Committees

Promote and support the practice of asset management among all members of WEAT and WEF through the following endeavors:

• Facilitate member education through case studies, seminars/webinars, speakers, papers, and other research.
• Encourage members in the practice of Asset Management in their organizations, including stakeholder education, public outreach, change management programs, etc.
• Study and disseminate information to the membership regarding best practices, technologies, and practical applications.
• Collaborate with other organizations (such as other WEF Chapter Asset Management Committees) to identify and develop standardization to help promote the practice of Asset Management.

Promote effective and safe treatment and reuse or disposal of biosolids by providing educational opportunities and peer network building.

To educate and inform the Wastewater Collection Systems Industry regarding trends in collection system management, maintenance and regulatory issues.

Provide a forum for the electrical and instrumentation professionals within WEAT to promote the education and growth of its members in the design, installation and maintenance of electrical and instrumentation systems.

To create a community of modelers in Texas and to be a resource for modeling best practices.

To further the environmental laboratory profession through education and communication.

Support the WEAT community by being stewards of the municipal wastewater treatment engineering practices for clean and safe water.

Objectives:

• Enrich and disseminate expertise of water professionals through seminars, workshops and public outreach.

• Increase awareness of the water profession.
• Enhance partnership between design professionals and operations & maintenance personnel.

To educate and inform WEAT membership on technologies, trends, and best practices with regard to air quality, odor, and corrosion control.

Enhance the ability of water environment professionals' to operate and maintain wastewater facilities efficiently through education, innovation and best practices.

The Safety, Cyber, and Infrastructure Security Committee recommends, develops, and furthers the educational pursuit and practices of personnel safety, cyber security, and physical security initiatives to protect the water resources of all Texans.

To support the WEAT membership in the form of up-to-date knowledge regarding stormwater issues. Support includes:

• Reviewing and selecting Texas Water abstracts
• Responding to policies and rules developed by federal, state, and local agencies
• Providing technical information and lessons learned to the membership in the form of webinars, articles, and workshops.

Serve as a joint committee between WEAT and TACWA with an overall objective of using the resources of WEAT's technical committees and the management representation of TACWA to tackle high-level issues.

The WEF (WEAT) Water Reuse Committee develops, recommends, and conducts programs to promote general understanding of water reuse for non-potable and potable uses.

Objectives:

• The committee shall be dedicated to the advancement of water reuse in the water environment profession.
• Provide opportunities for committee members to become actively involved in the activities of WEAT.
• Provide WEAT membership education opportunities and awareness in water reuse by participating in the Texas Water program selection, hosting seminars and webinars, publishing technical papers, and other activities as identified by the committee.
• Collaborate with other organizations who also are dedicated to the advancement of water reuse.

Mission: To be the number one organization for Wastewater Operators' Education in Texas.

Goal 1: Use this committee as an opportunity to expand WEAT membership in the State of Texas by adding new members, especially in under-served areas such as collection systems, pretreatment, and industrial sectors.

Goal 2: Provide at least one single-day workshop every two months.

The goal of the Awards Committee is to solicit award nominations from the state of Texas, select candidates for nomination, and present the candidates to the WEAT Board for approval. This committee oversees state and WEF awards nominations and recommends award criteria to the Board.

The purpose of Operations Challenge is to provide a State competition at the annual Texas Water show that promotes the professionalism and the careers of Treatment Plant Staff including Operators, Mechanics, Chemists, and Collection System staff. The program mirrors the national competition at WEFTEC, and includes six events, including Texas’s own exhibition event.

To facilitate the growth of monetary contributions and awareness for charitable causes that WEAT membership supports, typically related to expanding water and wastewater infrastructure in developing countries and including such organizations as Water For People, the Gazelle Foundation and other philanthropic causes. This Committee’s primary purpose is to provide WEAT membership with ways to engage in charitable causes related to water issues and increase their impact.

The mission of WEAT Scholarship Committee is to support, promote, and encourage the educational pursuits and goals of active members, or their college bound dependents, with scholarships and educational grants.

• Utilize technology to reach an audience that is geographically disparate and might be challenged to travel for seminars or conferences
• Identify existing resources and materials that reside in other WEAT or WEF committees that would benefit the smaller systems, instead of tasking our team to develop material
• Leverage the TCEQ Small Systems liaison to identify systems and operators that could benefit from an association with WEAT and this committee
• Develop an online forum that allows small systems to ask questions (regulatory, technical, operational) and committee members would have the opportunity to provide feedback and insight
• Repurpose the presentations given during the Small Systems track at Texas Water to provide webinars to small systems state-wide

This sub-committee works with WEAT staff and leaders to solicit feedback and understand the exhibitor experience at Texas Water.

This sub-committee is by appointment only and works to develop the Texas Water technical content alongside a TAWWA representative. This sub-committee chair will liaise with Knowledge Committee Chairs and help coordinate the Texas Water abstract submittal and review process. After the review process is complete, the sub-committee will work with the Texas Water Planning Committee in finalizing the program and facilitating authors for the poster session. The sub-committee will also coordinate program changes with responsible parties, in addition to sharing knowledge committee chair contacts with the moderator chair.

To represent WEAT’s interests in the oversight and planning of the myriad of programs and activities at Texas Water while helping to ensure the continued success of Texas Water.

The mission of the WEAT Workforce Development Committee is to strengthen regional collaboration and the alignment of education, training, and workforce development to ensure a strong pipeline of skilled and diverse workers can thrive and succeed in the water and wastewater industry.

To promote a greater understanding and appreciation for diversity and inclusiveness throughout the WEAT members and in the water sector.

This committee develops and institutes programs that provide useful informational support to local and regional governments. It also keeps abreast of state issues in the water environment field and is prepared to provide expert testimony if the need arises. The committee stays abreast of current legislative activities and communicates important developments to the WEAT membership.

The Public Communication and Outreach Committee (PCOC) will develop and support comprehensive education and outreach directed at WEAT members, the general public, the K- 12 education community, the media and public policy makers to educate on the value of water, encourage informed decision making on economic, environmental, public health, operating and social policy issues associated with the water environment and to be a technical resource for water in the State of Texas.

WEAT and WEF Young Professionals seek to host and promote professional development events that unlock opportunities for those new or newer to the industry to participate in WEAT events and become part of the WEAT team. There is emphasis on professional growth and community service through networking events, technical events, and community service events.

To oversee and mentor all WEAT Committee Chairs and Liaisons in their efforts to advance technical knowledge, represent Association Stakeholders, and manage the Association.

This committee conducts necessary business of the association between meetings of the Board, coordinating the work of the committees and making policy recommendations to the Board.

To help develop, maintain, and track WEAT membership through both traditional and innovative ways.

To reach out to WEAT’s membership calling for nominations of future WEAT Officers, and to thoughtfully consider and submit nominations to the Board for WEAT Officer positions; to usher in WEAT Officers.

• Provide support to WEAT Sections in an effort to enhance engagement between the state activities and the individual sections
• Provide a common resource to share ideas between sections to better serve members across the state

To assess and develop WEAT’s strategic vision with emphasis on the continued success and sustainability of the Association and annual conference, Texas Water. The President-Elect, as Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, should set goals achievable within their term as President.

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