by Sami Stroud | Feb 12, 2026 | Utility Management, Wastewater, Workforce Development
Shannon Hazelton, at work in Winterset, IA and Point Hope, AK. When Shannon Hazelton entered the workforce, he never expected to spend nearly twenty years in wastewater. Yet his path—shaped by unexpected opportunities, tough environments, and a drive to keep...
by AJ Barney | Feb 6, 2026 | Conservation, Energy Management, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Utility Management, Wastewater
The Solar Calculator is a beginner-friendly Excel tool developed by the University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center to help drinking water and wastewater utilities explore the feasibility of on-site solar energy. Using facility location, available space,...
by Sami Stroud | Jan 7, 2026 | Utility Management, Wastewater, Workforce Development
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a rapidly growing technology that is increasingly integrated into modern software. AI systems are trained on vast amounts of data using algorithms designed to mimic human reasoning. One of the most familiar examples is chatbots, which...
by Sami Stroud | Dec 1, 2025 | Asset Management, Capital Improvement Planning, Wastewater
One of the biggest challenges many wastewater utilities—especially small systems—face is striking the right balance between responding to urgent, unexpected issues and planning for long-term needs. Without a clear strategy, resources often get consumed by emergencies,...
by AJ Barney | Nov 25, 2025 | Affordability, Energy Management, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Utility Management, Wastewater
In this tutorial, Danish Kumar of the University of Maryland’s Environmental Finance Center walks you through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) PVWatts Calculator to estimate the potential solar energy production at your water or wastewater...
by AJ Barney | Nov 19, 2025 | Access to Water/ Wastewater Funding Sources, Funding Coordination, Infrastructure Renewal/ Replacement, Partnerships, Utility Management, Wastewater
Small and rural communities often face steep financial and regulatory hurdles when trying to maintain or improve their water and wastewater systems. In upstate New York’s Mohawk Valley, the towns of Canajoharie, Fort Plain, Nelliston, and Palatine Bridge are showing...
