ALEXANDRIA, VA – The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) recently released the schedule for educational sessions to be held during the 2006 IBWA Convention and Trade Show at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, from October 3 - 6, 2006.  The following education sessions represent only four Continuing Education Units (CEUs) of the 24.5 CEUs available during the convention.  IBWA certified sessions provide the CEUs that are necessary for Certified Plant Operator accreditation and will provide innovative ideas and technologies specifically targeted to the bottled water industry.

Education session topics include the following:

• Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready? (1.0 CEU)
 o Companies are often caught off-guard by disasters and catastrophic events. In this session, we identify the components of bottled water emergency preparedness and the unique differences and considerations for developing an effective response plan. 

• All Politics Is Local: A Groundwater Prospective (1.5 CEUs)
 o The core of change in the bottled water industry is at the grassroots level. This session will teach how to identify beneficial alliances and initiatives supporting the future growth of companies in the bottled water industry.  It will also provide instruction on how to influence positive change in the bottled water industry at its grassroots.

• Bottled Water Business Roundtable: Making HOD Profitable in the Constantly Changing Landscape  (1.5 CEUs)
 o This roundtable discussion will focus on the newest best practices to deal successfully with the rapidly changing Home and Office Delivery (HOD) market by sharing and offering ideas new products, services, and profits.  Attendees will learn how to explore the necessary methods, processes, and procedures in the bottled water industry without compromising revenue.

For more about the educational sessions, registration, award programs, schedules, and other information about the 2006 IBWA Convention and Trade Show, log on to the IBWA website at http://www.bottledwater.org/public/conv2006/ or call 703-683-5213.

The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) is the authoritative source of information about all types of bottled waters.  Founded in 1958, IBWA`s membership includes U.S. and international bottlers, distributors and suppliers.  IBWA is committed to working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates bottled water as a packaged food product, and state governments to set stringent standards for safe, high quality bottled water products.  Additionally, IBWA requires member bottlers to adhere to the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice, which mandates additional standards and practices, that in some cases, are more stringent than federal and state regulations.  A key feature of the IBWA Bottled Water Model Code of Practice is an annual unannounced plant inspection by an independent, third party organization. For more information about IBWA, bottled water and a list of members` brands, please contact IBWA Manager of Communications Tom Gardner at 703-647-4607 or tgardner@bottledwater.org.