Choose from 112 presentations and 34 workshops at North America's largest water-quality event - the Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference (www.weftec.com) -- at the Morial Convention Center.

Topics and trade show exhibits cover membrane technologies, plant operations, regulations and research, residuals and biosolids, and recycling. Six facility tours include:

Jefferson Parish East Bank Wastewater Treatment Plant, an activated sludge facility and on-site laboratory with 225,000 customers (www.jeffparish.net).

Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans Drainage Pumping Station #6, the largest pumping facility of its kind in the world (www.swbno.org).

St. Bernard Parish collections system, portions of which were submerged under 21 feet of water for weeks after Hurricane Katrina (www.sbpg.net).

In honor of readers who keep the byproducts of human industry from polluting our world, we share some information from our most recent Public Works Water & Wastewater Utility Survey, conducted in May. Thank you to those who contributed to an impressive 15% response rate!

Number of new plants/renovations planned for the coming year

% respondents

Wastewater treatment: new plants: 6%

Wastewater treatment: additions/renovations: 39%

Water treatment: new plants: 8%

Water treatment: additions/renovations: 22%

Types of equipment planned for new plants/renovations

% respondents

Activated sludge: 15%

Aeration: 23%

Chlorination: 19%

Chlorine dioxide: 1%

Clarification: 18%

Dechlorination: 5%

Filtration: 20%

Flocculation: 6%

Mechanical aerators: 6%

Ozonation: 2%

Sludge composting: 3%

Sludge conditioning: 4%

Sludge dewatering: 16%

Sludge digestion/disposal: 15%

Sludge palletizing: 1%

TOC (total organic carbon) removal: 2%

UV (ultraviolet) disinfection: 17%

New plants/renovations will be designed by

% respondents

Own staff: 19%

Other firm: 87%