Commentary

By Soren Rasmussen Protecting the environment has never been so high on the agenda. So, isn’t it peculiar that in the wastewater industry, almost everything is still archaically structured to purchasing the cheapest possible equipment, which can all too soon end up as waste thatRead More

By Constantine Antoniou Sodium hydroxide is used as an acidity control and metal remover by water utilities. Too much of the corrosive material can cause chemical burns and other uncomfortable side effects. In 2021, when a hacker accessed a Florida water utility’s computer system andRead More

By Steve Kramer Too few bidders. Bids above engineer’s estimates. Labor shortages. Material shortages and price increases. Delays in design or construction. Increasing claims or change orders. Do these events sound familiar? The underground construction business is impacted by continuing and new challenges. The linearRead More

By Simon Wick With another year behind us, we are excited about what innovation, collaboration and strategies are trending for non-revenue water (NRW) in 2023. However, five old industry challenges remain certain for the foreseeable future: The industry is slowly moving away from one-time surveysRead More

By Rebecca Zito Effective community engagement has become a crucial part of water utility operations. Because public expectations have changed dramatically, the silent utility provider is an outdated concept. Communities now demand more from their utility. Modern technology and convenience have forever altered the wayRead More

By Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells October marked five decades since leaders came together to make a monumental change, impacting our daily lives ever since. And no, I’m not talking about the 50 years that my agency, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, has been protecting public healthRead More

By Craig Butt As government regulators seek to limit per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – which are chemicals linked to a range of health and environmental risks – testing for these chemicals has proven challenging. Called “forever chemicals” because of the extreme resistance to breakdownRead More

Over the past 25 years, Nordic water experts have taken a proactive approach to digital asset management and data-driven decision making that U.S. utilities can learn from to optimize CAPEX spending, reduce OPEX, and ensure efficient and resilient service. By Ulrich Borup Hansen & AndreasRead More

By Will Sarni & Austin Alexander Humanity has a long history of extracting natural resources while ignoring damage done to the environment, to communities and to the long-term health and prosperity of whole societies. Traditional approaches to forestry and mining have famously taken their toll,Read More

By Michele Samuels Crisis management and emergency response are terms all too familiar to water utilities. As providers of one of our most essential customer services, utility operators have a proven track record in pragmatic problem-solving to ensure continuity for their communities. But as new threatsRead More