Words on Water

RSP Engineers is improving how to manage and operate infrastructure—everything from water and wastewater systems to utilities and public sector projects. Listen to Rudolfo Sucre, President of RSP Engineers and RSP AI Technologies , discuss an AI platform called Atlas, which brings together data from maps, regulations, engineering systems, and operations into one place.

The 2nd Annual WEF/WateReuse Industrial Water Solutions Conference kicks off June 8-10th in Chicago. Business and utility leaders will come together to collaborate on the latest in the Circular Water Economy. Listen to our discussion with Heather Cheslek, Associate Vice President and Global Industrial Water Solution Leader at Black & Veatch , and Nyima Dansira, Senior Project Manager, speciali...

Business and utility leaders come together June 8–10 in Chicago for the 2nd Annual Industrial Water Solutions Conference. Courtney Tripp, Director of Sustainability and Strategy, shares why Grundfos is backing the event—and how water is powering the next economy.

Environmental Engineer and Director of the Southwest Environmental Finance Center at UNM, Heather Himmelberger, discusses her new book on how utilities can develop and implement a robust asset management program without feeling overwhelmed. 

The 2026 Operations Challenge qualifying season officially kicked off at the South Carolina Environmental Conference (SCEC), co-hosted by the Water Environment Association of South Carolina and the South Carolina Section of the American Water Works Association.  Held in March, the competition brought together 15 Operations Challenge teams from nine states and the District of Columbia—making it the...

Operations Challenge at WEFTEC 2025 wrapped up with a historic Division I sweep by teams from the Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association (RMWEA). In this episode of Challenge Accepted: The OC Forum , members of RMWEA’s Elevated Ops, Sewerside Squad, and Double Duty—joined by former competitor and mentor Orren West—reflect on the competition. They dive into how they prepared, what defines a w...

What's the best way to avoid stormwater compliance violations? Instead of relying on traditional hard-copy binders, Aqualis offers an electronic system to keep organized, well-maintained records. Listen to our conversation with Lisa Cratty, Director of Compliance with Aqualis , on the challenges and solutions for keeping up with regulatory requirements

Krishna Pagilla is the Chair of the David Jenkins Operator Scholarship. A former student and a Jenkins family friend, Dr. Pagilla talks about the life of Dr. Jenkins and why this $10,000 Operator Scholarship Award is a legacy of love.

Challenge Accepted: The OC Forum is a new podcast from the Water Environment Federation’s Words on Water, dedicated to all things Operations Challenge. Hosted by Operations Challenge legends, Steve Motley and Donnie Cagle, the show features conversations with the people who shape the competition—past, present, and future. Today, we dive into the new Safety Event debuting at WEFTEC 2026!

WEF is launching a new webcast series focused on recruiting more people to the water sector. Senior Director of Workforce Development, Laura Herman, gives us a preview of the first episode, "Leveraging Technology & AI in Workforce Operations".

How can utilities access the funding they need? That's the central question WEF aims to help answer at the upcoming Summit on Financing the Future of the Water Sector. Listen as we talk to Justin Mattingly, WEF's Senior Advisor for Resource Recovery, about the conference and how strategies for securing water infrastructure development will take center stage.

New at WEFTEC 2025 is WEF's Circular Water Economy Theater. Presentations will highlight initiatives that treat water as a renewable asset through the 3Rs (reduce, recover, regenerate). Listen to WEF's Senior Director of Circular Water talk about what attendees have in store.

As AI data centers expand, finding ways to save water is becoming increasingly crucial. Listen to our conversation with Rodolfo Sucre, Principal of RSP Engineers, about how balancing AI growth with sustainable practices is the key to managing the challenge. 

We are counting down the days to WEFTEC 2025! Listen to our conversation with WEF's Manager of Operator Programs, Jessica Rozek, as we get ready for Operations Challenge in Chicago.

The water sector urgently needs more people. Listen to our conversation with Chief Development Officer, Erin Grenz, with AQUALIS, a nationwide premier provider of sustainable water engineering and management for stormwater, wastewater and water quality testing, on how the company is recruiting young professionals to the water sector.

A WEF Strategic Goal is to lead the transformation to the Circular Water Economy. Veolia is embracing the challenge of water reuse as it addresses the critical issue of water scarcity. Listen as we talk with Karine Rougé, Chief Executive Officer of Municipal Water Services and Karin Hamel, President and CEO of the Sustainable Industries & Buildings Division.

As global demand for cloud computing, AI, and digital entertainment increases, so does the need for data centers. But expansion … More

The Industrial Water Solutions Conference in June is co-hosted by WateReuse and WEF. Anthony Zamarro, Principal Environmental Engineer at CDM … More

The NH6000sc Ammonia Analyzer is a new option for monitoring levels. Listen to Wastewater Applications Development Manager, Adam Jennings, about … More

Marcos Quintero is inspirational. He is the recipient of the 2023 and 2024 Operator Scholarship. Listen how we went from … More

The WEF/AWWA Young Professionals (YP) Summit is the premier water and wastewater industry workshop for young professionals. Vice Chairman, Haley … More

Hach is introducing new innovations to the water sector. Kwesi Kwapong, Municipal Market Manager, discusses how these new products make … More

Waters Corporation provides lab equipment, supplies and software for scientists across the world. Utilities and municipalities are turning to companies, … More

WEF is committed to environmental stewardship. WEF’s Stephanie Jones, Managing Director, Professional Development and Event Strategy, discusses what attendees can … More

Communication issues happen on the small and large scale. For the last 3 years, WEFTEC has provided a safe space … More