The water sector is on it’s way to the nation’s capital as the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) 2026 Annual Conference & Exposition (ACE26), will be held June 21-24 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
This year, the ACE26 educational program will follow a “Water Heroes” theme, highlighting the expertise and leadership of the professionals who protect public health and deliver reliable water service for their communities every day.
In addition to a 450-booth exhibition hall, ACE26 will boast an extensive educational program with more than 440 presenters across 20 tracks, featuring 205 educational sessions and 16 Innovation Hub sessions.
ACE attendees can expect to hear expert-led conversations, real-world case studies, and collaborative learning sessions they can apply directly to their work in utilities, consulting, research and policy. Program tracks include:
Infrastructure Management – Preserving critical water infrastructure assets through condition assessments, risk management, data-driven budget decisions, and capital planning.
Communicating with Clarity – Strategies to translate complex topics, turn projects and regulations into communications opportunities, and use creativity and strategy to build trust and understanding.
Water Resources Planning, Protection & Management – Strategies for protecting and managing water resource portfolios through conservation, potable reuse, watershed protection, groundwater management, and long-term resilience planning.
Financial, Management and Legal – Examining risk, resilience, corporate responsibility, regulatory complexity, bond ratings, and funding sources facing today’s C-suite water leaders.
Utility Risk & Resilience – Strategies for assessing and strengthening utility resilience against extreme weather and cyber threats, including provisions under America’s Water Infrastructure Act.
Water 2050 and the Future of Water – exploring current and future work in finance and affordability, real-time monitoring, technological innovation, circular water economies, One Water governance, workforce development, and community engagement.
“This year’s program reflects both the scale of the challenges facing the water sector and the achievements of the professionals rising to meet them,” said AWWA CEO David LaFrance. “Water is the world’s most vital resource, and ACE is where those responsible for it come together to exchange ideas, confront real-world issues, and strengthen the systems their communities rely on.”
Keynote Charles Fishman
Award-winning journalist and bestselling author Charles Fishman will deliver the keynote address.
Fishman will speak during the Opening General Session on Monday, June 22, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. AWWA said his talk will set the tone for the “Water Heroes” theme by spotlighting the people behind essential work that often goes unseen.
Fishman’s recent book, “One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew Us to the Moon,” zooms in on the engineers, technicians and others whose behind-the-scenes work made the Apollo mission possible.
“The people who got us to the moon are just like you,” Fishman said, referring to water professionals. “They have the same commitment and skill. There’s no secret corps of water superheroes. The people doing the work every day are the water superheroes.”
Fishman, a three-time winner of the Gerald Loeb Award for business journalism, has written for Fast Company and previously reported for The Washington Post. He is also the author of “The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water,” which examines how communities think about, manage and value water in an era of growing water challenges.
ACE26 is expected to draw more than 11,000 attendees from across the water community and will feature a 450-booth exposition showcasing the latest technologies, equipment and services supporting the sector.
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