Melanie McClare: Working Smarter With Wastewater at Swirltex

Innovation can take many forms, and these can include making existing technology work better and more efficiently. Swirltex is committed to doing exactly that. The company produces custom, modular wastewater treatment systems that use buoyancy-based membrane filtration to more efficiently separate solids and liquids, producing higher-quality effluent and better production rates while requiring less energy. […]

Bryan Eagle of Glanris: Turning Ag Waste into Sustainable Filtration Media

Reducing and reusing waste material are important conservation issues for both the water and the food industries. Bryan Eagle cofounded Glanris to develop a new technology that employs discarded rice hulls to create a filter material that can remove metals and organic material from water systems, all without any plastic or artificial components and with […]

Craig Milne: How Robots Can Improve Data Collection and Safety

The evolution of robotics is continually opening more places for exploration, research, and productivity. These can include places that would be dangerous for people to interact with in person, but that robots can reach while controlled from a safe distance. Robots can collect accurate scientific or engineering data, repair or modify existing systems, and even […]

Coachella Valley Water District: Making Water Work for Families, Farmers, and Golfers

Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD), formed in 1918, protects and conserves local water sources across a vast region in Southern California. CVWD has grown into a multifaceted agency that delivers irrigation and domestic water, collects and recycles wastewater, provides regional storm water protection, replenishes the groundwater basin, and promotes water conservation to sustain the region’s […]

USALCO Increases Its Capabilities Through New Acquisition

USALCO is a chemical manufacturing firm whose products are used widely in the municipal water treatment field. It recently acquired the companies AlChem and CalCHEM, gaining two new plants, new capabilities, and a new geographical range. In this interview, USALCO Vice President of Sales and Marketing Terry Badwak tells Municipal Water Leader about the company’s […]

Furthering Diversity and Inclusion at Northwest Pipe Company

With over 900 employees, Northwest Pipe Company is the largest manufacturer of engineered steel water pipe systems in North America. In order to support its employees, increase its institutional resilience and productivity, and improve its recruitment, Northwest Pipe has adopted a new approach to its diversity and inclusion initiatives and will support them with activities […]

Developing Future Water Leaders at Eastern Municipal Water District

Having a pipeline of well-trained workers who can replace retiring employees and continue the mission has long been a priority for Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD), and it uses its internship and fellowship programs to do just that. In this interview, EMWD’s Human Resources Manager Paula Allen and Senior Public Affairs Program Manager Roxanne Rountree […]

How HDR is Transferring Knowledge and Developing Careers Through TaLON

HDR is an employee-owned engineering, architecture, and consulting firm that works on projects, including federal-related projects, related to transportation, water supply, drinking water, clean water, electrical solid waste, and industrial development. In a sense, what HDR sells is knowledge, and that being the case, knowledge transfer within the company is critical. One program that HDR […]

How the Great Lakes Water Authority’s Apprenticeship Program Is Building a Skilled Workforce

The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) is a regional water and wastewater treatment service provider for eight southeastern Michigan counties. In order to replace an aging workforce and ensure that it has sufficient skilled employees, GLWA has established a 3-year apprenticeship program that combines paid, on-the-job training; in-house educational courses; and community college courses. The […]