American Water Works Company Inc., the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company, announced that John R. Bigelow, senior vice president of Business Services, will moderate the panel of experts at the National Water Infrastructure Summit on Tuesday, April 16, in Washington, D.C. Hosted by Water Environment Federation (WEF) and its Water for Jobs campaign partners from across the country, including American Water, the free Summit aims to raise awareness that water infrastructure must be a top national priority, and that reinvestment in water creates jobs, drives innovation and safeguards public health.
Bigelow, recognized in the water industry for his decades of senior management expertise, will engage discussion among the following leaders in local and state governments and the private sector on the economic need for resilient water infrastructure systems to meet current and future challenges:
- Harlan Kelly Jr., general manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
- George Hawkins, general manager, DC Water
- Howard Neukrug, Commissioner of the Philadelphia Water Department
- Brian T. Pallasch, CAE, managing director, Government Relations & Infrastructure Initiatives, American Society of Civil Engineers
- George R. Schink, Ph.D., managing director and principal, Navigant Economics
- Carter Strickland, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection
The speakers will also share their perspectives on such challenges as the impact of ongoing underinvestment in water infrastructure, how to bridge the funding gap, and what is responsibility to the future of water infrastructure.
“The D grade that U.S. water and wastewater systems received in the ASCE’s newly released Report Card on America’s Infrastructure is the latest reminder of how much the nation stands to gain or lose by either investing in or neglecting its water systems,” Bigelow says. “The country’s economic health is greatly dependent on a resilient water infrastructure, and the Water for Jobs Infrastructure Summit is a timely opportunity for some of the best minds in the water industry to highlight this fact and turn discussion into action.”
About American Water
Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 6,700 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 14 million people in more than 30 states, as well as parts of Canada. For more information, visit www.amwater.com.
