Facility Tours

Facility tours provide a unique opportunity to gain firsthand insights into the construction, special projects, and daily operations taking place within the local host community. By participating, attendees not only enrich their understanding of industry practices but also earn valuable Contact Hours.

With six diverse technical tours available, attendees can tailor their WEFTEC 2024 experience to suit their interests and professional development goals, ensuring a comprehensive and enriching conference experience. Pre-registration is required, with limited space available. Select your preferred tour when you register for the conference.

Explore the Tours

Tour Details

• Registration Fees. Registration fees include transportation and, for some tours, it may also include a donation to the facility.
• Security Clearance. Some facilities require visitors to complete a waiver and provide identification in advance to obtain security clearance. Registrants who fail to meet these requirements by the deadlines will not be granted access to the tour bus or facility and will not receive a refund for their ticket purchase.
• Bus Departure. Tour buses depart from and return to the Transportation Center on Convention Center Boulevard outside of Lobby G..
• Tour Attire. Registrants are required to wear appropriate attire, including long pants and closed-toe shoes with rubber soles. Skirts, shorts, tank tops, and high heels are not suitable. Facilities provide hard hats, safety glasses, and safety vests if needed. Bags may be subject to inspection on-site, and photography may be prohibited.
• Food and Beverage. Unless otherwise indicated, food and beverages, including water, are not provided.

Tuesday, October 8

Facility Tour 1: Lake Borgne Surge Barrier

9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Registration fee: $45.00

Tour Description:
On this mostly outside walking tour, you will see a small portion of the New Orleans side of the Lake Borgne Surge Barrier. This 2.9-km (1.8-mile) structure is a small part of the Hurricane & Storm Damage Risk Reduction System built by the Army Corps of Engineers after Hurricane Katrina.

A system of flood walls, levees, floodgates, sector gates, and a barrier work together to reduce the risk of flooding from storm surges from Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Borgne, and the Gulf of Mexico for more than 1 million residents in the greater metropolitan New Orleans area.

The Flood Protection Authority East is a state agency that operates and maintains the system in Jefferson, Orleans, and St. Bernard Parishes.

Registration Requirements:
Advance registration is required by September 2. Tickets are not available for purchase after September 2.

Tour Requirements:
This tour is NOT ADA-compliant. You may need to walk for some distance, handle rough terrain, climb several flights of stairs, and be in an area with loud machinery. There are also potential fall risks from great heights. Attendees should be prepared for windy, rainy, or sunny conditions. Check the local weather forecast before you arrive. Wear closed-toe, flat shoes such as sneakers, and consider bringing items such as sunscreen, sunglasses, bottled water, and insect spray. There is access to bottled water and one (1) bathroom at each location.

Facility Tour 2: Infrastructure Resilience and Reliability: Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans Power Complex

10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Registration fee: $45.00

Tour Description:
A tour of the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans's new Power Complex substation is slated for completion in 2025, which will provide reliable power for pumping and drinking water needs to allow the retirement of historic turbines still in use.

Registration Requirements:
Advance registration is required by September 2. Tickets are not available for purchase after Sept. 2, 2024. No substitutions allowed after Sept. 2, 2024. 

Security Clearance Requirements:
Registrants are required to complete the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans’ Facility Security Screening Form in advance and submit it to WEF by September 30. WEF will send the required paperwork to registrants after September 2. All registrants must have photo identification available on the day of the tour.

Tour Requirements:
Please wear nonslip, closed-toe shoes—comfortable walking shoes preferred. For this tour, no loose clothing. There will be some stairs on this tour.

Facility Tour 3: Abita Brewing Company

12:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
Registration fee: $55.00

Tour Description:
The Abita Brewing Company is committed to environmental conservation. The Brewery operates its industrial wastewater treatment facility and makes use of an anaerobic bio-energy recovery system (BERS). The BERS also provides water treatment, which results in a 95% reduction of load on the local Abita Springs sewerage system.

*The registration fee includes a tasting experience at the Brewery.

Tour Requirements:
The tour requires that all patrons wear closed-toe shoes. There is an elevator for anyone who may not be able to or prefers to use the stairs.

Facility Tour 4: More Than 100 Years of Draining New Orleans: Drainage Pumping Station 6 Tour

1:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Registration fee: $45.00

Tour Description:
An in-depth tour of the oldest pumping station in the Orleans stormwater infrastructure, distinguished by the American Society of Civil Engineers as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

Registration Requirements:
Advance registration is required by September 2. Tickets are not available for purchase after September 2. No substitutions allowed after Sept. 2, 2024.

Security Clearance Requirements:
Registrants are required to complete the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans’ Release of Liability and Hold Harmless Agreement in advance and submit it to WEF by September 30. WEF will send the required paperwork to registrants after September 2.

Tour Requirements:
Please wear nonslip, closed-toe shoes—comfortable walking shoes are preferred. There will be some stairs on this tour.

Wednesday, October 9

Facility Tour 5: Living with Water in the Pontchartrain Basin – a Tour by Pontchartrain Conservancy

8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Registration fee: $60.00

Tour Description: Site 1:
Enjoy a stroll on the new Bucktown Marsh Boardwalk, a part of the new Bucktown Harbor on Lake Pontchartrain, while learning about the Pontchartrain Basin and local watershed issues. Along its 305 m (1000 ft), you will find bird blinds and informational signs about plants, wildlife, fisheries, and the coast.

Site 2:
Tour one of the city’s largest pumping stations responsible for draining stormwater. Learn the history of the city’s drainage systems and stormwater management practices.

Site 3:
On the shore of Lake Pontchartrain, the New Canal Lighthouse serves as a science and history museum and a public outreach and education center. Visitors can engage with fun, interactive STEM exhibits to learn about Southeast Louisiana's environment and the work to help preserve it. The site will feature the Pontchartrain Conservancy’s work around water quality and coastal restoration.

*The registration fee includes admission to the Lighthouse and a donation to the Pontchartrain Conservancy.

Registration Requirements:
Advance registration is required by September 2. Tickets are not available for purchase after September. 2. No substitutions allowed after Sept. 2, 2024.

Security Clearance Requirements:
Registrants are required to complete the Pontchartrain Conservancy Photo Release and Liability Waiver in advance and submit it to WEF by September 30. WEF will send the required paperwork to registrants after September 2.

Tour Requirements:
The tour has some sites that are both partially outdoors and outdoors, so aspects of the tour are weather dependent. Portions of the tour include casual walking and potential climbing of stairs (sites 1 and 3 are wheelchair accessible, but site 2 goes inside a pumping station and may not be completely accessible by wheelchair).

Facility Tour 6: Using Green to Aid the Gray: Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans Green Infrastructure tour

10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Registration fee: $45.00

Tour Description:
An immersive tour of two green infrastructure demonstration projects funded by the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans. The Bayou St John project at 3500 Toulouse Street was completed in 2023 and exhibits detention and retention through earthwork and increased tree canopy, as well as buried monitoring infrastructure. The Green Roof atop 625 St. Joseph Street displays an ever-changing palette of plants since 2017.

Registration Requirements:
Advance registration is required by September 2. Tickets are not available for purchase after Sept. 2, 2024. No substitutions allowed after Sept. 2, 2024.

Security Clearance Requirements:
Registrants are required to complete the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans’ Release of Liability and Hold Harmless Agreement in advance and submit it to WEF by September 30. WEF will send the required paperwork to registrants after September 2.

Tour Requirements:
Please wear nonslip, closed-toe shoes—comfortable walking shoes are preferred. There will be some stairs on this tour.