The biggest annual gathering of municipal water treatment, street department, sanitary sewer, stormwater and engineering professionals — American Public Works Association’s International Public Works Congress and Exposition — gets underway at the end of this month in Phoenix, Ariz.

The Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Ariz., will welcome public works professionals from across the country Aug. 30-Sept. 1 for “The Best Show in Public Works,” the American Public Works Association annual conference. (Photo provided)

“The Best Show in Public Works” will be the place to learn practical applications for using drone technology and how to navigate regulations surrounding its use; how to evaluate strategies for serving the multimodal needs of a community; how to conduct a simple, yet thorough sidewalk inventory and inspection process; and how advanced, connected vehicle applications and smart roadway systems may change the future of road building and signalization.

Extensive educational programming and an enormous exhibition floor are only part of the attraction this valuable event holds. Having the opportunity to ask for advice compare solutions and hear news about upcoming developments affecting public works from those at on the front lines means there’s no place to better prepare yourself for the year ahead. Participants will hear strategies that have proven effective at attracting new talent and how to troubleshoot the concept of becoming a zero-waste community; there will also be ideas for effectively communicating the value of infrastructure spending to the general public.

Among the special events slated for this conference is the Public Works Technologies Panel, dedicated to discussing the newest technology and how it will affect public works: think drones, unmanned cars and the like. The panel takes place from 8 a.m.-9:45 a.m. Aug. 31. Additionally, participants will hear inspiring stories from Marcus Luttrell, the author of “Lone Survivor” and “Service: A Navy Seal at War”; Diana Nyad, long-distance swimmer and broadcaster; and an insightful summary from Dr. Dan McNichol of the crosscountry media tour, “Low and Slow Across America,” that he just took to acknowledge the skills of public works professionals and juxtapose the deteriorated condition of much of America’s infrastructure.

Over 400 exhibitors will present and demonstrate the latest tools at the Expo Experience happening Sunday, Aug. 30– Tuesday, Sept. 1. Th e popular Stormwater Summit, chock full of up-to-the-minute water resource management planning and management, happens from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.

Education sessions will be
organized into 16 popular
categories at the APWA
International Public Works
Congress and Exposition.

• Career and Personal Development
• Construction Management
• Emergency Management
• Engineering and Technology
• Environment/Sustainability
• Facilities
• Fleet Service
• Management
• Parks and Grounds
• Snow and Ice
• Solid Waste
• Storm Water/Flood Control
• Streets, Roads and Bridges
• Traffic Engineering
• Utility and Public Right-of-Way
• Water/Waste Water