Articles by: Contributing Author

Bringing AI and Machine Learning to Underground Pipe Infrastructure By Greg Baird Water asset management in the United States has advanced through various stages of education and the practical application of best practices. The U.S. EPA has concluded that nearly 60 percent of the valueRead More

By Mary Ellen Mitchell SIM is the process of measuring and monitoring supplier performance and supplier business process and practices for the purposes of consolidating supplier information in one database, reducing costs, mitigating risk and driving continuous improvement. How much do you really know about yourRead More

By Todd Danielson “Honey, why is the cat wet?” That is not a phrase people want to hear because most cats do not willingly get wet. Those of us in the utility world especially don’t want to hear the cat got wet because it couldRead More

By David Clamage The business of performance contracting is one of the largest and most stable platforms for executing energy efficiency and reduction strategies in the global building and facilities stock — buildings for people to live and work in; others for manufacturing and governingRead More

By Kristina Surfus The past year has been both an exciting and frustrating time for following federal clean water initiatives. This is particularly true for advocates of a strong federal funding partnership for clean water, like the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA). TheRead More

By Jeff Lipton Collecting revenue is the lifeblood of any business. Without timely and predictable collections, business operations are strained, budgeting for expenses falters and long-term planning becomes increasingly difficult. Investment decisions are delayed and the impending uncertainty can create an environment of fear amongRead More

Making Safety a Focus in the Design of Water Facilities Can Eliminate an Array of Issues By Elizabeth A. Rodgers, Michael Etheridge & Chase Hartz Imagine that an engineer offers to design your water facility or facility upgrade in such a way that it is safe toRead More

By Jim Baehr Spend wisely. This statement appears time and time again in everything from public commission reports to utility strategic plans and the day-to-day public discourse. Doing this isn’t easy and won’t get any easier. Awareness and Expectations Water utilities work diligently to enhanceRead More

By Greg Baird Let’s face it, if our roots are in government finance, we are a conservative breed. Our backgrounds prior to becoming a water finance manager, director or CFO have been from accounting, budgeting or investments. In any case, our training and experience haveRead More

The last 10 years have given rise to considerable consternation as to future water availability in the Western and Midwestern United States. Due to climate change as well as cyclical precipitation patterns, the rains have seemingly disappeared across these regions and the limitless supply ofRead More