WIP Editorial

  1. From Possibility To Practice: 10 Key Takeaways From SWAN 2026 6/10/2026
    If SWAN 2026 proved anything, it’s that the smartest ideas in water aren’t theoretical — they’re operational, hard-earned, and often messy. What stood out most wasn’t just the themes, but who said them and how clearly they reflected where this industry actually is currently.
  2. Breaking Point: How Utilities Can Get Ahead Of The Water Main Crisis 6/4/2026
    The water and wastewater industry is currently grappling with a significant aging pipeline infrastructure crisis, a challenge that requires a shift from reactive repairs to proactive, data-driven management. In a recent Water Online webinar, industry experts Christine Ballard (CDM Smith), Greg Baird (Black & Veatch), and Andrew Beck (Garney) outlined a practical framework for addressing infrastructure repairs in ways that are fundable and executable.
  3. Getting Practical About Non-Revenue Water 5/29/2026
    Problems faced by water utilities seem to grow in both quantity and complexity each year. Among the most persistent challenges is non-revenue water (NRW). In a recent Water Online Live event, industry experts gathered to discuss this multifaceted challenge.
  4. Turning AMI Data Into Better Customer Service 5/18/2026

    For decades, the relationship between a water utility and its customers was simple. As water flows, the bills go out, and sometimes complaints come back. Customers had little visibility into how much water they were actually using on a day-to-day basis, and utilities had limited tools to give them any. Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) has long since changed that equation. 

  5. Water Infrastructure Has A New Bottleneck — And It's Not Money 5/1/2026
    Billions have been approved, but millions remain idle. The EPA's new report on earmarks sheds light on the logjam.
  6. What Is The Future Of Source Water Protection? 4/28/2026
    Water utility managers and municipal leaders have long struggled amid the convergence of several threats to public water supplies. During a recent Water Online Live event, I sat with a panel of industry experts to examine the transition from reactive crisis management to a proactive, adaptive resilience framework.
  7. Common AMI Implementation Mistakes And How To Avoid Them 4/23/2026

    The journey from manual water-meter reads to a fully integrated digital ecosystem is long and complex. To help utilities along, the Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN) released the global Smart Metering Playbook, which includes both implementation best practices and common pitfalls. Here are five common advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) rollout mistakes from the Playbook, along with examples of how to overcome them.

  8. Q&A: Inside A Municipal Water Deal That Didn't Happen — And Why That Matters 4/22/2026
    After initially voting for it, the Rahway (NJ) Municipal Council reversed course and canceled its bid process for the potential sale of the city’s water utility. As more municipalities explore alternative ownership, financing, or partnership models to address aging water infrastructure, Rahway’s experience offers a useful case study in how quickly these processes can shift — and why — explored in this Q&A with Obermayer’s Tom Wyatt.
  9. Americans Rank Water Reliability Alongside Cost Of Living As A Top National Priority 4/15/2026
    Reliable access to water now ranks alongside inflation and the cost of living as one of the most important national issues for U.S. voters, according to the 2026 Value of Water Index, the latest national survey conducted by the Value of Water Campaign.
  10. The Augmented Operator: Navigating The Intersection Of AI And The Water Sector Workforce 4/2/2026
    The water sector is facing a convergence of crises. On one side, an estimated 30–50% of the utility workforce is projected to retire within the next decade, taking with them irreplaceable institutional knowledge. On the other, AI is no longer future technology; it is being deployed today for operations. These two forces are colliding at precisely the moment utilities can least afford disruption.