SEVEN COUNTRIES, SEVEN U.S. STATES AND SEVEN WISCONSIN COMMUNITIES

By: Meghan Jensen, VP Marketing & Communications

While 20,000 water quality professionals were recently in Chicago for the Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) Technical Exhibition & Conference, we teamed up with WEF to host a tour of Milwaukee’s water-centric city and a networking lunch with Water Council members the day after the conference.

Each year the conference rotates between Chicago and New Orleans, and for the last four years, we’ve partnered with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) on a Wisconsin Water Innovation Pavilion at the exhibition to promote the state’s leading water technology solutions. Leveraging WEDC’s In Wisconsin® brand, the Wisconsin booth promotes the state’s integrated solutions designed to address the world’s growing water challenges while showcasing the state’s unique approach to water cluster development.

It felt like WEF’s largest nearby exhibition to date and presented us with a chance to bring businesses that might not make it to the Midwest often, straight to the global hub of water innovation in Milwaukee.

With stops at Zurn Industries, Global Water Technology Business Park, UW-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences and the Global Water Center, global visitors were able to experience the inner-workings of university research, industry innovation and urban development in the field of water.

Stopping by the Global Water Center also meant learning about Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District’s new Center of Excellence for Green Infrastructure, A. O. Smith’s lab, Marquette University’s space for students and researchers; plus explore the eco-industry park right across the street from the Center.

_{A clean room used for sensor R&D in the Global Water Center.}

Our goal for the round-trip tour was to connect and communicate. Connect companies in our region with businesses, utilities and global organizations visiting from outside the region. And, communicate the uniqueness of the ecosystem in Wisconsin ripe for opportunities in water.

VISITORS

7 Countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, China, India, the Netherlands, New Zealand

7 States: Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Wisconsin

7 Wisconsin Communities: (7) Germantown, Menomonee Falls, Milwaukee, Mukwonago, North Prairie, Richfield, Waukesha

_{Learning about UW-Milwaukee primary research vessel, the Neeskay, which provides year-round access to the Great Lakes and has a fully functional platform and floating lab.}

Further widening global reach, the Wisconsin team had the opportunity to connect with consulates and business delegations visiting the conference from Bangladesh, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Israel, the Netherlands, Singapore and United Kingdom.

Another successful WEFTEC. On Wisconsin!

-Meghan