Preparing a Small Utility for Capital Improvements

by Southwest EFC | Jul 14, 2026 | Capital Improvement Planning, Operations & Maintenance, Wastewater

In this episode James Markham from the Southwest Environmental Finance Center interviews Angelina Grey, Associate Planner at the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments in New Mexico about guidance for small utilities that are looking for help with capital...

How AI Can Help You Update Job Postings to Attract More Applicants

by AJ Barney | Jul 7, 2026 | Managerial & Financial Leadership, Operations & Maintenance, Wastewater, Workforce Development

Transform Your Water Operator Job Description with AI! Join Leslie, the Marketing and Communication Manager at the Environmental Finance Center at Wichita State University, as she reveals how to leverage AI to enhance your water operator job description and attract...

Turning Data into Action Part 3: Turning Sense into Dollars – Using Asset Management for Financial Decisions 

by Southwest EFC | Jun 29, 2026 | Asset Management, Wastewater

Photo Source: Aneesh Prodduturu on Pexels The overall goal of Asset Management planning is to help utilities make informed financial decisions about operating, managing, upgrading, and replacing utility assets. When investing in water infrastructure, decision-makers...

Turning Data into Action Part 2: Start Small – Building an Asset Management Plan that Works for You 

by Southwest EFC | Jun 26, 2026 | Asset Management, Wastewater

When deciding where to start the Asset Management journey, many staff feel overwhelmed and can get discouraged at the perception that Asset Management planning is a mountain to climb; however, every utility has resources available to start the process at a place...

Turning Data into Action Part 1: Beyond the inventory – What Asset Management Planning Really Means

by Southwest EFC | Jun 25, 2026 | Asset Management, Wastewater

Photo Source: Environmental Finance Center at Wichita State University Asset Management is more than simply building an inventory of your assets. On the whole, Asset Management planning is a framework used for decision-making and long-term planning. Asset Management...

Water Operator Math Made Easy: Volume Conversions Visualized Using One Simple Box

by AJ Barney | Jun 16, 2026 | Operations & Maintenance, Wastewater, Water Operator Certification

What if one simple box could help you understand almost every volume conversion (in imperial units) on your certification exam? Water operators work with volumes every single day, but it can be difficult to truly visualize what those numbers mean. This video breaks...