When it was incorporated in the middle of the 19th century, Chicago was described it as the filthiest city in America. The residents of the young Windy City didn't take it sitting down. In the 1850s, low-lying Chicago embarked on the creation of a massive sewer system to rival any on the planet at that time. In the first phase sewage pipes were laid across the city above ground with gravity moving the waste. The process culminated in 1856 when the city's edifices were literally jacked up about 4 to 5 feet. British Historian Paul Johnson called it a dramatic example of American determination and ingenuity.

That spirit will again be on display for the world as the city gets set to host the Water Environment Federation's 81st annual meeting, Oct. 18-22. The event will be the largest water and wastewater treatment conference in the United States.

The federation has contracted with more than 20 area hotels to offer the best prices for attendees. A fleet of buses will be available to move about 20,000 people from the hotels to the McCormick Place Convention Center and back to avoid the hassle of driving and trying to park.

Top 5 reasons to attend

Enlarge this picture The above list are PE sponsors that will be at WEFTEC. Please feel free to stop by their booth and see what is new.

There are many reasons for water professionals to attend this conference. The first is to learn. In attendance will be peers in the water industry from around the world. There will be technical sessions, poster presentations and sales pitches to provide an abundance of information about the newest technologies available. The atmosphere will be one of sharing and open discussion.

The second is variety. There are about 115 technical sessions and over 30 workshops available. Of course, it can get confusing with so many choices. Thankfully, the event organizers have included a printable, online planning scheduler. Go to http://weftec2008.expoplanner.com to locate it.

Number 3 would be Education, to earn needed credits such as Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and Contact Hours. CEUs or PDHs can be earned by attending the conference. Spending time in the exhibit hall can earn the contact hours required for some certifications. Find more information about these under the Education pull-down menu at www.weftec.org.

Networking is fourth reason. About 20,000 people from countries around the world will be attending the conference. Meet them in the hallways, the exhibition hall, before or after a technical session, or at one of the many hospitality functions and share experiences.

Last, but certainly not least, would be to view the latest in cutting-edge technology available for discussion and display in the exhibit hall. There will be nearly 1,000 exhibition booths that will cover two floors at the convention center.

Opening session

John Anthony Allan , the 2008 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate and a professor at King's College London and the School of Oriental and African Studies, will deliver the keynote address during the opening session of the conference.

Prof. Allan is recognized for introducing the concept of virtual water, which measures how water is embedded in the production and trade of food and consumer products. This concept has major impacts on global trade policy and research, especially in water-scarce regions, and has redefined discourse in water policy and management.

He will anchor a well-balanced program of presentations from inside and outside the water quality field on the latest water-related topics. Scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 19 from 4:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m., this high-profile event will set the tone for a conference that draws thousands of water quality professionals from around the world each year.

Facility tours

There will be 10 facility tours available, ranging in cost from $50 to $85 dollars. Sign up early, though, as one of them was already sold out at the time that this article was written. Visit www.weftec.org and use the pull-down menu titled Schedule and Events and then pick the Facility Tours link.

For those that fancy themselves as masters of the green links, there is a golf tournament scheduled for Sunday at the George Dunne National Gold Course in Oak Forest. The course is open to the public and listed in Golf Digest as one of the top public courses in the nation. Eleven holes interact with the eight lakes on the property. Most will find it fairly long as it measures 7,262 yards from the gold tees.

How to get there

America's third-largest city is serviced by two major airports, O'Hare International Airport (IATA code: ORD) – until 2005 the world's busiest airport – and Midway International Airport (IATA code: MDW), located on the city's southwest side. From either airport, it is a quick taxi ride to the hotel. Most of the hotels are located in the downtown area. The bus schedules are located in the lobbies of all the hotels that are affiliated with the conference. There are also shuttles and a train system to get around the area. Go to the WEFTEC home page and click on the Travel Information link on the left side of the page to find links for many options.

Chicago history

Commissioned by the French government in 1673, Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette became the first explorers of Chicago. It was with the help of the native Illinois tribe that the two were guided through the land. Around 1780, Chicago's first permanent settler, Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, and his family came to the area.

The town became a city in 1837. The explosion soon after of the transportation industry in rail and water helped spur the rapid expansion of the city.

Devastating events such as the Great Chicago Fire on Oct. 8, 1871 failed to deter the people. That event destroyed nearly four square miles in the city and burned for four days. An estimated 250 people died and 100,000 lost their homes. The damage was estimated at $200 million at that time. However, from its ashes in 1885 rose the world's first skyscraper, but what really sparked the city was the Columbian Exposition in 1893, which brought 27.5 million people to town to witness the fantastic extent of American Industrial Age ingenuity.

Between the conference and all that Chicago has to offer, this event promises to be a very educational, entertaining and ultimately rewarding event. PE