Central Plains Drinking Water Quality and Rural Health Symposium

Thank you for your interest in our event!

Join us for a one-day interdisciplinary symposium bringing together researchers, health professionals, rural health advocates, policymakers, and community leaders from Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Oklahoma to explore the critical intersection of water quality and rural health.

Clean water is fundamental to health, yet many rural communities face unique challenges in maintaining and accessing safe water. This symposium will provide a platform to share relevant issues in the Central Plains states, identify data gaps, foster cross-disciplinary communication, and develop actionable strategies for improving water quality and public health outcomes in rural settings.

This one-day event will take place on June 2, 2026 at the brand-new University of Kansas Conference Center located in Lawrence, KS. The event will feature talks by speakers from each state addressing state-specific issues and ongoing research initiatives and breakout discussions on a variety of water and health topics.

Discussion topics include:

Drinking water safety in rural populations
Groundwater contamination
Health impacts of nitrates, PFAS, and other contaminants
Community engagement and communication
Policy
Infrastructure and funding solutions

Who Should Attend

Public health & environmental health professionals
Physical & social scientist researchers
Rural health advocates
Water resource managers
Public water supply/wastewater treatment professionals
Policy and decision makers at local, state, and federal levels
Private well owners
NGOs

Why You Should Attend

Build community and grow a network of colleagues and contacts.
Explore group problem-solving with people from different states and policy backgrounds.
Learn from industry leaders in water quality and rural health and gain confidence to implement changes in your community.

By the end of the event, we hope that each attendee can better answer questions related to:

Data gaps—What drinking water contaminant and health issues do rural residents face?
Best practices—How are states approaching these issues?
Challenges—What challenges do professionals encounter when engaging with rural residents?
Solutions—How can we work together to create solutions?

Stay tuned for the agenda and more information!

Program Accessibility

If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this event, please contact Nicky Lentsch with the KU Conference Center at nicole.lentsch@oakviewgroup.com.