This is a paid piece from the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

Simplified: Sioux Metro Growth Alliance's 2024 Growth Summit is focused on all things water – from the history of water access in the region to the critical importance of planning for the future. Here's what you need to know about this Dec. 10 event.

Why it matters

  • Water access is often taken for granted in conversations about economic development, said Troy Larson, executive director of the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System.
  • It's also not the kind of planning you can leave until the last-minute, Larson added, noting that if a city like Sioux Falls will need broader water access in the next 40 years, the time to start planning is right now.
  • The Sioux Metro Growth Alliance Growth Summit is titled "H20: What You Should Know" and will feature a full day of panels, networking and discussion on the importance of thinking about water access while planning for growth and future developments.
"We're excited to help educate people because, time and again, we see how water is taken for granted, and we are trying to make sure that doesn't happen," Larson said.

Tell me more about the event

The event kicks off with registration at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at the Sanford Event Barn in northeast Sioux Falls.

The full agenda will include:

  • A keynote speech from Larson on the history of water development following the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program of 1944 through modern day,
  • A panel on the current water conditions and the roles of both federal and state governments,
  • A panel on planning for future growth,
  • Several networking opportunities,
  • A panel on preservation, protection and development and how to think about valuing water in the future,
  • And a final keynote on the future of water, "New Strategies and Sustainability."
"We want this to be a full day of connection and learning for all attendees," said Tyler Tordsen, president and CEO of the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance. "This is a critical topic for our community and one that we feel should be more prominent in economic development conversations regionally."

Who is this event for?

Anyone who works in city planning, economic development, local government or any industry that touches economic development.

But, more broadly, Larson hopes to see the general public taking interest as well.

"If you drink water, you should be interested in this subject," Larson said.

How can I attend?

Tickets are available here – but act quickly because they're going fast.