Groundwater Week 2022 wrapped up as one of the biggest in the history of the National Ground Water Association.
The event, which was held December 6-8 in Las Vegas, Nevada, saw 6464 groundwater professionals take part, making it the second biggest show in Association history. The attendees came from 36 countries and all 50 states.
The largest convention took place in 2006 when there were 6612 attendees.
Attendees took in more than 60 workshops and educational sessions, and visited 282 exhibitors on a crowded exhibit hall floor. There was a total of 78,100 square feet of exhibit space, the second most in NGWA convention history.
Groundwater Week collocated with the Irrigation Association for the third time and the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association had a pavilion for the second consecutive year in the exhibit hall, meaning there were more than 10,000 water professionals in Las Vegas throughout the week.
The educational sessions were extremely well attended. Among the busiest were Creating Expectations and a Goals Program for New Hires and Generation Z and a two-part Variable Frequency Drive Symposium.
Some new events debuted at Groundwater Week, including two designed to aid young and early-career groundwater professionals. There was a tour of the exhibit hall led by seasoned groundwater veterans explaining how the tools and machinery seen on the floor are used daily in the industry. There was also a coffee and continental breakfast where young people had a chance to meet and network with each other.
The NGWA Delegates Meeting saw John Boyette Jr., CVCLD, of Boyette Well & Septic in Wilson, North Carolina, Fred Rothauge, CWD, of Hydro Resources Inc. in Simms, Texas, and Charles “Buddy” Sebastian of Sebastian & Sons Well Drilling Inc. in Springport, Michigan, elected to the NGWA Board of Directors.
Jason House, LG, PG, of Woodard & Curran Inc. in Portland, Maine, became the NGWA president, marking just the second time someone from the NGWA Scientists and Engineers Section has served as president.
Keynote speaker Rocky Bleier, a former Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers who is also a veteran of the Vietnam War, told the audience at the Keynote Presentation and NGWA Awards of Excellence Ceremony of his life story and how perseverance and teamwork helped him achieve against all odds.
House spoke of teamwork as well in his acceptance speech at the NGWA Delegates Meeting. He said, “Whatever we face in 2023 — the economy, finding qualified employees, or regulatory challenges — our members are resilient, and I look forward to working with them and our board members. Working together with all of our membership sections, there is no problem we can’t solve.”