Kleinfelder Gains Water Industry Insights at WEFTEC Conference
Kleinfelder staff from across the country recently attended WEFTEC 2025, the Water Environment Federation’s annual Technical Exhibition and Conference, held in Chicago. Recognized as the largest water quality exhibition in North America, the event brought together experts and innovators to explore emerging technologies, regulatory developments, and new strategies for sustainable water and wastewater management.
Spotlight on PFAS Technologies
Kleinfelder’s Scott Grieco, National PFAS Lead, served as assistant moderator for the session Technology Spotlight: Liquid Treatment Technologies for PFAS at Water Resource Recovery Facilities. The panel explored several PFAS removal technologies, including adsorption, foam fractionation, and electrochemical oxidation.
“The Innovative Technology area was bigger than in past years,” said Grieco. “We’re seeing more PFAS technologies being showcased, and not just destructive technologies. A few of the vendors featured in the session I led also had booths highlighting their latest advancements.”
Key Themes and Industry Trends
Sessions throughout the week focused on PFAS and microplastics treatment, generative artificial intelligence (AI) applications, and evolving technologies for water reuse. “Talks ranged from cutting-edge technologies and leadership topics to new frontiers in water and wastewater treatment,” said Kleinfelder’s Nick Fontaine, Senior Program Manager. “One of the most interesting sessions discussed a design-build wastewater recovery facility that had to pivot mid-project. They redesigned the facility to recover fertilizer, renewable natural gas, and other products. It was an impressive demonstration of adaptability.”
Artificial Intelligence in Practice
AI’s presence was felt throughout the conference, with both technical and operational applications on display. “AI is popping up in virtually every area of our work, some more useful than others,” Fontaine said. “Rebecca [Katzke] and I saw a demonstration from that creates point cloud records of sewers and manholes, identifies defects, and even estimates repair methods and costs using generative AI.”
Looking Ahead
From advancements in PFAS treatment to the expanding use of AI, Kleinfelder’s attendees agreed that WEFTEC 2025 reinforced the pace of change in the industry. “Alternative delivery and design-build approaches are becoming more prevalent as agencies get more comfortable with them,” Fontaine observed. “PFAS removal and destruction technologies are also evolving quickly.”
Insights from this year’s conference will help Kleinfelder teams stay at the forefront of industry developments and continue delivering innovative, practical solutions to clients across the water sector.
