2024 Tribal Utility Summit

USET's Office of Environmental Resource Management (OERM) held the 2024 Tribal Utility Summit (TUS) in Bar Harbor, Maine, on June 25-27.

The annual event is an opportunity for Tribal Nation utility professionals to enhance skills and knowledge in managing and operating their systems. Attendees can also network with their peers and learn about industry innovations, products, technologies, and services.

This year, OERM introduced the Tribal Utility Finance Forum (TUFF) as a financial track of the TUS. The TUFF track was of particular interest to Tribal Leadership, utility directors and assistant directors, finance directors, engineering managers, in-house counsel, and others involved in infrastructure planning and development.

Check out the full agenda for the 2024 TUS, and access selected presentations below.

Tuesday, June 25

Technical Track Sessions

• PFAS Rules Update: The World of PFAS
  Page Hingst, Tribal Response Program Manager, Santee Sioux Nation of Nebraska
  
• MBR Systems
  Kevin Crane, Regional Manager, Kubota Membrane USA Corporation; Damone Supica, P.E., Regional Manager, Kubota Membrane USA Corporation

Financial Track Sessions

• Asset Management/Climate Adaptation Plans; Who Needs Them and Why?
  Mandy J. Holway, PE, Vice President. Olver Associates, Inc.
• Water Sector Cybersecurity Regulatory & Resource Update
  Andrew Ohrt, Project Director. West Yost Associates

Wednesday, June 26

Technical Track Sessions

• Activated Sludge 101 Workshop
  William M. Olver, P.E., President and Senior Managing Partner. Olver Associates, Inc. Environmental Engineers
• Canine Water Leak Detection
  Carrie Kessler, Elisa Jones. Daniel Levey and Steve Porter
• Backflow/Cross Connection/Hazard Mitigation Workshop
  Kathy Riley, Backflow Compliance Specialist, Charlotte Water; Mitch LeBas, President, Backflow Prevention Services, LLC

Financial Track Sessions

• Water Loss
  Randy Lusk, Vice-President. Innovation & Solutions. M.E., Simpson Co. Inc.
• Workforce Development
  Cindy Goodburn Consulting
• Managing Your Utility System into the Future
  Hope Thomson, Project Director, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Environmental Finance Center