Southern Nevada Water Authority’s John Entsminger: Betting on the Future
As general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), John Entsminger leads the agency responsible for acquiring and distributing the Las Vegas region’s share of Colorado River water. In 2014, he was appointed by Governor Sandoval to serve as Nevada’s lead negotiator on Colorado River matters, and he played a key role in developing interbasin and international agreements to protect Lake Mead water elevations. In this interview, Municipal Water Leader contributing editor Jeff Kightlinger speaks with Mr. Entsminger about negotiations over sharing a dwindling resource—and what it will take to “make this river work for everybody.”
Volume 9 Issue 4 April 2022
By Kris Polly This month, Municipal Water Leader Contributing Editor Jeff Kightlinger interviews a major figure in the world of water: John Entsminger, the general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority. Mr. Entsminger discusses the history behind the Drought Contingency Plan and the new 500+ Plan and the need for leadership as these and other major Colorado River basin agreements come closer to their expiration in 2026. We also speak with Max Silva of A&W Maintenance, the master applicator for Warren Environmental epoxy products, about the many applications of Warren’s coatings and how A&W rehabilitated and coated 5,000 feet of water mains in the town of Milton, Massachusetts, whose…
Taumata Arowai: New Zealand’s New Water Services Regulator
In the December issue of Municipal Water Leader, Elizabeth Soal wrote about the major changes happening in New Zealand’s three waters sector, which covers drinking water, wastewater, and storm water. In this issue, we interview Bill Bayfield, the CEO of the New Zealand’s new water services regulator, Taumata Arowai, about the reforms and about the role of his organization.
Innovations in the Pipeline at Krah USA
Krah USA makes large-diameter high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes for use in the irrigation, municipal, and hydropower markets. In this interview, co-CEOs Midge Graybeal and Mark Theetge and consultant Marc Thalacker, the manager of an irrigation district in Oregon, tell us about how municipalities, utilities, mines, marinas, and other customers are turning to the company’s products for a wide range of applications.
How Northern Water Is Using Floating Booms to Protect Reservoir Projects From Forest Fire Debris
Northern Water provides raw water and irrigation water to over 1 million residents of northeastern Colorado. Much of that water is sourced from the western slope of the Continental Divide and transported to the more heavily populated eastern slope via major infrastructure projects such as the federally owned Colorado–Big Thompson Project. Due to dry weather and threats to trees such as pine beetles, Colorado has recently suffered serious wildfires, which can pose risks to the quality of the water Northern Water delivers and to the infrastructure it uses. In this interview, General Manager Brad Wind tells us about the effects of the 2020 East Troublesome Fire and about the debris…
The Knoxville Utilities Board: Ensuring High-Quality, Sustainable Services for Decades to Come
The Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) provides electric, natural gas, water, and wastewater services to more than 473,000 customers in Knoxville, Tennessee, and parts of seven surrounding counties. The utility service received the 2021 Sustainable Water Utility Management Award from the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA). Municipal Water Leader spoke with KUB President and CEO Gabe Bolas and Manager of Plant Operations Joshua Johnson about KUB’s operations, stewardship, and challenges.
Dan Buhman: Building New Water Projects and Relationships in North Texas
The Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) uses a system of pipelines and lakes to bring water to more than 2 million people in Fort Worth and surrounding areas. Municipal Water Leader spoke with General Manager Dan Buhman about his agency’s achievements and ethos as it embarks on some $1 billion in capital improvements to provide additional water supply; enhance flood control; and create new wetlands, water reuse, and storage.
Volume 9 Issue 3 March 2022
By Kris Polly Since July 2021, Dan Buhman has served as the general manager of the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD), which has been providing flood control and water supply services to the city of Fort Worth, Texas, for nearly 100 years. In our cover interview, Mr. Buhman brings us news of the progress on TRWD’s four major capital projects: the Integrated Pipeline Project, the Panther Island flood control project, the construction of artificial wetlands, and aquifer storage and recovery facilities. The Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) provides electric, natural gas, water, and wastewater services to more than 473,000 customers in Knoxville, Tennessee, and parts of seven surrounding counties. In this…
An Update on the EPA’s New PFAS Testing Method
In September 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), published a draft of Method 1633, the first EPA-validated laboratory analytical method to test for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in eight different environmental media. PFAS are a group of so-called forever chemicals used in firefighting foam, nonstick pans, food packaging, and other products whose effects on human health and the environment are under increasing scrutiny. Method 1633 can be used for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits and other applications. In this interview, Robert Wood, the director of the Engineering and Analysis Division of the Office of Science and Technology…
How Subeca’s Water Management Platform Goes Beyond Advanced Metering Infrastructure
Technology company Subeca offers a total water management platform for water utilities that goes beyond the capabilities of a conventional advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) solution. It uses meters, sensors, and valves to provide utilities and customers with intelligence about water operations and potential problems like leaks and to enable them to react remotely. Further, its customer-facing portal, Engage, not only provides information about water consumption to end users but can also be set up to enable them to control shutoff valves, monitor irrigation systems and consumption, and operate other elements of their home systems. In this interview, Chief Strategy Officer Hank McCarrick provides insight into Subeca’s solution and how it…
