Connecting in the Rockies: Water Federation at the AWWOA Annual Operators Seminar

The Water Federation headed to Banff for the Alberta Water & Wastewater Operators Association (AWWOA) 51st Annual Operators Seminar, March 9-13, 2026. Water Federation Executive Director Chris Hancock, along with Business Systems Analysts and Project Managers Daniel Perri and Owen Bennett, represented the Federation among hundreds of water and wastewater professionals gathered for a week of learning, networking, and connection.

The event was well attended, with full conference registration and more than 150 sponsors and exhibitors participating across the week.

"The networking opportunities were really valuable," said Daniel Perri. "We were able to connect with many people across the water industry and continue to grow our network and resources. It was great to hear the latest industry updates and explore how changes or new innovations could affect, or be applied to, our co‑op members."

The Federation attendees made the most of the trade show, identifying several vendors who have since registered to participate in the upcoming AGM on April 15 in Calgary. Their involvement will add value to what is shaping up to be a strong event for Alberta water co‑ops.

Water and wastewater remain a provincial priority, reflected by the attendance of Minister Grant Hunter and representatives from Alberta Environment. 

“The government presence showed the importance of the sector and reinforced why staying engaged at these industry gatherings matters,” said Chris Hancock, Water Federation Executive Director. “It was also valuable to see the next group of leaders emerging in the water space, including new Board members, early‑to mid‑career professionals, and new operators who will help shape the sector in the years ahead.”

The technical sessions offered valuable takeaways as well, even when content was geared toward larger systems than those typically managed by co‑ops.

“Sessions are often tailored toward much larger systems than what we deal with, but the ideas can almost always be scaled down or adapted,” said Owen Bennett. “One session sparked new thinking on a project we've been developing around equipment risk management and knowing what to prioritize.”

As always, the seminar provided an important opportunity to connect with the broader Alberta water community. The relationships built and lessons learned in Banff will carry forward into the Federation’s work, strengthening the support we provide to co‑op members.

“The connections we built in Banff will carry directly into our upcoming initiatives,” said Chris Hancock. “We strengthened relationships across the sector, picked up new ideas and technologies that could benefit our members, and had valuable conversations about the issues we continue to raise with government. Everything we brought back from Banff will support stronger outcomes for Alberta’s water co‑ops."

Photo credit: AWWOA Annual Operators Gallery