by Southwest EFC | Mar 27, 2026 | Managerial & Financial Leadership, Workforce Development
Figure: Older and Younger Water Operators. Image generated with AI by WSU EFC in Canva. As experienced plant managers and superintendents approach retirement, many utilities may discover that the next generation of leaders simply hasn’t been prepared. The...
by Sami Stroud | Mar 17, 2026 | Additional Support Organizations, Managerial & Financial Leadership, Utility Management, Workforce Development
Mhoon Landing water tank in Tunica County, MS. Photo courtesy of Eric Williams, Mississippi State University. Optimizing Public Water Systems Inefficiency has been a persistent challenge in managing public water systems nationwide. These inefficiencies contribute...
by Sami Stroud | Mar 11, 2026 | Wastewater, Workforce Development
Image created by Leslie Kimball, Wichita State EFC This past January I had the opportunity to present at a conference in Hilton Head, South Carolina. What was supposed to be an easy trip to a beautiful destination proved to be a trickier...
by Southwest EFC | Feb 26, 2026 | Community Engagement, Compliance with Drinking Water Regulations, Compliance with Wastewater Regulations, Stormwater, Utility Management, Workforce Development
This episode explores how the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement has evolved since its inception. The conversation breaks down pollution diets and nutrient reduction goals, highlights effective stormwater best management practices, and discusses workforce development...
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 Sami Stroud | Feb 11, 2026 | Financial Management, Managerial & Financial Leadership, Utility Management, Workforce Development
The past few years have been water’s moment. Nationally, we’ve had a greater recognition of the importance of water: an understanding that water really is life, and we need to invest in it. More money than ever poured into various funding programs to allow water and...
