WWEMA Window: Growing A Network Of Information Resources
By John Collins, JCM Industries, Inc.
I had the pleasure of attending my 21st AWWA ACE recently in Las Vegas, NV. During this event, I had the opportunity to talk with many newcomers to the industry. One theme they kept bringing up was the amount of technology that is available to the water and wastewater industries. As someone who is now entering the ranks of the industry veterans, I feel obligated to share my insight on that singular observation: “Modern technology alone will not solve the problems of our current water and wastewater infrastructure.”
Pipe breaks and capacity limits that have become inadequate are two very common problems that face our water systems. The problem of multigenerational system upgrades and expansions that have occurred for the last 60-plus years has increased the breadth of solutions needed now more than ever in the more than 160,000 public and private water systems in the U.S.
These systems have clay, asbestos cement, cast iron, ductile iron, concrete steel cylinder, HDPE, fiberglass, and a variety of steel and PVC pipe throughout their networks. While out of sight to the general population, they are critical for modern life.
The people responsible for these systems are being challenged on both the proactive and reactive sides of maintaining their system’s integrity and reliability. They must do this while navigating complex and changing rules, regulations, codes, mandates, and laws. There are budget and resource limitations and restrictions that create their own variables in the form of a finite amount of dollars, hours, equipment, and people that are available to prevent disasters and respond to failures.
Such a daunting task would seem nearly impossible to deal with day in and day out to the people enlisted to ensure uninterrupted service to the hundreds of millions of residents and customers of these systems. But they accept the challenge because they know that what the American Water Works Association has been saying for decades is and always will be true: “Water is Life.”
So how do these water professionals deal with the seemingly countless challenges and variables of this massive industry? How can they know everything they need to know day in and day out, so they have all the answers they need? The simple answer is, they can’t. No school or training program can provide all the necessary knowledge needed to do everything that needs to be done. And while experience is the greatest teacher, after more than 25 years in this industry I have never met a superintendent, engineer, sales professional, technician, or industry executive who can answer all the questions and navigate all the obstacles. And since the target is always moving because of new variables, regulations, and requirements, there never will be one.
The answers, however, do exist:
There are professional organizations and associations designed to meet these needs and fill the knowledge void. The groups even have subgroups and specialty committees.
There are companies that only concentrate on one specific area, whose singular purpose is to solve one problem.
There are engineers who have spent their entire careers focusing on one discipline. Some of these people have literally written the books that are referenced when addressing problems.
But the common thread that the water systems, manufacturing companies, contractors, subcontractors, government officials and regulators, nonprofit associations, and standard committees share is people. These people not only have questions, but are able to supply the answers.
The overall responsibility that all members of the water industry share is providing safe drinking water to the population. It is too big of a job for any one agency, company, or government. To meet the growing needs of the population, we must share our knowledge. As a manufacturer, I have competitors who desire to sell to the same entities that I do. But I know that the integrity that this industry requires ensures me that we are all following the same rules.
I also know that manufacturers are not just about selling a product today. There is a wealth of knowledge throughout the different companies that comprise this industry that we are willing to share for the sake of providing solutions to water systems in need.
The greatest compliment I can give to a competitor is: “My company can’t do what you need, but I know who can.” I have said it and it has been said about my company as well.
Growing a network of information resources is essential to the success of design engineers and system managers alike. Do not shy away from the opportunity to engage with a manufacturer. The manufacturers in this industry want to earn your trust as much as your business. Many of our companies are more than decades old with a century or more heritage to protect. While each of us may have narrow fields of expertise, the knowledge available from us is deep and proven.
In the end, we are all members of the same group that relies on the systems that we service.
John Collins is the Chief Executive Officer of JCM Industries, Inc. located in Nash, TX. A family-owned business, JCM has been providing water solutions for decades and generations. John is a member of the Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers (WWEMA) Board of Directors. WWEMA is a Washington DC-based non-profit trade association representing water and wastewater technology and service providers since 1908. A member-driven organization, WWEMA is made up of many of the most prominent and influential companies in the industry who are working together to shape the future of water and wastewater technology in the U.S. and around the world. For more information about WWEMA, go to www.wwema.org.