South Florida Chapter

The South Florida Chapter was established in 2017 to serve FWEA members located in Miami-Dade and Monroe County. As we begin our seventh year, we continue to grow our presence in the Miami-Dade/Monroe area through active leadership and participation. Our focus is fostering professional development and growth of both our professional and student members, while providing a local voice for the industry through education and public awareness, in pursuit of FWEA’s vision to provide a clean and sustainable water environment for future generations.

Please contact us if you want to be part of our membership and get involved in our Steering Committee.

PAST EVENTS

September 2025: Rising Above the Tide: Miami Beach’s Integrated Coastal Management and Multi-Level Partnerships for Resilience

The South Florida Chapter kicked off the fall season with a successful Networking and Dinner Event at the 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant in Miami. The evening featured engaging presentations on resilience and utility strategies, including “Rising Above the Tide: Miami Beach’s Integrated Coastal Management and Multi-Level Partnerships for Resilience” by Lindsey Precht, Deputy Resilience Officer for the City of Miami Beach, and “Future-Ready Utility: Resilient Strategies for Tomorrow’s Challenges” by Sussette Irizarry and Debbie Griner from the Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Department.

Attendees had the opportunity to connect with peers while gaining valuable insight into resilience planning, partnerships, and innovative approaches to utility challenges. The event fostered both technical learning and community building, highlighting the Chapter’s commitment to supporting the water industry across South Florida.

We extend our thanks to all attendees, speakers, and volunteers who made this event a success, and we look forward to seeing everyone at our upcoming programs.

April 2025: Members Appreciation and Networking Event

The South Florida Chapter closed out the fiscal year with its Members Appreciation and Networking Event at Bulla Gastrobar in Doral. Held on April 17, 2025, the evening brought together members, colleagues, and friends to celebrate the chapter’s accomplishments and to welcome the new steering committee for the upcoming year.

Attendees enjoyed an open bar, appetizers, and paella while connecting with peers in a relaxed and festive atmosphere. The event highlighted the strength of our community and the value of coming together to celebrate our shared commitment to the water industry.

We thank all participants for joining us and look forward to another successful year ahead.

January 2025: South Chapter Holds a Sold-Out Technical Seminar on PFAS Solutions

On January 29, 2025, the South Chapter kicked off the year with a sold-out technical seminar, “PFAS in Water and Wastewater: Solutions for a Healthier Tomorrow.” The event drew 120 participants for a full day of presentations from experts across the public, private, and academic sectors.

Topics included PFAS regulations, implementation roadmaps, treatment technologies (Ion Exchange, Granular Activated Carbon, and Reverse Osmosis), and lessons learned from utilities nationwide. Attendees also heard perspectives from North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and local agencies such as Miami-Dade WASD and Deerfield Beach.

We were honored to welcome AWWA President-Elect Brent Tippey among the presenters. The program also featured interactive Q&A sessions and closing remarks by South Florida Chapter Chair Abnery Picon, who highlighted the Chapter’s support for STEM education through a donation to the Engineering and Robotics Club at TERRA Environmental Research Institute.

The success of this event was made possible by the dedication of our volunteers and leadership team, with special thanks to Chair Abnery Picon for her outstanding coordination. We are grateful to all attendees, speakers, and volunteers for making this seminar a resounding success.

January 2024: WASD’s $7.9B Capital Improvement Plan: How Do We Fly the Plane While Working on the Engines

On January 24, 2024, we met again at the 94th Aero Squadron to celebrate our second Dinner and Networking event of the 2023-2024 fiscal year. In this occasion our keynote speaker was Billie Jo McCarley, PE, Deputy Director of Operations for the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department. The tittle of the presentation was WASD’s 7.9B Capital Improvements Plan: How Do We Fly the Plane While Working on the Engines. This was a sold-out event with over 120 participants all eager to hear Billie Jo’s message regarding WASD operational challenges, the strategies to seamlessly addressing these challenges, while maintaining the commitment with the community of providing a reliable service.

We greatly appreciate that Billie Jo took time from her busy agenda and commitments to share this valued information with our community.

November 2023: Miami-Dade WASD New Initiatives

On November 14, 2023, we celebrated a Dinner and Networking event in the 94th Aero Squadron at Miami. For this event, we were honored to have two keynote speakers from the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department.

• Amanda R. Kinnick, PE, Chief of Staff

• Catalina Lopez-Velandia P.E. MSc., W&S Chief Strategy Officer

Their presentation was titled WASD New Initiatives. Among the information shared with the audience was the process followed by the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department for the development of the five-year strategic plan covering the period from 2023 to 2028.

Over 100 members of our professional community participated in this event which included dinner and open bar.