by Sami Stroud | Feb 25, 2026 | Energy Management, Utility Management, Wastewater
As many of us have noticed, the cost of energy continues to rise. Several factors are driving this increase, including the rapid expansion of data centers to support AI technologies and aging utility infrastructure. For wastewater systems, these trends matter a great...
by Sami Stroud | Feb 20, 2026 | Additional Support Organizations, Conservation, Water Loss Reduction
Photo by Unsplash from Freerange Stock. Water loss, especially in a desert climate, is tough. Finding leaks can be tougher. Traditional leak detection can be expensive, time-consuming, and sometimes feels like a guessing game. Well, have no fear, for the New Mexico...
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...
by Sami Stroud | Feb 10, 2026 | Access to Wastewater Funding Sources, Access to Water Funding Sources, Access to Water/ Wastewater Funding Sources, Additional Support Organizations, Managerial & Financial Leadership, Small Water Systems
Staff at rural, small, and tribal (RST) water utilities often operate in remote, hard-to-reach areas, and face aging infrastructure with limited financial resources. These challenges threaten their core mission of providing safe, reliable, and affordable water...
