Founded in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with members from varied disciplines who work toward the WEF vision of preservation and enhancement of the global water environment.

WEF's Membership: Defining our Focus

WEF and its global network of Member Associations (MAs) help provide water quality professionals with the latest in training, education, and business opportunities. WEF's diverse group of members include scientists, engineers, regulators, academics, plant managers and operators, and other practitioner working in the United States and around the world. As a membership organization, WEF calls upon the collective knowledge of its members to further a shared goal of improving water quality. Together, WEF and its members:

• Research and publish the latest information on water and wastewater treatment and protection;
• Provide technical expertise and training on issues including the collection, treatment, reuse, and operations of wastewater; utility management; sustainability; biosolids management; and emerging water quality issues such as membrane applications;
• Sponsor conferences, webcasts, seminars, and other special events;
• Review, testify, and comment on environmental regulations and legislation.

Interested in joining? Please visit our Membership Page.

WEF Features:

For water and wastewater professionals, WEF offers Continuing Education Units for successful completion of training programs, workshops, and seminars. WEF also offers training for entry and advanced-level water professionals in the form of self-paced workbooks, classroom courses, and CD-ROM courses. In addition, WEF publishes more than 190 technical publications, including peer-reviewed Manuals of Practice (MOPs) that cover water quality topics ranging from prevention and control of sewer overflows to water reuse. Visit the Continuing Education Units and Marketplace sections of our Web site for more details on any of the above programs.

For the general public, WEF provides a range of materials describing today's water quality issues, including household hazardous waste, biosolids recycling, and watershed management. WEF also works to inform public officials and the media about water quality through educational tours, congressional testimony, newsletters, and formal comments on regulatory and legislative matters. Visit Water Quality News and Resources for more on these issues. Student education is a strong focus for WEF. Our programs for students feature videos, CD-ROMs, and supplemental curriculum materials, many of which are available in Spanish. You may learn more by visiting Education and Outreach.

To further serve water quality professionals, WEF annually hosts WEFTEC (WEF's Technical Exposition and Conference) - North America's largest conference and exposition on water quality and wastewater treatment technology and issues. In addition, WEF holds Specialty Conferences throughout the year to feature key water quality topics. Visit the Events section of the site for more on WEF-sponsored events.