Water Resources Congressional Summit & WQA Fly-In
Washington D.C. | March 25 & 26, 2025
The Water Quality Association and the National Groundwater Association are hosting a two-day Water Resources Congressional Summit in Washington, D.C., to bring awareness to drinking water challenges and solutions across the country.
The event connects attendees with key decision-makers in Congressional offices, government agencies, and departments to foster better working relationships and understanding. The advocacy activities throughout the event embody WQA’s mission to be the “recognized resource and advocate for the betterment of water quality.”
The Summit:
- Helps build connections with policymakers and provides important technical information to these officials to aid in decision-making,
- Promotes support for our industry’s policy priorities, and
- Reinforces WQA and its members as thought leaders on water quality challenges and solutions.
Speaker:
Wendi Wilkes
Former EPA Director of Infrastructure Implementation Wendi Wilkes will share insights into the complexities of water policy at the 2025 Congressional Summit. Drawing on her experience leading the Biden administration’s $50 billion water investment initiative, Wilkes will discuss how regulatory frameworks shape water infrastructure and discuss lessons learned from working with states and communities nationwide.
Wilkes was appointed senior vice president and chief of staff at Banner Water Practice, Banner Public Affairs, in January. Before her work at EPA, she was Regulatory and Legislative Affairs Manager for the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA), where her work included regulatory analysis under the Safe Drinking Water Act, water infrastructure funding, and congressional relations. She also has worked at the American Water Works Association’s Government Affairs Office in Washington, D.C., and at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, where she served in the Office of Water.
Schedule at a glance:
MARCH 25 – Educational Briefings at Convene Hamilton Square.
WQA and NGWA host a series of sessions where attendees will hear directly from policymakers, researchers, and other organizations working to address water policy issues.
8:30 – 9:30 a.m. – Breakfast (optional)
8:30 – 11 a.m. – Registration
11:15-11:45 a.m. – New attendee orientation (optional)
Noon – 5 p.m. – Welcome lunch | Afternoon education and issues sessions | Small group discussion | Q&A
5-7 p.m. – Reception with lawmakers and policymakers
MARCH 26 – Meetings on Capitol Hill.
WQA members meet in small groups with their Senators, Representatives or top office staff to discuss issues affecting the industry and how we can partner to make healthier, safer drinking water available to everyone.
Registration has closed, but if you have questions about this event contact GovAffairs@WQA.org.
Accommodations
Club Quarters Hotel, White House
839 17th St. Northwest
Washington, DC 20006
WQA’s block at the Club Quarter Hotel, White House, is now full!
Please call the hotel directly, (202) 463-6400 to make or change a reservation. You can also click the button below to reserve rooms at hotels near Convene Hamilton Square.
Just steps from public transportation and convenient to many of the city’s legal and professional offices – not to mention countless dining options – this newly renovated Club Quarters location makes the perfect launch pad for both business guests and those looking to explore. It’s only two blocks from the White House and close to some of the most recognizable monuments and memorable museums in town. It’s also just a short walk from Convene Hamilton Square, the location for Day 1 of the Water Resources Congressional Summit.
WQA Needs You!
Learn how you can advocate for quality water with WQA’s Advocacy Toolkit.
Highlights from the 2024 Fly-In
In 2024, nearly 50 WQA members conducted 68 small-group Congressional Office meetings – 14 of them with a member of Congress – advocating for the drinking water treatment industry, educating lawmakers about the importance of water quality, and garnering support for the Healthy H2O Act.
