This October, New Orleans transformed into a hub of water industry innovation as WEFTEC 2024—the Water Environment Federation’s Technical Exhibition and Conference—welcomed over 25,000 attendees. Spanning an entire city block, the event showcased cutting-edge technologies and discussions that highlighted sustainability, smart water management, and resilient infrastructure. Citylitics had the privilege of being part of this incredible gathering, bringing its unique insights into the power of public data for early-stage sales intelligence.
A Walk Through WEFTEC
The sheer scale of the event was breathtaking. The exhibition floor stretched across ten halls, with a trolley service ferrying attendees from one end to the other. Comfortable footwear and hydration were essential for navigating this expansive venue. Meeting others in such a vast space required intentional planning—whether booking coffee chats or pausing for conversations over a handshake and a smile.
The Value of Face Time
Face-to-face conversations with prospects, customers, and partners were especially meaningful after years of virtual interactions. These meetings allowed us to understand challenges, explore mutual goals, and even see our customers’ products in action—reinforcing how Citylitics can better support their objectives.
Key Themes at WEFTEC 2024
Sustainability, innovation, and resilience dominated the discourse this year, with technologies and strategies aimed at addressing critical water challenges.
- Sustainability:
- Permeable Pavements: Stormwater infiltration solutions for roads and parking lots, reducing stormwater runoff.
- Smart Water Management Systems: IoT sensors to monitor usage, detect leaks, and optimize flow.
- Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI): Real-time water usage data for efficiency and conservation.
- Resilient Infrastructure:
- Flexible materials, flood-resilient designs, and green infrastructure strategies were at the forefront.
- Water Reuse:
- Advanced membrane filtration, such as reverse osmosis, facilitates high-quality wastewater treatment.
- Direct potable reuse provides drinking water from recycled wastewater—an essential step for water-scarce regions.
These themes align with Citylitics’ mission of helping organizations track early signals of infrastructure projects in the public sector. By leveraging data from over 40,000 entities—including municipalities, counties, and utilities—we help clients navigate discussions, feasibility studies, and financing phases of development.
Sustainability and Public Data: The Citylitics Connection
Citylitics taps into billions of public documents, offering insights from meeting minutes, budgets, and capital improvement plans to provide early-stage intelligence. By identifying trends like those showcased at WEFTEC, we empower clients to prepare for future projects in water management, smart cities, and sustainable infrastructure.
At WEFTEC 2024, we witnessed firsthand the intersection of innovation and application, reaffirming the importance of our work. Seeing customer products and understanding their breadth of services allows us to tailor our data solutions even more effectively.
Looking Ahead
As WEFTEC closes, the conversations and connections we made are just the beginning. The Citylitics team is already leveraging these interactions to fuel partnerships and refine our platform. The event underscored that building relationships, sharing knowledge, and staying ahead of industry trends are the keys to driving impactful, data-informed decisions in the water sector.
Here’s to a future shaped by collaboration, innovation, and the transformative power of public data 1-5 years ahead of an RFP!