Building Resilience and Collaboration: Insights from the 2025 Water Efficiency & Conservation Symposium

CHICAGO, IL — The Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) welcomed nearly two hundred water professionals from across North America to Chicago for its 3rd Annual Water Efficiency & Conservation Symposium, held August 6–8, 2025. Over three days, attendees engaged in rich discussions, dynamic sessions, and meaningful networking opportunities, all centered on the urgent need to advance water efficiency and conservation practices in the face of climate change, population growth, and increasingly expensive infrastructure demands.

About AWE and the Symposium

The Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the efficient and sustainable use of water. AWE is driven by the belief that using water efficiently saves money, preserves the environment, and helps communities thrive. AWE advocates for water efficient products and programs, and provides information and assistance on water conservation efforts. AWE works with more than 550 member organizations, providing benefit to water utilities, business and industry, government agencies, environmental and energy advocates, universities, and consumers.

The Water Efficiency & Conservation Symposium, first launched in 2023, is the only event in North America laser-focused exclusively on water efficiency. Each year, the Symposium has grown in size and reputation, offering practitioners with a unique blend of technical insights, peer-to-peer collaboration, and networking opportunities. Sponsors and attendees alike consistently highlight the event’s quality and its role in advancing the field.

Building Connections That Matter

One of the hallmarks of the Symposium is the sense of camaraderie among attendees. This year was no exception. The Symposium kicked off with a lively Welcome Reception at Island Party Hut along the Chicago Riverwalk, where attendees enjoyed scenic views, small bites, and a chance to reconnect with colleagues from across the continent.

Networking opportunities continued throughout the event, from hallway conversations between sessions to the ever-popular Restaurant Roundup—a Symposium tradition where small groups of participants gathered at local eateries to exchange stories, swap ideas, and strengthen professional relationships. Year after year, attendees say the connections forged at the Symposium are as valuable as the lessons learned in program sessions.

A Robust Two-Track Program

The 2025 program featured more than 60 speakers, representing the breadth of the water efficiency field, from corporate social responsibility and ESG professionals at leading appliance and fixture manufacturers, to water utility conservation managers, researchers, consultants, and academics.

With two concurrent tracks, the agenda covered a wide spectrum of pressing issues. Panels and roundtables addressed topics ranging from resilience planning and innovative program design to customer engagement strategies and the energy-water nexus. What united them was a shared commitment: helping communities use water wisely while protecting long-term supplies.

Below are a few highlights from this year’s program.

Data Centers + Water: A Conversation at the Crossroads

As digital demand continues to grow, so does the footprint of data centers. This session examined the complex interplay between the tech industry’s rapid expansion and the local water and energy systems that support it. Moderator Paula Paciorek of Plummer Associates guided a diverse panel, including leaders from the Alliance for the Great Lakes, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and state environmental councils, through a frank discussion of current realities, trade-offs, and opportunities for collaboration.

Panelists emphasized that while water efficiency strategies exist, transparency and coordinated planning are critical for communities hosting these massive facilities. The conversation underscored the need for better data and proactive policies to balance economic growth with natural resource protection and sustainability.

The Big Reveal: Residential End Uses of Water Study & 50L Home Pilot

This interactive session gave attendees an early look at two groundbreaking initiatives: the latest Residential End Uses of Water study, the most comprehensive ever undertaken, and the 50L Home Pilot, an ambitious project aiming to demonstrate that homes can thrive on just 50 liters of water per person per day.

Speakers including Sydney Samples of the Water Research Foundation, Peter Mayer of WaterDM, and Maureen Erbeznik of ME&A brought the data to life with trivia challenges, audience Q&A, and interactive exercises. Participants left with actionable insights into how households are using water today, and how emerging practices and technologies could shape tomorrow’s conservation strategies.

Rising to the Challenge: When Extremes Become the New Normal

Few issues loom larger than climate change, and this session provided an unflinching look at its impacts on water agencies across the country. Panelists from Massachusetts, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Fort Worth shared real-world experiences managing everything from urban wildfires and prolonged drought to extreme rainfall and infrastructure failure.

Moderated by AWE’s Amanda Christophe, the discussion highlighted both the immediate emergency responses and the long-term resilience strategies agencies are putting in place. The session left attendees with sobering reminders of the challenges ahead, but also a sense of shared purpose and hope rooted in innovation and collaboration.

Looking Ahead

As the Symposium drew to a close, AWE’s staff and Board reflected on the energy and insight generated in Chicago. “The conversations sparked here don’t end when the Symposium does,” one board member noted. “They ripple outward as attendees bring new ideas, strategies, and partnerships back to their communities.”

That ripple effect is the driving force behind the Symposium’s growing reputation. By convening practitioners who are deeply invested in water efficiency, the event creates space for knowledge-sharing that directly translates into real-world impact.

Save the Date

Planning is already underway for next year’s event. The 4th Annual Water Efficiency & Conservation Symposium will return to downtown Chicago from Tuesday, August 4 through Thursday, August 6, 2026.

With momentum building and challenges mounting, the 2026 Symposium promises to be another essential gathering for anyone working in the field of water conservation and efficiency.