The first ever Microbe Detective’s Microbiome Water Summit was held in Chicago at the Shedd Aquarium on September 29, 2017. It was held to coincide with the Water Environment Federation’s annual WEFTEC conference and exhibition (September 30-October 4, 2017). The Summit was well attended by a mix of consultants, technology providers, academics, utilities and government agencies. The objective of the Summit was to bring together individuals on the leading edge of microbial monitoring in the water industry to learn from one another and spur innovation.
The Summit included presentations from various influential speakers as well as specific panel discussions. The panel discussions focused on the microbial influence of biogas generation and biological nutrient removal. The panels were comprised of consultants and utility representatives, so it was great to get a ‘boot-on-the-ground’ perspective of microbial monitoring. LuminUltra’s President and CEO Pat Whalen gave a great presentation on the evolution of microbial monitoring. His key thesis is that the future of microbial monitoring is already here, the tools just need to be integrated and simplified to provide actionable results and intel.
Clearly exciting times are ahead!