ARTICLES BY KEVIN WESTERLING

• Homing In On Leaks: Rethinking AMI's Role In Water Conservation

  5/7/2025

  New research indicates that the targeted deployment of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in leak-prone households, leveraging near real-time water use monitoring, could maximize their value.
• Building Back Better?

  5/2/2025

  Every four years, America gets a fresh reminder of where we stand as a nation, for better or worse. What have we reaped this time around?
• Cybersecurity For The Win: How Water Utilities Can Embrace Digital Technology

  3/6/2025

  Water and wastewater system operators are known to be a careful lot. Tightly regulated by the U.S. EPA and state agencies — and committed to public health — they cannot afford mistakes. This often results in "tried-and-true" methodologies winning out over innovative solutions, but the incredible upside offered by digital technologies has encouraged a wave of cyber adoption. Almost cruelly, it comes with cyber threats.

• Closing The Workforce Skills Gap On Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning At Water Utilities

  2/21/2025

  Although artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have been under development and talked about for years, the practical implementation of these technologies came fast and furious. Now, with their rapid growth across all industries, many are feeling overwhelmed — especially water workers. This Q&A explores how and why utilities should embrace AI and ML.
• Building Tomorrow's Wastewater Treatment Systems... And Workforce

  1/17/2025

  Engineering Tomorrow, a national education nonprofit dedicated to fostering a more diverse and expansive engineering workforce, recently engaged thousands of students across the country in an interactive lab on wastewater treatment and related careers in partnership with Engineers Without Borders USA.

• 2025 Water Forecast: Transition, Changes, And Trends

  1/7/2025

  Hmmm … what’s new for 2025? That's asked with a hint of knowing sarcasm, as the incoming presidential administration promises to disrupt the status quo. The change in direction for environmental policy, including impacts on regulations as well as traditional and human infrastructure, has yet to fully reveal itself.
• Monitoring Know-How For PFAS Regulations

  10/31/2024

  A Q&A to explain and resolve issues confronting water suppliers as they endeavor to comply with the monitoring requirements of federal PFAS regulations.

• Clearing LCRI Hurdles

  10/31/2024

  Assessing what lies ahead in the 10-year race to go lead-free, otherwise known as the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI).
• Innovative PFAS Treatment Proves Less Is More

  10/30/2024

  A new PFAS treatment system from the University of British Columbia (UBC) features a patented UV catalyst that requires only minimal light, making it much more energy-efficient. Learn more from two of the principals involved in its development.

• The Importance Of Youth Engagement In Water Conservation And Environmental Initiatives

  10/22/2024

  In a recent episode of The Water Online Show, co-host Travis Kennedy and I had the pleasure of welcoming Moalie Jose, a dedicated board member of the Maryland Environmental Service and a talented engineer with Hazen and Sawyer. The conversation revolved around Moalie's impactful initiatives aimed at advancing water and environmental causes in the Baltimore community.
• New Approaches To "Old" Water Issues

  9/6/2024

  A look at the latest thinking on some longstanding but still very relevant concerns — replacing water pipelines and workers.

• Understanding Urban Resilience And The Role Of Smart Water Networks

  8/20/2024

  As cities grow and face environmental challenges, the concept of urban resilience becomes increasingly important. A recent study discusses the theoretical framework needed to build a smart water network that can enhance the resiliency of urban environments. It also reveals the critical technologies, including advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), that are key to pulling it all together.

• A Tiny Bit Of PFAS

  7/12/2024

  In the most recent edition of Water Innovations, there is not a single article focused on PFAS. That wouldn't be exceptional if not for the fact that discussion around per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances has so thoroughly dominated the water space lately. And yet, I penned this as an intro to the edition — just "a tiny bit of PFAS" content — because a small portion of PFAS is of the utmost importance in terms of treatment, policy, and cost.

• A Digital Journey Through ACE24

  6/28/2024

  With more than 10,500 attendees at ACE24, AWWA's Annual Conference and Exposition is getting back on track to (almost) pre-COVID levels. And if you were away for a while, you were struck by the amount of digital technologies on the show floor.