When the biggest water conference of its kind rolls into Denver in June, Denver Water will have more than 200 employees there sharing their knowledge and learning about the latest trends and technologies in the water industry.

The American Water Works Association’s 2019 Annual Conference & Exposition, dubbed ACE19, will draw water experts from Colorado, North America and more than 50 countries around the world. The conference will run June 9-12 and bring together people from across all segments of the water industry.

Denver Water employees are crucial in ensuring clean drinking water is collected, treated and delivered safely to 1.4 million people in Denver and many surrounding suburbs.

Some employees attending the conference will be presenting about the innovative work going on at the utility. Others will compete in national championships related to the industry held during the conference. All will go to learn.

Among the many Denver Water people who will make presentations at ACE19 are:

Jeff Martin, the program manager  for Denver Water’s Gross Reservoir Expansion Project, who will give a presentation on the project as a case study in environmental stewardship and collaboration.

Jessica Mahaffey and Kim Unger, from Denver Water’s Public Affairs division, who will talk about the utility’s Journey of Water, a four-part video series that goes behind the scenes to explore the people and system that brings water to our homes.

Brian Good, Denver Water’s chief administrative officer, who will give a local perspective on Colorado’s first steps in more creative urban water use and reuse, focusing on the One Water approach the utility is implementing as part of its Operations Complex Redevelopment Project and the changes that were needed in state law and regulations.

Laurna Kaatz, Denver Water’s climate program manager, who will discuss how the utility is embracing a future of uncertainty in weather patterns related to climate change.

Chris Dermody, Denver Water’s chief information officer, who will lead a panel discussion on the U.S.-Israel Water Initiative and what can be learned from the water challenges Israel has faced.

In addition, Denver Water will send teams to national competitions held during the ACE19 conference, including timed contests in which teams assemble a hydrant or a meter, and a quiz-style competition testing the team’s knowledge of the water industry.

Two Denver Water men’s pipe-tapping teams will join others from across the country, as well as teams from the United Kingdom and Mexico, to compete for the national championship title.

In the pipe-tapping competition, teams simulate connecting a copper pipe from a water meter to a water main. It's a competition that requires precision, strength and speed as winning times for men's teams are typically less than 90 seconds.

Denver Water also will be presenting a scholarship, using proceeds from the sale of the utility’s 100th anniversary commemorative craft beer brewed in 2018. The water used to make the beer came from a PureWater Colorado Demonstration Project — an advanced water purification system set up at Denver Water’s Recycling Plant in 2018 by WateReuse Colorado.