PFAS Symposium

A convening of scientific and technical experts for

shared strategies and solutions to PFAS contamination in drinking water.

An educational event designed to educate, engage and empower.

PFAS has recently become well-known for what we don't know about these man-made chemicals and their impact on human health.

Join the Water Quality Research Foundation and the Water Quality Association for an impactful one-day symposium on Monday, April 17, 2023 designed to provide education presented by those within research, governmental/regulatory agencies, and other experts on the latest in PFAS research and information. We hope to see you at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, Nevada for this important event. Network. Learn. Join Us!

Registration is now CLOSED.

The PFAS Symposium occurs one day before the opening of WQA's Convention and Expo on Tuesday, April 18.
Please note that the WQA Convention & Expo require separate registration. For more information or to register for the WQA 2023 Convention and Expo, please visit the Convention website.

Hotel Information

PFAS Symposium 2023: Schedule of Events | Monday, April 17, 2023

Welcome, Agenda
(9:00 am - 9:45 am)

A welcome and review of the agenda with our moderator, Larry Gottlieb, President of ResinTech. A small group activity will lead us into the educational sessions of the day.

What the States and the International Community Know about PFAS (9:45 am - 11 am)

The presence of PFAS chemicals in drinking water isn’t a new problem, but as consumer knowledge of this health crisis grows so do the calls for action. Many states have already set maximum contaminant levels for PFOA/PFAS chemicals and an overview of what is being done to manage contamination in drinking water and regulations currently in place will be shared by panelists. Additional perspectives from the international community will also be shared as the world tackles the problem of PFAS. Panelists, Joshua Greene, France Lemieux, Shannon Murphy, Peter Cartwright and Eugene Leung of the California State Water Board (not pictured) share their perspectives.

PFAS and Unintended Consequences
(11:10 am - 11:50 am)

What does the next iteration or generation of PFAS Replacements look like? Better still, what is being done to ensure these are safe for use. Issues like bioaccumulation and wastewater may also be addressed. Presenter, Chad Seidel offers this session.

Keynote Luncheon (12:30 pm)

Why We are Here: PFAS, DuPont and the Future of Clean Drinking Water presented by Robert Bilott, Author | Attorney | Advocate

Rob was a corporate defense attorney for eight years until he took on an environmental suit that upended his entire career—and exposed a brazen, decades-long history of chemical pollution. His epic 20-year legal battle against DuPont consumed his life and exposed the worst case of corporate coverup and environmental contamination in modern history.

Robert Bilott is the tenacious environmental lawyer who became “DuPont’s worst nightmare,” according to The New York Times.

WQRF Research: Test Retention of PFAS on Spent Treatment Media (1:40 - 2 pm)

WQRF is embarking on a study with Dr. Zhi (George) Zhou and his colleagues at Purdue University to investigate retention of PFAS chemicals on treatment media at the end of its useful life. This research aims to overcome one knowledge gap pertaining to proper disposal procedures. An overview of the research project will be shared with the audience and time for Q&A will be allotted.

PFAS Destruction and Differing Technologies (2:05 - 3 pm)

Because PFAS is so prevalent, new techniques are being invented to destroy the forever-chemicals. Our panel of destruction experts will share a variety of technologies that are available including plasma, supercritical water oxidation and more. Use cases and scalability for these technologies and how they are currently being deployed will be reviewed. Panelists, Daniel Cho, Dave Trueba and Marc Deshusses are featured.

Disposal and Unintended Consequences (3:15 - 4 pm)

What about PFAS Disposal? The solid waste industry is subject to intense regulation. How does this affect decisions around accepting PFAS containing materials? Can landfills interrupt the circularity inherent with PFAS? What can and can’t be controlled and what are the unintended consequences. Terry Johnson from Waste Management presents.

Networking (4:30 - 6 pm)

Take some time to get-to-know your fellow attendees as well as some of our sponsors who have helped to make this event a reality. Stop by small vendor booths for a progressive experience of small bites, cocktails and conversation. Special thanks to the participation of our sponsors: ResinTech, Watts, Enpress, WQA Gold Seal, Charger Water and others for their support of the PFAS Symposium.