2025 Pacific Water Conference
pacificwaterconference.com
The American Water Works Association Hawai‘i Section and the Hawai‘i Water Environment Association are proud to announce the eleventh annual joint conference now known as the Pacific Water Conference at the Hawai‘i Convention Center from February 4-6, 2025. Our joint conference committee is hard at work to bring you an exciting, fun, and educational conference.
The Pre-Conference Workshop kicks things off on February 4. The Conference officially opens on February 5 and lasts through February 6. Remember to check out the exhibitors showcasing the newest and latest products in the industry. With five technical session tracks to choose from, there’s sure to be one that piques your interest. The conference golf tournament will be held on February 7 at the Hawaii Prince Golf Course, and the community service event date is to be announced.
We look forward to seeing all of you at the Conference!
Aloha,
Darnelle Chung | Troy Ching
pacificwatercon@gmail.com
2025 Conference Chairs
Registration
SPEAKER RATES
Pre-Con Speaking Day (Tues speaker), includes lunch and parking $100
Pre-Con Non-Speaking (Wed/Thurs speaker), includes lunch and parking $100
Main Con Speaking Day (Wed/Thurs speaker), includes lunch, parking, and evening event $150
Main Con Non-Speaking Day (Tues/Wed/Thurs speaker), includes lunch, parking, and evening event $200
Technical Program
PRE-CONFERENCE (Tuesday, February 4, 2025)
2025 Wastewater Workshop (TBD)
MAIN CONFERENCE (Wednesday & Thursday, February 4-5, 2025)
2025 PWC Photo Contest Criteria and Rules
The 2025 Pacific Water Conference Contest is held to promote awareness of water and wastewater issues and environment through compelling and artistic imagery.
Criteria
Photos shall be submitted by AWWA-HI Section members and/or HWEA members.
The categories for entries are:
“Treatment” – All forms of water undergo treatment. Drinking, waste and storm water all have implementations to treat the water before consumption or discharge into the environment. Photos for this theme will showcase the facilities and structures designed to treat the various forms of water in our lives.
”People of the Industry” – Every person in every aspect of our water community is responsible for providing clean water to ourselves and to our environment. The many people that make up our industry are as diverse as they are skilled. Photos of these hardworking individuals will be spotlighted in this theme.
Photos shall be submitted digitally in either .JPG or .TIF format. Entries in each category will be judged by the Conference Committee based on the following criteria (equally weighted):
Creativity
Composition
Conformance with Category theme
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers will be determined for each category.
During the conference, attendees will also have the opportunity to vote for their favorite photo in each category. The photo which receives the most votes will be the People’s Choice winner.
Photo entries will be displayed online during the conference along with the photographer’s description provided on the entry form. The description should provide the photographer’s perspective on how the photo meets the category theme.
Photos will be subject to screening prior to judging.
Prizes
Cash prizes will be awarded to winners in each category. Winners will be announced on the final day of the conference, Thursday, February 06, 2025.
1st place: $150
2nd Place: $100
3rd Place: $75
People’s Choice: $50
See the full Contest Criteria and Rules at Criteria _ Rules 2025_v241218.pdf.
Submit one (1) completed Entry Form 2025_v241218.pdf with each submitted photo by email to eleung@aquaengineers.com no later than 11:59 pm (HST), Friday, January 31, 2025.
There is a maximum of two (2) entries per person per category and each photo is eligible for only one (1) category.
Email your entry form and photo in .JPG or .TIF format with a minimum setting of 900 pixels by 720 pixels to eleung@aquaengineers.com no later than 11:59 pm (HST), Friday, January 31, 2025. Include the photo title (which matches the filename) in the subject line of your email message.
Scroll down to see the 2024 Photo Contest Winners.
Community Service Event
Ala Moana Cleanup and Scavenger Hunt
Date: Saturday, 2/8/2025
Time: 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Lunch will be provided
Meet on the Ewa side of the canoe halau
RSVP to: Aliciasuzuki@kennedyjenks.com by 01/31/2025 and note any dietary restrictions
Golf Tournament
The 2025 Pacific Water Conference Golf Tournament is scheduled for Friday, February 7, 2025, at the beautiful Hawaii Prince Golf Club. Please join us and submit a team (or two).
Registration at 10:30 am
Shotgun at 11:30 am
Dinner & Prizes immediately following tournament
For more information, contact Noah Bumanglag (nkb@akinaka.com)
Registration Deadline: Friday, December 13, 2024
Payment Deadline: Friday, January 3, 2025
Make checks payable to “HWEA” and mail to:
AWWA/HWEA Golf Tournament c/o Akinaka & Associates, Ltd. 1100 Alakea Street, Suite 1800 Honolulu, HI 96813 Attention: Noah Bumanglag
Call for Abstracts
Individuals who would like to present a paper at the 2025 Pacific Water Conference must submit an abstract, limited to 2,500 characters or less (with spaces), describing their presentation in sufficient detail to allow evaluation of the proposed topic. The upcoming conference will be held in person. Presentations will be in 30 minute blocks: roughly 25 minutes of presentation, 5 minutes of Q&A.
Selection Process
All abstracts will be reviewed and selected on: Originality, Technical Content, and Quality.
Abstracts due October 4, 2024. NEW Deadline - October 11, 2024
Presenters notified by December 2, 2024
Presentations due January 27, 2025
Speaker Registration Costs - New for 2025
No travel or assistance funds are available for speakers. Speakers are responsible for all their transportation, lodging, and registration fees. Speaker registration does not include admission to evening events, which can be purchased as add-on items. Speakers will be responsible for registering themselves.
There is a discounted speaker registration that is available for one speaker per presentation, and there is a flat fee for speakers to attend additional days of the conference for which they are not presenting. Speakers are no longer free on the day they are presenting. Accompanying co-presenters must register as full conference registrants. Please visit the conference website for further information: www.pacificwaterconference.com.
Please ensure all information submitted is complete and correct, as it will be used in promotional materials and submitted for CEU approval.
Please email your abstract and/or questions to the Technical Program Chairs: pwc.technical@gmail.com
Abstract Submission Form
The abstract submission is now located on a Google Form that can be filled out here: https://forms.gle/QvDvtUhttQLP4DdKA
Contributions ~ Become A Sponsor
Hotel Information
Book Your Stay at Ala Moana Hotel with Special Rates! See https://pacificwaterconference.com/hotel-info/.
General Membership Meeting
(pending upload)
2024 Student Poster Contest Winners
Kathryn Yoshimura Muse, Youth Education Committee Chair
Brian Allen presents his project to judges
We had a good turnout at the 2023 Fresh Ideas Poster Competition during the Pacific Water Conference. There were two new students with one returning from last year for a total of three posters entered in the contest. The posters are judged on originality, scientific principles, benefit to the Drinking Water industry, and visual appeal.
Mandy-Tanita Brinkmann took first place overall for her project: Potential of Disinfection Byproducts formation during Chlorination of Petroleum Hydrocarbon-contaminated Groundwater and was awarded $360 cash prize.
Min Ki Jeon was a returning student presenting his project: Cross-correlation Analysis after Data Prewhitening Reveals Early Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from Wastewater Ahead of COVID-19 Clinical Cases coming in second place and was awarded $240 cash prize.
Brian Allen presented his project: Importance of Escherichia coli cell age and cell number in the formation of coliphage lysis rings that is still in progress and took third place winning $120 cash prize.
Thank you to the judges and the students for participating this year! §
2024 PWC Photo Contest Winners
Theme 1: People of the Industry – Every person in every aspect of our water community is responsible for providing clean water to ourselves and to our environment. The many people that make up our industry are as diverse as they are skilled. Photos of these hardworking individuals will be spotlighted in this theme.
1st Place Winner and People's Choice Award: Our People are the Pillars of the Industry; Joyce Lin - Seeing our reservoir built from the grounds up was humbling. While standing inside the empty reservoir, every one of us looked like little specks in comparison to the towering pillars and wall. Yet, there we were, working continuously together to build something grand and essential for our community.
2nd Place Winner: Absorbing, Heather Iwasaki - There’s nothing like trekking high above Mokuleia with 20+ endemic plants strapped to your back. The canopy is so thick that the sun is able to fight its way through only in a couple of places. At a clearing, we take a break and wait for the others to catch up. It’s a meeting of the minds so deep in the forest; there is so much knowledge to soak in. My wish is to be like one of the plants I carry on my back, to absorb this information as it absorbs light.
3rd Place Winner: Waianae Lessons, Heather Iwasaki - Deep in the Waianae forest, it felt like I was on a treasure hunt. Armed with only a hand-drawn map, who knew I’d leave with more than just the locations of some sources in our system. Shortly after our first state-wide shutdown was lifted, I felt a little lost and very alone as I started on a new project at work. I coordinated with various division and sections and eventually met our field crew in Waianae. They reminded me that team work still looks the same even in the face of uncertainty; full of support, cohesivity, and laughter.
Theme 2: Treatment – All forms of water undergo treatment. Drinking, waste, and storm water all have implementations to treat the water before consumption or discharge into the environment. Photos for this theme will showcase the facilities and structures designed to treat the various forms of water in our lives.
People’s Choice Award: Colors of Wahiawa, Timothy Lum Yee - The photographer of this photo is partially colorblind. Some colors and shades can be difficult to see or distinguish. However, on a site visit to the Wahiawa WWTP, the deep rich colors of water quality and treatment were observed and appreciated. The bright green shows the process of eutrophication or what happened when nutrients are not removed. The blue skies and dark green trees remind us of the environment we aim to protect. The grey and light-colored structures represent our technological design. This photo represents science and technology in action on a beautiful Hawaii day.
1st Place Winner: A Walk Down Memory Lane, Heather Iwasaki - Take an eerie ride down a rickety tram, a large pipeline parallels your gradual descent into a dimly lit cavern. The hum of the pumps slowly fade away as you walk down a long, craggy hallway. Up ahead in the gloom, you reach a small viewing portal. There it is, pure freshwater just beyond your reach. You wake up, reality sets in. The future that lies beyond the plexiglass starts with the letter ‘T’: trepidation, testing, treatment.
2nd Place Winner: Treated or Untreated - That is the Question, Heather Iwasaki - Nestled on the rugged slopes of Hualalai lies a volunteer cabin. After a hard day’s work weeding, watering and planting, we head back to the cabin for dinner. I begin to prepare the salad. I ask around, is the water from the catchment system treated? No one knows. Do we risk the change [stet] of contracting rat lung worm disease or do we risk the possibility that the water might not be treated?
3rd Place Winner: Next Generation of Wastewater Treatment, Timothy Lum Yee - On a site visit of Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, this photo was taken of the on-going construction with a plane flying above. It was as though the plane reflected Honolulu’s active pursuit of new technologies.
Updated: 01/06/2025_JS