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 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

By Zeynep Erdal One and a half centuries ago, a rancher, naturalist, explorer, environmental philosopher, writer and conservationist named John Muir said, “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” Much more recently, theRead More

By Katie Jones & Stephanie Biehl Flint, Michigan, is now synonymous with “water crisis.” Unfortunately, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. In communities across the country, countless other water crises are unfolding, though with different chemical contaminants and, in many cases, clear fingerprints pointing toRead More

By Kristy Neckowicz I recently read an article from a well-regarded industry veteran who was excited about all the new technologies available to our industry. Everything from big data, IoT to AI and machine learning. I can’t disagree with his enthusiasm as it has beenRead More

By Kevin Hardiman The local newspaper for my town described us as having two seasons: winter and construction. I’m sure my peers around the country can appreciate the joke. But the truth is, we do spend the time between periods in which we can carryRead More

By Kristy Neckowicz Recently one of our clients, an engineering director of a major water utility, made a bold claim when she stated, “Against the will of every engineer, their job needs them to also be an accountant.” I’d argue that the same applies for everyRead More

By Abe Munfakh As a professional engineer, I have spent my career focused on infrastructure projects. While this has given me a unique perspective on the importance of these efforts, over the years I have also worked very closely with community leaders and elected officials onRead More

By Jeremy Haskins As an initiative that mandates the consideration of price only is being pushed on more municipalities in the guise of “fair competition” the question arises: Would you make any major purchase in your personal or professional life with price as the onlyRead More