Past eventHeld September 26–30, 2026 (exhibition Sept. 28–30)
WEFTEC 2026
WEFTEC is the Water Environment Federation's annual technical exhibition and conference, billed as the largest annual water quality conference in the world.
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA
- Held
- September 26–30, 2026 (exhibition Sept. 28–30)
- Venue
- Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA
- Attendance
- 23,000+ water professionals from 100+ countries
- Exhibitors
- 950+ exhibitors, 125+ technical sessions
TL;DR
- WEFTEC 2026 took place September 26–30, 2026, with the exhibition open September 28–30, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA.
- The event was billed as drawing more than 23,000 water professionals from over 100 countries.
- More than 950 exhibitors were scheduled to show technologies across 125+ technical sessions.
- It is organized by the Water Environment Federation and billed as the largest annual water quality conference in the world.
About
WEFTEC is organized by the Water Environment Federation (WEF), which has worked in the water sector since 1928. It is billed as the largest annual water quality conference in the world. The event was described as holding Platinum-certified sustainable event standards. The 2025 edition, held in Chicago, drew more than 20,000 attendees and was described as the largest annual tradeshow for water professionals in North America.
Source: waterfm.com/weftec-2025-draws-more-than-20000-to-chicago
Who was in the room
Water sector professionals
WEFTEC positioned itself for anyone working in the water sector, under the organizer's tagline: "If You're in Water, You're at WEFTEC."
Purchasing decision-makers
70% of professional attendees were described as influencing purchasing decisions for their organization.
Public posts about this edition
3 postsQuoted word for word from public posts; each links to the original.
“Day 1 at WEFTEC 2026 is underway and we are having great conversations and connecting with so many industry members at our booth!”
QUA
Read the post“Another great day at WEFTEC 2026!”
Aquatech
Read the post“Learning starts early at WEFTEC! Early in the morning, the learning, networking, and knowledge sharing are already underway.”
Louis Storino PE, BCEE, WEF Fellow
Read the post
Featured speakers
5 listedDiana Kander
Opening General Session Speaker, WEFTEC 2026: entrepreneur, bestselling author and innovation strategist
Howard Carter
President, Water Environment Federation (2025 Opening General Session)
Ralph Exton
Executive Director, Water Environment Federation (2025 Opening General Session)
Kari Steele
President, Board of Commissioners, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (2025 Opening General Session)
Travis Mills
2025 Keynote Speaker: retired U.S. Army staff sergeant, author and founder of the Travis Mills Foundation
What attendees say
“Our study highlights the opportunities for water strategies that are responsible both environmentally and financially. In fact, the recent study reveals a $47 billion opportunity around reducing waste and enhancing system efficiency.”
“As a platform, WEFTEC is more meaningful than ever. It is a platform for communities to connect and for critical content to be shared.”
“That bold engineering feat, one of the greatest of this time, was born of necessity, vision and courage. And it continues to inspire us today.”
Past editions
1 on record| Edition | Dates | Location | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | September 27 – October 1, 2025 | Chicago | 20,000+ attendees |
Venue & travel
Venue
Ernest N. Morial Convention CenterGetting there
The convention center is located in New Orleans, LA.
Questions people ask
8 answeredThe next edition, WEFTEC 2027, is scheduled for September 25–29, 2027 in Chicago, IL.
WEFTEC 2026 took place September 26–30, 2026, with the exhibition open September 28–30.
WEFTEC is billed as drawing more than 23,000 water professionals from over 100 countries each year.
WEFTEC 2026 was held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA.
WEFTEC is organized for anyone working in the water sector, under the tagline "If You're in Water, You're at WEFTEC." Seventy percent of professional attendees were described as influencing purchasing decisions for their organization.
It is most worthwhile for suppliers and consultants who want to meet buyers, since about seven in ten professional attendees have a say in purchasing and more than 950 exhibitors were expected at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Utility operators and engineers get a broad technical program of 125+ sessions among over 23,000 expected attendees, but staff from a small utility wanting a focused regional meeting may find a show of this size diffuse.
Attendees at water industry shows usually wear business casual or company-branded polos, with comfortable walking shoes for the large exhibition floor and light clothing for New Orleans in late September.
WEFTEC 2026 was scheduled to feature more than 950 exhibitors and 125+ technical sessions.
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