Kevin Westerling Articles
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Sackett v. EPA: A Collection Of Commentary
5/31/2023
The Supreme Court recently passed down its latest verdict regarding what constitutes "waters of the United States" (WOTUS) and therefore what waterbodies the U.S. EPA has — or, more to the point, does not have — the authority to regulate. Here, I've collected various sets of commentary and reaction about Sackett v. EPA and the impact of the court's decision.
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When Almost Perfect Isn’t Good Enough
5/4/2023
Despite statistically astounding performance, water and wastewater utilities have almost no room for error due to the nature of public perception and the importance of their work.
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Pioneering Utility Shares Insights On PFAS Treatability
4/11/2023
Horsham Water was one of the earliest and hardest hit by PFAS contamination. Due to their experience, they are also among the best at treating to very low levels. Learn about the "Horsham Standard" and what drinking water utilities can expect as they endeavor to meet the pending national standard.
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From Drought To Deluge: Gauging The Impact Of Western Rains
4/10/2023
For a number of years now, we have heard of dwindling water supplies in the western part of the U.S., but 2023 brought "atmospheric rivers" that (literally) flooded the Golden State and filled 12 of its 17 major reservoirs above their historical averages for the start of spring. It's a double-edged sword when such extreme weather arises, and obviously important to learn from the experience to better prepare for future events and plan for both resiliency and sustainability.
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Thoughts And Themes From The UN Water Conference
3/27/2023
The UN 2023 Water Conference, one of the most significant water events of this or any year, was held March 22-24 at UN Headquarters in New York, co-hosted by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Tajikistan, with online attendance from around the world pushing attendance to 10,000. During the conference, more than 700 commitments to “driving transformation from a global water crisis to a water-secure world” were made as part of the Water Action Agenda — what the UN called its “key outcome.”
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A Call To 'Water Action'
3/22/2023
Thomas Schumann is the founder of Thomas Schumann Capital. He is a sustainability pioneer and expert for water security investment and financial products, and a recent speaker at the UN 2023 Water Conference in New York from March 22nd (World Water Day) to the 24th.