WRRC 2026 Conference Opens with Future Predictions and Sector Introductions
Day 1 of the WRRC 2026 Annual Conference will open with a forward-looking keynote and a foundational session designed to orient participants to the industries influencing Arizona’s economic and water future. Together, these sessions will provide both global context and practical understanding to support the discussions that follow throughout the conference.
The opening keynote will be delivered by Upmanu Lall, professor and senior global futures scientist at Arizona State University and director of the Water Institute at the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory. An internationally recognized hydrologist and water systems expert, Lall’s work focuses on climate variability, water risk, and the complex interactions between water, energy, food, and economic systems. In his keynote, Lall will explore future prospects for water in rapidly growing regions, with particular attention to how technological change, energy transitions, and industrial development are reshaping water demand and management challenges. His remarks will provide a strategic lens through which conference participants can consider Arizona’s evolving water landscape.
Following the keynote, Session 1 will provide sector-specific insights with a series of introductions to technology, mining, and energy, three industries that play significant roles in the state’s economy, infrastructure development, and resource use. The first segment, Arizona Energy 101, will include an overview of major energy sources and their water requirements and national and regional energy trends. The speaker for this presentation will be announced soon.
Arizona Mining 101 will be provided by Sandy Fabritz, director of water strategy at Freeport-McMoRan, and Steve Trussell, executive director of the Arizona Mining Association and Arizona Rock Products Association. Their presentations will examine the role of mining in Arizona’s economy, how mines and different types of mining operations use water and energy, and what mining professionals would like people to know about the mining industry.
David McCabe, engineering director at Sundt Construction, will present Arizona Tech 101, exploring the rapid growth of technology infrastructure, including data centers and artificial intelligence applications. His remarks will address the range of water and energy requirements associated with dry vs. wet cooling approaches, the impacts on facility designs, and the tradeoffs involved in balancing efficiency, cost, and resource use.
By combining a global perspective on future water challenges with practical insights from key industries, the conference will begin with a strong foundation for exploring pathways to Arizona’s water future.