The 21st Century Water is a free knowledge sharing podcast series featuring insightful discussions and solutions on the most pressing issues facing America’s 50,000+ utilities. The monthly podcast will feature water leaders who are working to meet both existing and emerging challenges and dive deep into novel solutions and new models that are producing tangible results. The goal of this podcast is to increase the likelihood that success stories can be replicated by leaders, operators and…
In this episode of 21st Century Water , we sit down with Jeffrey Szabo, CEO of the Suffolk County Water Authority, to explore how strong leadership and strategic planning are transforming one of the largest water utilities in New York. Szabo shares his path from public administration into the water sector, emphasizing that a technical background isn’t a prerequisite for impactful leadership. His…
Over the course of this conversation, we dive into the journey and leadership philosophy of Pieter Van Ry, who leads both South Platte Renew and the City of Englewood’s water utility. Pieter shares how he transitioned from a consultant in stormwater management to a dual-role leader overseeing drinking water and wastewater services for over 300,000 people. His story is one of transformation—both…
In this episode of 21st Century Water , we speak with Ken Waldroup, Executive Director at Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA), about his career journey, the challenges of coastal utility management, and the proactive steps taken by his team to lead in water quality and infrastructure modernization. Ken brings a unique perspective as a nuclear engineer turned water utility leader, and we…
In this episode of 21st Century Water , we sit down with Heather Collins, president of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and operations leader at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. We trace Heather’s path from engineering intern to managing water treatment for 19 million people, hearing how she was drawn into the water industry by chance and has stayed ever since.…
In this episode of 21st Century Water , we sit down with Glenn Marzluf, CEO and General Manager of Del-Co Water, to explore the growth, innovation, and strategic leadership shaping one of Ohio's fastest-growing water utilities. With roots in civil engineering and a unique journey through municipal roles in Florida and Ohio, Glenn shares how intentional career steps and a deep sense of purpose led…
In this episode of 21st Century Water , we sit down with Matt Stouder, Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) in Oregon, to explore how his leadership is driving operational resilience, environmental stewardship, and innovative thinking in wastewater management. We begin by learning how Matt’s rural upbringing and early exposure to water chemistry inspired a…
In this episode of 21st Century Water , we sit down with Eric Johnson, Executive Director of the Fox River Water Reclamation District (FRWRD), to unpack a unique leadership journey and explore a forward-thinking approach to water management. Eric’s path to running a regional wastewater agency is anything but conventional. Starting in public service at age 19 while in college, he transitioned from…
In this episode of 21st Century Water , we sit down with Andrea Cole, General Manager of Dominion Water & Sanitation District in Colorado. With a background in engineering and law, Andrea brings a multidimensional perspective to leading water, wastewater, and stormwater efforts in the fast-growing Sterling Ranch community. We begin by exploring her journey from a small town in Wyoming, where an…
In this episode of 21st Century Water , we sit down with John J. Entsminger, General Manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) and the Las Vegas Valley Water District. John oversees the water supply for 2.5 million residents and 40 million visitors annually in one of the most water-stressed regions of the United States. He shares his journey from environmental law to leading a major…
In this episode of 21st Century Water , we sit down with Matthew Wirtz, Deputy Director and Chief Engineer at Fort Wayne City Utilities. With over 25 years of experience, Matt has played a crucial role in shaping the city’s water infrastructure, addressing challenges like flood prevention, stormwater management, and sustainability. Coming from a farming background, Matt’s early exposure to water…
This episode of 21st Century Water features a dynamic conversation with Ghassan Korban, Executive Director of the Sewage & Water Board of New Orleans. Korban shares insights from his six-year tenure, focusing on the challenges and transformative solutions for New Orleans’ water infrastructure, a system vital to a city below sea level. The episode dives into the critical steps taken to modernize…
In this episode of 21st Century Water , Mahesh Lunani speaks with Will Pickering, CEO of Pittsburgh Water, about the transformative changes he has overseen in Pittsburgh's water infrastructure. Pickering shares his unconventional journey into utility leadership, tracing his career from public policy roles in Washington, D.C., to heading a water utility that was in dire need of reform when he…
In today's episode of the 21st Century Water Podcast, we engage in an insightful conversation with Greg Eyerly, Director of Houston Water. Greg's journey through the water industry spans three decades, and his career trajectory is a testament to his willingness to take risks and make bold decisions. He started in the laboratory and transitioned to operations, a move that laid the foundation for…
In this episode of the 21st Century Water podcast, Mahesh Lunani talks with Craig Miller, the general manager of the Western Municipal Water District in California. Craig brings over three decades of experience in water management, focusing on operations, engineering, and community service. He discusses the significant decisions in his career and his vision for creating a climate-resilient water…
In the "21st Century Water" podcast episode hosted by Mahesh Lunani, listeners are introduced to Kishia Powell, the General Manager and CEO of WSSC Water, which is recognized as the eighth-largest water utility in the United States. With a career spanning over 25 years, Powell has significantly contributed to the water sector, focusing on the provision of essential services, the economic…
In our latest episode of the 21st Century Water Podcast, we had the privilege of engaging with Shivaji Deshmukh, General Manager of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency. Shivaji, a veteran in the field with over two decades of experience in sustainable water solutions, sheds light on the evolution and challenges of Southern California's water systems, emphasizing the importance of innovative…
In this episode of the 21st Century Water podcast, we delve into the visionary leadership and innovative mindset of Roger Bailey, the General Manager of the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District. With a distinguished career that has spanned across the United States, Bailey shares his extensive experience and the transformative journey in the water industry, from his early days in Antigua and…
We dive into a conversation with Kevin Ward, the General Manager of the Trinity River Authority Kevin oversees a vast operation that includes water treatment and wastewater facilities, serving a wide area and managing a significant budget. His journey from a temporary role in the water business to leading one of the top utilities in the country is a testament to his dedication and adaptability.…
We dive into the heart of water infrastructure challenges and innovations in our latest podcast episode. Our guest, Troy Hayes, brings over two decades of experience from the City of Phoenix, where he oversees a vast utilities operation. His journey from engineering to operations highlights pivotal shifts towards managing one of the largest utilities in the U.S., emphasizing the generational…
Juan Carlos Guerrero, Public Utilities Director at the City of San Diego, shares his journey from starting as a wastewater treatment plant operator to becoming a utility CEO. He discusses the pivotal moments in his career and the challenges and opportunities in the water industry. Juan also talks about the size and scope of the City of San Diego's public utilities, including its water and…
Today, Aquasight's Mahesh Lunani welcomes Andrew Lee, CEO of Seattle Public Utilities. He currently manages about 1,400 employees, and has previously worked in Bellevue, San Franscisco, and various consulting firms. First and foremost to Andrew is a desire to serve people. Yes, in Seattle they service large corporations like Microsoft and Amazon, but Andrew takes pride in serving the most…
Michael Mucha, the Chief Engineer and Director for the Madison Metropolitan Sewage District (MMSD), has bi-coastal experience as both an educator and administrator. Prior to his current role in Wisconson, he's worked in both Olympia, Washington, and Reading, Pennslyvania. This structural engineer by degree explains how a job as a civil engineer completely changed his career trajectory. Michael…
As GM of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Marty Adams is in a very unique position in the water world. Not only does he oversee a combined department of water and power, he's doing it for the second largest city in the country, along with all the climate challenges faced by the state of California. Having worked at LADWP for 39 years, Marty has seen the department through many…
NEW Water in Green Bay, Wisconsin, may be a mid-sized utility. But during our interview with executive director Tom Sigmund today, you'll hear about the remarkable things they are doing to prepare for the future. NEW Water covers 15 municipalities and over 240,000 residents. Over the next 20 years, they will implement a $470 million dollar capital improvement plan. Like many utilities, Tom sees…
Today, Mahesh Lunani talks to Kamuron Gurol, Director of the King County Wastewater Treatment Division, Washington State (including Seattle). Prior to taking on this role, Kamuron was a Corridor Development Director at a 116-mile rail system connecting greater Seattle area. Kamuron was also the City Manager at City of Burien, a community of 50,000 with hundreds of businesses. In his current role,…
Alyson Watson is our first non-utility CEO guest, and she lends her perspective from the private sector. Alyson is the CEO of Woodard and Curran, a planning, funding, engineering, construction and O&M (operations and maintenance) organization. Alyson talks about three big trends in the water industry: resiliency, the switch from an extraction to a creation economy, and ESG (environmental and…
Laura Briefer is the director of Salt Lake City Public Utilities. Today she joins Mahesh Lunani of Aquasight to talk about her unique role in the water community as it relates to her appointment, droughts in the West, collaboration, and leadership. Unlike many of her colleagues, Laura's job is appointed by the Mayor, and she's been in the role through three administrations. There are unique…
Today, Aquasight founder and CEO Mahesh Lunani sits down with Calvin Farr, Chief Executive Officer of Prince William County Service Authority, providing water and wastewater services for over 360,000 customers. Calvin talks about changes to workplace culture in his two decades in the industry. The days of a two-generation workplace, where Baby Boomers order around Gen X'ers, are gone. Now, with 4…
Megan Ross is the Utilities Director of Pinellas County Florida, which includes Clearwater and St. Petersburg (near Tampa). A chemical process engineer by trade, her background is different than other water professionals we've spoken to. She entered this industry because she saw a need, and she wanted to stay close to home and serve her community. Megan describes the unique governance structure…
Carla Reid is the CEO of Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) Water, one of the largest utilities in the country, serveing over 1.8 million residents through 11,000 miles of water and sewer mains, 2 water filtration plants, and 6 Water Resource Recovery Facilities. She also served on the boards of several reputed organizations such as DC Water, Prince George County Revenue Authority and…
David Gadis is the CEO of DC Water. Prior to this, he was with Veolia NA and Indianapolis Water. He joins Aquasight CEO Mahesh Lunani for a wide-ranging discussion, including how his experience in the private sector informs his management style when running a utility. A third generation water professional, Gadis looks at DC Water as an economic engine for our nation's capital. This includes…
Today, Aquasight CEO Mahesh Lunani is joined by OJ McFoy, CEO Buffalo Sewer Authority and Chairman of Buffalo Water. OJ is a Professional Engineer, on the board of NACWA, and is a member of the US Water Alliance Equity Taskforce Team. OJ and his team is treating wastewater for over 500,000 residents in the State of New York and recharging Niagara River. Throughout our conversation, you'll hear…
Mami Hara is the CEO of the US Water Alliance and formerly CEO of Seattle Public Utilities, as well as Deputy Commissioner at Philadelphia Water. Her diverse background also includes time as a visiting professor at MIT, an adjunct professor at Temple University, and principal at an urban planning and architecture firm. She has degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and the Harvard University.…
Tad Bohannon leads the largest public drinking water system in Arkansas, serving 500,000 consumers and 18 cities. Tad's law degree, water licenses, and recent Master's degree from the University of Oxford combine to make him the perfect man to lead Central Arkansas Water through the 21st Century. Tad and Aquasight Founder Mahesh Lunani discuss how CAW is set up and governed, including their naming…
Adel Hagekhalil is the CEO of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. It is the largest wholesale agency in the country serving 19 million residents and 26 member-public agencies. Given the challenges of water in California, this conversation should resonate with listeners not only in the US, but worldwide. Adel discusses how the fourth aqueduct, including reuse of water, will…
Today, Aquasight Founder and CEO Mahesh Lunani is joined by Andy Gere, COO and President of San Jose Water. SJW is an Investor-Owned Utility serving one million residents, and it is part of SJW Group that is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Andy has over 28 years of experience in all things water and has both a PE as well as a California T4 operator license. Given the challenges of…
Today, host Mahesh Lunani is joined by Erin Mahoney, Commissioner of Environmental Services for Ontario Canada's York Region. Erin has over 30 years experience in the public and private sectors, and she's responsible for a range of services including water and wastewater. She is also on the board of Canada's Federal Clean Technology Foundation. We had a fascinating conversation around Erin and her…
Michael Johnson of Birmingham (Alabama) Water Works joins Mahesh Lunani today. We discuss how his background in the military, as well as private and public service, influences the work he does in his current role. Michael explains the unique challenges of BWW, a system that supplies water to over 600 thousand residents, over five counties and 750 square miles. We also cover the day to day demands…
Today, Mahesh Lunani is joined by Mickey Conway, a lawyer by trade. Mickey left his career in New Jersey to return to his home state of Colorado. Eventually he rose from general counsel to district manager of the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District, serving Denver and beyond. Mahesh and Mickey discuss his career transition and experience running a government entity. What surprised him and what…
Today, Aquasight CEO Mahesh Lunani is joined by Dr. Lynn Broaddus, President of both the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and Broadview Collaborative Inc. She has also worked at Johnson Foundation and The Nature Conservancy. This Duke PhD is known for her outside-the-box thinking when it comes to addressing sustainability challenges. In this episode, we cover how Lynn "fell into" water,…
Today, Aquasight CEO Mahesh Lunani is joined by Howard Neukrug, former CEO of Philadelphia water, currently professor at University of Pennsylvania, and chair of the Leading Utilities of the World CEO network. Howard wears many hats, but his principal job is head of the Water Center at UPenn. We will have an interesting dialogue both from a point of view of practitioner and a teacher. Howard walks…
Today, Aquasight CEO Mahesh Lunani speaks to Terry Leeds, President of National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and Director of Kansas City Water, as well as Adam Krantz, Chief Executive Officer of NACWA. What career accomplishments are Terry and Adam most proud of? What are the big issues being addressed at NACWA? What does Adam hope to accomplish as NACWA President? How does Terry…
American Water Works Association CEO David LaFrance joins Mahesh Lunani for a 360-degree look at the water sector. We start with the financial impact COVID-19 has had on the industry. This leads into a discussion on the public's trust of the water sector. Which groups trust it more than others? We also look at water rates in the US. Are they under rated? The water sector is both highly regulated,…
George Hawkins, former GM of DC Water, sits down with Mahesh Lunani to discuss how he transitioned from being a regulator to an operator, and why his time at DC Water was all about the people and innovation. He discusses his new passion, Moonshot Missions, and how it will help utilities improve cost structure. Links: Moonshot Missions Website Aquasight Website Aquasight Website:…
Pam Elardo is the Deputy Commissioner of New York City's Department of Environmental Protection . She talks to Mahesh Lunani today about the vast scope of the city's wastewater system, and how she has to balance the past, present, and future. Pam also shares her thoughts on what the 21st century holds for water systems, and who will be needed to work in the field. Finally, Pam discusses how her…
Tremendous challenges and opportunities exist right now for our nation's water infrastructure. In this 15 minute podcast, the industry's top leaders and innovative minds share their knowledge and insights for ensuring our water systems are operating safely and efficiently. These discussions are designed to motivate and create vibrant 21st century water systems and the innovative workforce required…
