ACE26 kicks off in Washington, D.C., honoring water heroes

More than 10,000 water professionals from around the globe — 40 countries and counting — are gathering in Washington, D.C., this week for the 2026 Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE26).

This year’s theme is water heroes — a celebration of all of the work behind the scenes and underground to provide safe drinking water for communities.

“For many, people see us as invisible and invaluable. People don’t think about it when they turn on the tap, when they’re filling the dog bowl, watering the lawn, operating hospitals, sending kids to school; they don’t think about the people behind the service that provides that daily opportunity,” said Heather Collins, outgoing AWWA president, during the opening general session this morning. “But ‘invisibility’ is not the superpower we should seek. Part of AWWA’s role is to make the value of water — and the people behind the water — seen, understood, and appreciated.”

Charles Fishman, the keynote speaker, continued that refrain in his remarks. Being able to explain to the public the intricacies of providing safe drinking water is just as important as the technical parts of treatment, he said.

“How we talk about water is really the key to everything else,” he said. “The storytelling has to be great; it has to clear and engaging, and it has to be entertaining and persuasive. … You can get the science right, and you can get the solution right, but if you don’t get the conversation right, none of that matters.”

The opening general session also featured video vignettes from utilities across North America that are using AI to improve operations — from agents that assist with administrative tasks to satellites that detect leaks.

“The essential work hasn’t changed; the people doing it have not gone anywhere,” AWWA CEO David LaFrance said, “They simply now have tools that they did not have before. AI does not replace the heroes on the frontlines; it equips them to serve their community with greater precision, insight, and effectiveness.”

ACE26 continues through Wednesday with more than 175 educational sessions on infrastructure management, water treatment advances, regulatory and legislative actions, utility resilience, and much more. More than 1,100 vendors are set up in the exhibit hall, where teams from across North America also will compete for the best tasting tap water and the fastest operator teams.

If you’re at ACE26, find complete details in the mobile app.

If you’re not at ACE26, tune in to our social media (LinkedIn and Instagram), where AWWA be sharing highlights.