Kevin Westerling Articles

71. AWWA's Rebel With A Cause 8/30/2019

    Presidents and CEOs aren’t typically the types who get the “cool” label, or at least not in the James Dean sense. But when you rise through the ranks of your industry, challenge the status quo, protect everyday citizens, and ride a motorcycle, you have earned the distinction. This brief Q&A gives insight into the history, motivations, and aspirations of current AWWA President Jim Williams — a lifelong champion of the water industry … and a darn cool guy.

72. Separate Ways: Examining The Stormwater Needs Gap 7/1/2019

    The Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) Stormwater Institute (SWI) reports on challenges and the annual funding gap for the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) sector.

73. Mating And Consolidating 5/1/2019

    It can be hard to go it alone, especially when times get tough. Many utilities are seeking support, as they deal with failing infrastructure, escalating contamination threats, extreme weather, and a retiring, difficult-to-replace workforce. These challenges could be overcome with a full set of resources — money, people, equipment, expertise — but many utilities, especially small-community systems, are not so complete.

74. Don't Let A Water Crisis Boil Over 3/1/2019

    No utility wants to issue a Boil Water Notice, but if it does happen, it’s important to get it right. Even if your utility has had a long, unblemished record of delivering high-quality water, a mishandled contamination event will leave a bad taste in your customers’ mouths (so to speak).

75. Fixin' To Solve Resiliency: Texas, Burns & McDonnell Tackle Infrastructure And Sustainability Issues 2/14/2019

    Texas is sizable enough to be a large country on its own, with an economy to match, and is also proudly unique. But when it comes to water issues, the Lone Star State shares a lot in common with the rest of America: overwhelmed and vulnerable infrastructure, threats to water quality and security, and competition for resources.

76. Changing Thoughts On Climate 1/10/2019

    I have a confession to make. Although I’m an empathetic person in general, I have found it hard to worry very much about the state of the world once I’m no longer part of it.

77. The Final Straw Against Water Pollution 11/8/2018

    If I were asked to describe the makeup of the Water Online and Water Innovations audience, I could say it’s a mix of engineers and operators focusing on clean and/or wastewater processes within municipal or industrial settings. But that wouldn’t tell the whole story, because you are much more than that — you are caretakers of our planet’s most valuable resource.

78. The True Meaning Of 'Value Of Water' Awareness 9/4/2018

    Observations from a conversation with Water Environment Federation (WEF) President Jenny Hartfelder

79. Is Stormwater The Industry's Red-Headed Stepchild? 8/14/2018

    The National Municipal Stormwater Alliance recently released the 2018 State of Stormwater Report on municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permits under the NPDES permitting program — the first-ever in a series that will publish annually. The Alliance also explained the somewhat distressing reason why the report is necessary: Stormwater is being largely ignored.

80. Pride And Prejudice: A Philadelphia (Water Department) Story 7/12/2018

    Recently, I had the opportunity to tour a unique and innovative facility, the Bureau of Lab Services (BLS), the “water quality heartbeat of the Philadelphia Water Department” (PWD), as described by BLS director Gary Burlingame.