ARTICLES BY KEVIN WESTERLING

• Saving Water, One Drip At A Time

  3/20/2024

  We live in a world of great disparities — whether earned or unjust — but we should all agree that everyone deserves enough water for their basic needs, which is why worsening water scarcity is an urgent human crisis. Thankfully, we have thought leaders such as Seth Siegel, author of Let There Be Water: Israel's Solution for a Water-Starved World, bringing the issue (and solutions) to the forefront.

• Testing The (Storm)Waters

  3/7/2024

  Heavy rains in California prove the worthiness of the "sponge city" concept.
• PepsiCo's Vision: Improving Water Wherever It Operates

  1/19/2024

  As Senior Director of Global Climate and Water Solutions for PepsiCo, Grant oversees a program that actually improves water conditions, rather than simply mitigating PepsiCo's own impact or embracing sustainability merely for efficiency/business benefits. In this Q&A, Grant details PepsiCo's philosophy on water stewardship, the elements of their ambitious water strategy, and the outcomes they hope to achieve.
• Water Trends, Now And Then

  1/10/2024

  Even though this edition of Water Innovations looks forward into 2024, I’d like to use this space to look back on trends within the water and wastewater industry in 2023. We’ve just begun 2024 — and we’re still in the thick of 2023’s issues, since they didn’t get resolved with the turning of the calendar. Furthermore, recent challenges inform future trends, as policy and technologies are devised and improved to confront the most pressing needs of the day.

• Leadership In Times Of Water Stress: Answers For Pressing Issues, Including PFAS

  12/5/2023

  AqueoUS Vets (AV) is a water and wastewater treatment company with a unique name, one that references the service background of its founder while also invoking traits often attributed to the U.S. military — among them, committed leadership, such as that provided by AV's president and CEO, Dr. Mirka Wilderer.

• Looking Back, Looking Ahead: Getting Answers To Evolving Water Issues

  11/7/2023

  A review of the WEFTEC tradeshow, current and emerging water threats, and the latest water and wastewater solutions from the VP of a fast-rising treatment provider.
• Free Will And Cybersecurity

  11/3/2023

  Even with federal regulations mandating action for municipal water and wastewater systems unfinished, the commitment to protect the public should compel utilities to improve cybersecurity.
• Matching Water Trends To Technologies

  10/27/2023

  The CEO of one of the world’s most prominent water technology companies talks about solving far-reaching water challenges, as well as local treatment issues, through innovation.

• Racing Towards Sustainability

  9/8/2023

  As water and wastewater utilities come to grips with decarbonization, many have set ambitious targets to achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals. To evaluate progress across the industry, global water technology company Xylem commissioned a survey of 100 utilities. I spoke with Austin Alexander, Xylem's VP of Sustainability and Social Impact, to break down the results and key trends driving a greener water industry.

• How CERCLA Complicates The PFAS Problem

  8/29/2023

  As states and the federal government attempt to crack down on the proliferation of PFAS and their health consequences with a spate of new regulations, there is one significant upcoming ruling that will have tremendous impact for compliance and costs: the final rule on PFAS CERCLA designation.

• Video: Getting Off The Water Grid, With Membranes

  7/14/2023

  Membranes have long been proven effective for a variety of applications, but certain other applications pose difficulties for the technology, mostly due to O&M concerns. Next-generation membranes, however, have the ability to overcome traditional challenges — just in time to meet requirements for greater contaminant removal and sustainability.

• Water Pros Remain Optimistic Despite Mounting Challenges

  7/7/2023

  As they have for each of the last 20 years, AWWA published its State of the Water Industry Report recently, revealing the current concerns of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater professionals. The annual survey typically reveals plenty of year-over-year consistency, but this moment feels different.

• Doing Well By Doing Good: How Corporations Can Help Save Water And The Planet

  6/26/2023

  Some companies talk a good game on sustainability, but how many actually walk the walk? Protecting the environment and preserving scarce resources, especially water, is not just sound business; it's imperative to sustain life as we know it.
• Complete PFAS Removal: Are Current Proposals Enough?

  6/21/2023

  In this Q&A, a PFAS expert shares his viewpoints on the direction of regulations, as well as what can and should be done to root out so-called "forever chemicals" for good.