Rapidly rising world population, paired with an aging infrastructure increasingly unable to support the growth. Climate changes impacting the replenishment of aquifers, depleting the world's supply of good quality water. Increased energy costs. Higher rates of water contamination and pollution. These are the very real issues facing the world's water supply. Iin addition, social factors create a true sense of urgency: over 1 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe water, and 2.6 billion – half of the world's population – do not have adequate sanitation. 1.4 million children die each year due to the world's lack of available fresh water.
In the next 10-20 years, these issues will gather into what has been referred to as a "Perfect Storm." It has been claimed that water may well become liquid gold. Major players within the industry such as GE and Dow along with countries such as China, Singapore, and Australia are committing considerable resources to provide the leading technological solutions.
Terry Duperon, CEO and Tammy Bernier, COO of Duperon Corporation, are heading to Washington, D.C. April 14-18, 2008 to meet with global and industry leaders to discuss these growing concerns. The Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers' Association (WWEMA) will hold their 35th Annual Washington Forum in combination with a celebration of the Association's 100th anniversary.
WWEMA is a non-profit trade organization founded in 1908 to represent the interests of companies that manufacture products sold to the potable water and wastewater treatment industries. Its mission is to inform, educate and provide leadership on issues which affect the worldwide water and wastewater equipment industry. This year's program, entitled "The Business of Water – Reflections and Projections," promises to provide WWEMA members with a global perspective on the environmental issues and sustainability concerns the world is facing – and will continue to face in the future.
The two-day conference will focus on key industry trends that influence the search for solutions, as well as the impact U.S. and global economic forces will have on the industry in coming years. Speakers include Christopher Flavin, president of Worldwatch Institute; Congressman Earl Blumenauer, U.S. House of Representatives; Senator Jeff Bingaman, U.S. Senate; Sudesh Menon, C.E.O. of WaterHealth India; and many more, including several representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Members of WWEMA who gather to listen to these speakers encompass the world's leaders in water and wastewater equipment and process technology, upon whom we shall depend to solve the approaching problems and issues.
Duperon Corporation joins WWEMA members who supply the most sophisticated leading products and technology, on the front lines every day providing solutions to water-related environmental problems and needs. The Saginaw-based manufacturer of mechanically-cleaned barscreens features product lines to manage the effective treatment of wastewater and stormwater.
"As a fairly new member, it inspires me to be in this community of committed individuals and companies," relayed Bernier. "I always seem to hear this underlying nobility of purpose when you hear companies talk about what they contribute to get the job done. It reminds me that there is a bigger game afoot, and that we fulfill an important role in water working on the planet."
The growing demand for a solution and Duperon Corporation's commitment to provide it has contributed to the company's recent growth, contrasting with the trend of downsizing as the manufacturing industry has struggled. This continuous growth has been forwarded to other manufacturing facilities in the area; support for manufacture of components is managed by other local firms. This partnership has served to spread Duperon Corporation's growth through a community that has been especially hard-hit by the downturn of the automobile sector of the manufacturing industry.
"Terry and I both believe that all people want to do is make a difference. It is a great opportunity to be able to make a difference in the area of water," Bernier concluded.
Duperon Corporation is an engineering/manufacturing firm providing treatment solutions for municipal and industrial applications. The company has been located in Saginaw, Michigan since its first products came to market in 1979. Duperon Corporation products include such innovations as the Self-Cleaning Trashrack, the FlexRake®, compactors, conveyance systems, and other municipal and industrial solutions equipment. Application areas include stormwater, wastewater, pump stations, industrial intakes, and fish screening.