2026 Water Summit Agenda - National Association of Water Companies (NAWC)

Monday, September 14

All times are Central Daylight Time

Registration and Vendor Hall Open – Waller Foyer, Level 3

General Session Panels – Waller Ballroom, Level 3

10 a.m. – Registration & Vendor Hall Open

Waller Foyer

2 p.m. - Welcome to the Front Porch

In Texas, the most important decisions happen on the front porch. Join us as we open the 2026 NAWC Water Summit with a “no fences” look at the road ahead.

Robert Powelson, President & CEO, National Association of Water Companies

2:20 p.m. - Straight Talk: The Reality of the Affordability Equation

Pull up a chair and grab your phone. It’s time to check your perceptions of water affordability with that of customers. We will have a data-driven dialogue that ensures the “equation” we solve is the one our customers actually care about.

Discussion leader: Candid Counsel

3:20 p.m. - Water Unplugged: From Public Perception to Regulatory Reality

Now that we know what people think, let’s engage in a fast-paced strategy session to map out what are the starring roles to moving the affordability conversation to understanding.

4 p.m. - Making Cents of Uncertainty

Move past the balance sheets and join us to explore the cost of uncertainty in the water industry. How does shifting regulations, PFAS and infrastructure gaps create a “risk premium” that eventually hits the kitchen table.

4:45 p.m. - Living Water Award Ceremony, Annual Member Meeting & A Look Ahead

Join us as we celebrate the dedicated professionals, innovative thinkers, inspiring leaders and engaged environmentalists who are NAWC. The Living Water Award honors the contributions of these exceptional individuals who display commitment to company, colleagues, community and the environment. The Award will be followed immediately by NAWC’s Annual Member Meeting and a look ahead at 2027.

12 p.m. - 2 p.m. – Networking Session

Waller Foyer

Moderator:

The Honorable Edward Lodge, President, Idaho Public Utilities Commission

Panelists:

Chris Franklin, Chair and CEO, Essential Utilities
Kelly Keel, Executive Director, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Scott Summy, Environmental Litigation Group Lead, Baron & Budd
David Stanton, CEO, cleanwater1

Insights on 2027 provided by:

The Honorable Jehmal Hudson, Judge, Virginia State Corporate Commission, 2027 NARUC President

JT Hand, President, The York Water Company, 2027 NAWC Board Chair-Elect

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. - NAWC City Lights Welcome Reception

Join NAWC for a night that captures the true spirit of Austin, TX. Say howdy and reconnect with the neighbors and partners who make the water industry thrive.

Zanzibar – Rooftop Level

7:30 a.m. - Women in Water Breakfast

Room 403 & 404 – Level 4

Kick off your morning with a little Texas sunshine and a lot of professional power. Before the Summit sessions get into full swing, join us for a breakfast dedicated to the women who keep the industry flowing from the High Plains to the Gulf Coast and everywhere in between. What started at NAWC with five women has grown to more than 100 strong, providing opportunities for mentorship, support and friendship.

Featuring:

The Honorable Ann Rundahl Commissioner, Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission; NARUC President

Anna Chittum

President, NW Natural Water

9 a.m. - Welcome Remarks

Pull up a chair and get settled for Day 2 with true Lone Star welcome as we set the stage, connecting the pioneering spirit of water industry to achieve safety, reliability and affordability.

Pat Kerr, President & CEO, Baton Rouge Water Company and NAWC Board Chair

9: 15 a.m. - Common Cents: The Digital Frontier

Explore how the industry is leveraging the “Digital Frontier” to drive down the ongoing expense of operation and protect the customer’s pocketbook. From energy optimization to AI-driven measures, we’re pulling back the curtain on the high-tech tools that can keep systems running lean.

10:15 a.m. - Water Unplugged: Thirsty Data

What happens when the digital boom meets the Texas Aquifer. Mosey on in for a closer look at the inverse relationship between energy efficiency and water use in the new PUCT data center survey.

10:45 a.m. - Networking Break and Vendor Hall Open

Waller Foyer- Level 3

11:00 a.m. - The Bedrock of Balance: Investing Wisely

The most expensive repair is the one you didn’t see coming. In an era of shifting regulations and growth, a reactive mindset does not work. This session explores how forward-looking asset management keeps the affordability equation in check.

12 p.m. - Buffet Lunch & Networking for Attendees

Moontower Hall- Level 2

1:00 p.m. Keynote Address

Byron Reese: Speaker, Author, Entrepreneur & Futurist

Byron will bring his expertise as a historian, technologist and visionary to show how today’s innovations can address the world’s most complex and pressing challenges.

2:00 p.m. - Water Unplugged: Cyber Shields Up

As we embrace our increasingly digital world, we are also expanding the digital target on our backs. In this high-speed session, we’re putting experts in the hot seat to tackle the ultimate balancing act: tech trailblazers and security sheriffs at the same time.

2:45 p.m. - Networking Break & Vendor Hall Open

Waller Foyer- Level 3

3:10 p.m. - Water Unplugged: Wrangling Scarcity on the Modern Frontier

Water scarcity isn’t a future threat – it’s a current reality. This panel will explore how regulated, private water companies are leading the way with infrastructure projects to reduce lost water and innovative reuse.

3:40 p.m. - The Regulator’s Scale: Balancing the Boom, the Bytes, and the Bill

Round ‘em up partner for the premier panel that brings together leading regulators from across the U.S. to weigh the heavy trade-offs required to keep the essential promise of safety and reliability while protecting the customer’s pocketbook.