water Tower opened its water innovation campus in April 2022, adjacent to the F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center in Buford, GA. The innovation hub provides real-world solutions for water utilities and educates the public about the resources needed to support clean water in our communities.

Workforce development is a significant focus of The Water Tower’s mission. It is estimated that some water utilities will lose up to 50 percent of their operations staff in the next 10 years. To address this need, The Water Tower offers a “Water Workforce for Resilient Communities” program to train existing and new water and wastewater operators, maintenance technicians, and lab analysts.

The Water Tower also supports STEM education and outreach, including hosting an annual student summit each fall. Sea Cow Robotics, a local all-girl underwater robotics team from Lanier High School, participated in last fall’s summit and this year’s Demo Day. The team is preparing for the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair—the world’s largest pre-college STEM competition—May 14-19, in Dallas, TX.

For more information on The Water Tower, visit www.theh2otower.org.

The Water Tower Global Innovation Hub is committed to creating a thriving ecosystem and reimagining water innovation to attract, train, and prepare the future water workforce and to accelerate technology transfer. The Water Tower brings together public and private sectors of the water industry, side by side with academia and nonprofits, to tackle the industry’s greatest challenges. Learn more at www.theh2otower.org.

The Water Tower is also the location of EPIC 2023 on November 8-9, 2023.