By Kris Polly

This month, I have the great pleasure of introducing to our readership Greg Morrison, the new executive vice president of the National Water Resources Association (NWRA). Mr. Morrison is an excellent addition to the NWRA team and brings with him extensive experience in western water, policy development, communications, testimony before Congress, and more. The NWRA is the leading advocate for western water issues, and I encourage all our readers to get involved with it. 

Then, we turn to a major new project underway at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP): the Groundwater Replenishment Project at the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant. Jesus Gonzalez, LADWP’s manager of groundwater and recycled water, tells us how the project helps make L.A. “water strong.” 

Next, we speak with Michael Turco, the general manager of the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, which has been working since 1975 to reduce subsidence and related ills in the greater Houston area. Through regulation and research, the district is reducing groundwater extraction–driven land subsidence in this growing region. 

Armorock’s precast polymer concrete manholes and lift stations aim to combat corrosion and deterioration in an affordable manner. Chief Operating Officer Thomas Liffrig fills us in on its products and their benefits. 

The original use case of ASTERRA’s technology was looking for water on Mars; then, it turned its capabilities earthward. CEO James Perry and Director of Product Jacquie Matzkin tell us more about the company’s satellite-based leak detection solutions. 

Finally, we speak with Olga Morales‑Pate, the CEO of the Rural Community Assistance Partnership, which leads a national network of nonprofit partners that provide technical, financial, and managerial support to small and rural water systems. 

From the nation’s biggest cities to its rural communities, reliable water services remain a critical necessity. With sturdy products and advanced technologies, water professionals are ensuring that our entire nation remains water strong now and in the future. 

Kris Polly is the editor-in-chief of Municipal Water Leader magazine and the president and CEO of Water Strategies LLC, a government relations firm he began in February 2009 for the purpose of representing and guiding water, power, and agricultural entities in their dealings with Congress, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other federal government agencies. He can be contacted at kris.polly@waterstrategies.com.