Scaling UP! H2O

Why does water behave the way it does, and how do you explain that clearly to someone else? Connor Hanrahan, Technical Director of Industrial Water Engineering and author of The Blueprint of Water, joins Trace Blackmore, CWT, to connect technical understanding with teaching, professional development, and the work of writing a book.

Become a student of your daily work

Trace opens by challenging familiar service and delivery routines: What are the numbers telling you, and could the process be safer or more efficient? Connor traces his own learning from graduate desalination research to a first steel-plant visit and his growing teaching role with AWT.

Teach the reasoning behind the procedure

Dosages and setpoints provide instructions, but Connor wants water treaters to understand the chemistry behind them. He describes simplifying technical ideas into basic building blocks, using a whiteboard when an explanation falls short, and drawing on his improv background to respond to the audience.

For trainers and technical managers, the emphasis is on helping people understand an idea well enough to explain it themselves.

Keep CWT knowledge active in the field

At IWE, monthly chemistry and equipment seminars help keep knowledge fresh, while a 12-week preparation process supports future CWT candidates. Connor emphasizes asking underlying questions and applying knowledge beyond familiar service-report routines.

Trace also shares his expectations for broader recognition of the credential. He presents future customer and regulatory recognition as an outlook, rather than an established requirement.

Turn purpose into accountable action

The conversation then moves to memento mori, bucket lists, and the value of treating time intentionally. Trace describes connecting three-year goals with shorter planning periods.

Connor credits his Rising Tide Mastermind peers with helping his book become real. Eric Dotson's question helped spark the project, while Dave Fitzgerald's invitation to contribute quarterly articles to The North Connection created deadlines, accountability, and experience publishing his ideas.

Understand the book and the work behind it

Connor explains how The Blueprint of Water connects the water molecule with heat, pH, scaling, corrosion, and microbiology. It includes problem sets and engineering notes for applying concepts; he explicitly distinguishes it from a CWT exam guide.

He also describes the demands of writing, including marathon sessions and setting aside writing time before inspiration arrives. Trace shares how defining an audience's starting knowledge and desired outcome helped him develop his own material.

The companion website extends the learning through questions, system calculators, and the water treatment game Route.

The thread throughout is professional responsibility: keep asking questions, explain your reasoning, and make learning a deliberate part of your work.

Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!

Timestamps

02:20 — Trace challenges listeners to become students of their daily work and question what familiar test results and routines reveal.

07:30 — He previews AWT Technical Training in Frisco, Texas, and the available learning paths for different experience levels.

14:30 — Connor traces his path from graduate desalination research to industrial water treatment and IWE.

19:00 — His expanding AWT teaching role highlights the value of sharing knowledge across the industry.

20:50 — Connor explains why dosages and setpoints need an underlying explanation that water treaters can understand.

24:00 — Whiteboards, basic building blocks, and improv help him adapt technical teaching to the audience.

25:30 — The CWT discussion revisits 12-week preparation and monthly training that keeps chemistry and equipment knowledge fresh.

29:30 — Connor explains why CWT candidates need to apply knowledge, and Trace considers broader future recognition of the credential.

35:10 — Memento mori introduces a discussion about limited time, meaningful work, and postponed goals.

39:40 — Trace and Connor connect bucket lists with three-year goals and 12-week planning periods.

45:00 — Mastermind support and quarterly magazine contributions help turn Connor's book idea into accountable work.

49:40 — Connor explains the book's conceptual approach to water, its engineering notes, and its intended audience.

53:20 — He describes the concentration, long writing sessions, and personal support involved in creating the manuscript.

58:20 — Trace shares how an audience-focused presentation outline helped him begin his own writing project.

Connect with Connor Hanrahan

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/industrial-water-engineering-inc./

Industrial & Commercial Water Treatment Systems | IWE | Industrial Water Engineering

LinkedIn: Connor Hanrahan | LinkedIn

Guest Resources Mentioned

The Blueprint of Water - website

Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

12 Week Year

Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses

Submit a Show Idea

The Rising Tide Mastermind

308 The 12-Week Strategy For Taking the CWT Exam

2026 Events for Water Professionals

Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.

This episode made possible through our valued partners at

Intelligent water management starts with a question a utility bill cannot answer: what is happening inside the building right now? David Benaiges, Vice President of Intelligent Water Solutions at Watts Water Technologies, joins Trace Blackmore, CWT, to explain how flow, leak, temperature, and pressure data can help teams investigate abnormal usage and prioritize their response.

Look Beyond the Monthly Bill

A higher bill can signal a problem without identifying its cause. David explains why ongoing flow monitoring provides a more useful view of changing water-use patterns, including underground leaks that may remain out of sight.

Trace supplies a practical example: a failed cooling tower makeup valve caused an overflow at a client's site. Because the controller was monitoring the system, his team caught the problem the same day.

Match the Monitoring to the Risk

David describes an approach that can expand from the main meter to individual building areas and specific equipment. Main-meter flow data establishes a broad usage profile; additional meters and leak sensors provide more detail near kitchens, washing machines, ice makers, or other areas of concern.

The appropriate combination depends on the building's risk and the value of exposed equipment. He also explains how automatic shutoff or a manually activated remote valve can add another layer of protection when someone cannot reach the site quickly.

Turn Sensor Data into Priorities

AI can help distinguish unusual consumption from recurring patterns, such as a regular event that increases demand. However, David emphasizes the continuing role of people who understand water systems in interpreting anomalies and helping facilities teams decide where to investigate.

Temperature readings across domestic hot water systems and pressure measurements extend that visibility beyond consumption. These measurements can help teams assess whether systems are operating as designed and investigate issues such as incorrect mixing.

Evaluate Security and Insurance Alongside Performance

For connected systems, David describes Nexa's network architecture and access controls for functions such as changing a mixing-station setpoint. His explanation gives building teams specific questions to raise about monitoring, control, and system access.

Insurance outcomes require a separate conversation with the insurer. David shares a customer example involving a premium discount, while explaining that results depend on the insurer, the building's history, and the protection deployed.

Looking ahead, David presents his "2030 divide" as an expectation that proactive water management will become a competitive advantage. His closing invitation to water treaters is practical: connect treatment expertise with building water management to improve outcomes for the building and its users.

Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!

Timestamps

01:20 — Trace introduces David Benaiges and his role in bringing building water systems into the digital era.

02:40 — David defines intelligent water through visibility into water use, damage risk, and system performance.

04:20 — Utility bills reveal symptoms, while more frequent measurements help teams investigate the underlying causes.

05:40 — Flow monitoring and submetering provide a clearer picture of usage patterns and potential hidden leaks.

07:30 — David explains how main-meter monitoring, downstream measurements, leak sensors, and shutoff capabilities can build layers of protection.

09:40 — Temperature and pressure readings help teams assess hot water performance and investigate incorrect mixing.

11:40 — AI supports anomaly detection, while water-system expertise helps translate alerts into practical priorities.

13:50 — Network architecture and access controls become key considerations when water equipment connects to digital systems.

17:10 — David discusses insurers' interest in leak protection and explains why building teams may need more than isolated leak sensors.

20:20 — Automatic and manually activated remote shutoff offer different response options, followed by a discussion of backflow-preventer monitoring.

22:40 — A leaking toilet illustrates how changes in low-use baselines can expose water losses that otherwise go unnoticed.

24:10 — David explains his "2030 divide" outlook and why he expects proactive water management to affect building competitiveness.

29:20 — Water treatment and building water management become a shared opportunity for collaboration around the same system.

34:20 — David names Joseph Watts as an inspiration for thinking about future water-system standards and innovation.

Quotes

"Flow tells us a lot of things that are going on in that building."

"If you start coding that manually, you would be there all day, right?"

"We have a lot of customers that really don't want the automated portion, but they do want the ability to do it remotely."

"There is a lot to be gained from managing water better."

Connect with David Benaiges

Email: [email protected]

Website: Watts Water Technologies

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/showcase/nexaplatform

www.linkedin.com/in/david-benaiges

Guest Resources Mentioned

Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made ― A National Bestselling Exposé of Development Hell by Jason Schreier (Author)

La península de las casas vacías / The Peninsula of Vacant Houses (Spanish Edition) by David Uclés (Author)

Nexa Customer Success Stories

FM | FM Approvals

Watts History

Nexa Hardware

Nexa Data Security & Privacy

Works with Nexa

EPA WaterSense at Work, Section 2.1: Metering and Submetering

EPA WaterSense at Work, Section 2.2: Leak Detection and Repair

EPA WaterSense at Work: Best Management Practices

Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses

Submit a Show Idea

Industrial Water Week

2026 Events for Water Professionals

Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.

This episode made possible through our valued partners at

Industrial Water Week 2026 has ended, and Trace Blackmore, CWT, challenges listeners to carry its focus on learning and mentorship into the rest of the year. This Pinks and Blues episode combines reflections on IWW26 and the AWT convention with listener questions about AI and professional development.

Give continued learning a place on your calendar

Trace proposes a specific challenge: choose one of Industrial Water Week's five focus areas and schedule 30 minutes to improve your understanding. Those areas are pretreatment, boilers, cooling, wastewater, and careers.

He suggests reading an article, watching a training video, revisiting an earlier podcast, or walking an account with fresh eyes. He also encourages listeners to consider someone they could mentor, a question to ask a mentor, or a process to improve.

Build on the relationships behind the industry

Looking back at the AWT convention in Oklahoma City, Trace recounts listeners saying the podcast motivated them to pursue the Certified Water Technologist designation or reconsider leaving the industry. He describes the Scaling UP! H2O magic button as a way to start conversations with other attendees.

He also recalls Mark Lewis sharing the spotlight during his award recognition. That gesture allowed Tom Brandvold to present Trace's earlier award to him in person.

Use AI while continuing to develop your expertise

Answering questions prompted by Episode 492, Trace recommends AI for routine data gathering and study aids built from information the user knows is correct. His experiences with incorrect blending instructions reinforce his recommendation to verify technical answers.

For service reports, he suggests using AI to improve the wording of factual notes about completed work, including probe calibration, cleaning, and pump priming. Each report should still describe that particular visit.

For employers, Trace recommends deciding which platforms to use, reviewing settings, training employees, and documenting acceptable use. He also suggests seeking knowledgeable help when developing an AI policy.

Choose a learning path that fits your next step

Trace shares his educational journey, including earning his GED and MBA and currently pursuing a doctorate in business administration. He explains why the flexibility of online learning suited him.

He also previews AWT technical training announced for November 11–14, 2026, in Frisco, Texas. He describes concurrent options including fundamentals and applications, program design and operations, water treatment and advanced water treatment, ASSE 12080, and wastewater.

Choose one skill to strengthen and give that commitment a specific place in your working week.

Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!

Timestamps

All times are approximate. Chapter markers are rounded to the nearest 10 seconds.

02:20 — Trace connects Industrial Water Week 2026 with the continuing education and mentorship the industry needs throughout the year.

08:40 — A 30-minute learning challenge turns the celebration into a specific commitment to professional development.

09:20 — Reflections on the AWT convention show how professional conversations can reinforce career motivation and mentorship.

15:10 — The Scaling UP! H2O magic button offers convention attendees a simple way to start conversations and build relationships.

19:40 — Trace contrasts manual tank measurements with a Pyxis radar device to illustrate how tools can simplify routine work.

21:50 — The origin of Pinks and Blues leads into a discussion of career impact, mentoring, and measuring customer water savings.

24:00 — James McDonald's inspiration for Detective H2O explains how storytelling became a vehicle for water treatment education.

28:40 — Listener questions examine how new water treaters can use AI while continuing to learn the fundamentals.

30:20 — Trace's chemical-blending examples illustrate why AI-generated instructions require technical verification.

31:30 — Flashcards, practice tests, and vocabulary exercises offer ways to study using information you already trust.

32:10 — AI can improve service-report wording when the input accurately describes work completed during that visit.

34:40 — Trace explains why water treaters should establish how an AI answer was verified before acting on it.

35:50 — Trace shares why he believes AI will support water treaters while practical expertise remains essential.

37:10 — Platform selection, data controls, employee training, and written policy establish expectations for workplace AI use.

40:40 — Trace's educational journey encourages professionals whose learning paths have followed a less conventional route.

46:40 — A preview of AWT's November technical training helps listeners consider their next opportunity for structured learning.

48:40 — Trace compares concurrent training tracks by experience level and professional goals to help attendees choose a course.

51:40 — The closing challenge encourages continued learning and support for the technicians who will shape the industry's future.

Connect with Scaling UP! H2O

Submit a show idea: Submit a Show Idea

LinkedIn: in/traceblackmore/

YouTube: @ScalingUpH2O

Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses

The Rising Tide Mastermind

AWT Technical Training Seminars

492 AI for Water Treaters: A Thought Partner, Not a Replacement with Trace Blackmore

496 Growing Through Change in Water Treatment with Mark Lewis, Part 2

493 Preparing for AWT 2026: Leadership, Change, and CWT Growth with Matt Coffindaffer, Part 1

494 Preparing for AWT 2026: Leadership, Change, and CWT Growth with Matt Coffindaffer, Part 2

498 Industrial Water Week 2026: Pretreatment Monday

499 Industrial Water Week 2026: Boiler Tuesday

500 Industrial Water Week 2026: Cooling Wednesday

501 Industrial Water Week 2026: Wastewater Thursday

502 Industrial Water Week 2026: Careers Friday

This episode made possible through our valued partners at

Experienced water treaters carry knowledge that the next generation needs. For Careers Friday, Trace Blackmore, CWT asks them to pass it on. The Industrial Water Week 2026 finale connects industrial water treatment careers with mentorship, practical training, and curiosity.

Pass on the reasoning behind the work

Trace describes a mentor as someone you can call when a system presents a problem you cannot explain. Learning from another professional's challenges, mistakes, and experience helped him solve problems and later mentor others.

He also addresses professionals preparing to retire. Their water treatment legacy can continue through a colleague who learns from their experience.

Three routes into a water career

Brian Liotta of USALCO recounts a career that began in water treatment chemical manufacturing and expanded into commercial work and distribution. Jemma Tennant, chair of the Water Management Society and an SMS Environmental employee, shares how effluent-plant work and a conversation with Sir David Attenborough inspired her career.

Meanwhile, Dr. David Krause of HC3 describes entering the field through public health responses to waterborne disease. His message includes industrial hygiene resources and training in health and safety, confined-space entry, and combustible dust.

Detective H2O: The Case of Adolescent Curiosity

Detective H2O introduces two high school students to pretreatment, boiler water, data center cooling, and batch wastewater treatment. James McDonald brings the series to listeners, while Trace credits Mark Lewis with writing today's case.

The tour connects ion exchange and softener regeneration with boiler protection, then explains deaeration, sulfite, and neutralizing amines. At the data center, corrosion coupons, bacteria dipslides, conductivity, operating trends, and chiller approach support a complete testing program.

The wastewater stop adds jar testing, coagulant and flocculant selection, clarification, and filter-press dewatering. The lesson links discharge requirements with the cost of hauling wet sludge.

Guest voices, peer support, and a next step

Trace thanks Pyxis Lab, the official sponsor of Industrial Water Week 2026, and reveals the guest voices behind all five Detective H2O cases. He also describes the Rising Tide Mastermind as a place for regular peer support, accountability, and shared knowledge.

His closing request gives listeners a practical next step: thank someone who helped build their knowledge, seek a mentor, or mentor another water professional. Keep that exchange active so the industry's experience continues to reach the next generation.

Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!

Timestamp

01:10 — Trace opens Careers Friday and thanks Pyxis Lab for supporting Industrial Water Week 2026.

04:40 — Trace recognizes the community's photos, stories, and mystery-voice guesses as ways to celebrate the profession.

07:40 — Trace connects career development with mentors who share experience and help newcomers understand unfamiliar systems.

10:00 — Trace asks professionals nearing retirement to mentor someone so their water treatment knowledge continues.

11:00 — Brian Liotta shares his route from chemical manufacturing into commercial work and distribution, illustrating the industry's career range.

12:10 — Jemma Tennant describes her effluent-plant beginnings and encourages women to consider careers in water.

13:00 — Dr. David Krause connects public health work with water treatment and emphasizes training that helps professionals work safely.

16:10 — The Case of Adolescent Curiosity begins a student tour designed to make industrial water treatment visible as a career.

21:10 — The pretreatment stop explains ion exchange, hardness removal, and the importance of softener regeneration and monitoring.

23:30 — The boiler-room visit connects dissolved oxygen, deaeration, sulfite, and condensate treatment with corrosion control.

25:00 — The data center visit links cooling-water performance with heat transfer, reliability, and a complete testing program.

27:00 — The wastewater stop explains batch testing, chemical selection, clarification, and dewatering to manage discharge and disposal costs.

31:20 — Trace reveals the guest voices behind the week's five Detective H2O cases and recalls their previous podcast appearances.

38:50 — Trace urges listeners to thank their mentors and keep sharing knowledge, then introduces the Rising Tide Mastermind's peer support.

42:00 — Trace identifies October 4–8, 2027 as the next Industrial Water Week and invites final IWW26 celebration posts.

Connect with Brian Liotta

Phone: 15102747326

Email: [email protected]

Website: Water Treatment Chemicals – Baltimore, MD | USALCO

LinkedIn: Brian Liotta | LinkedIn

Connect with Jemma Tennant

Phone: 447828315336

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jemma-tennant-mwmsoc-2636985b/

Connect with Dr. David Krause

Phone: 850-766-1938

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.hc3fl.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidkrause/

Links Mentioned

Water Cake Recipe

430 PFAS Regulations and Technologies with Brian Liotta

436 Raising the Bar: Legionella Management & Industry Standards

433 Legionella Investigations and LIDO Technology

001 A New Podcast for Water Treaters

252 The One About the Operations Manager Turned Sales Manager

308 The 12-Week Strategy For Taking the CWT Exam

323 How to Troubleshoot a Massive Leak

380 The WOW Effect: Women Leading Transformation in the Water Industry

392 Breaking Barriers: How Diversity and Confidence Drive Growth in Water Treatment

394 Visibility and Value: Enhancing Sustainability in Water Treatment

404 Eight Tips for Business Management: Part 1 – Essential Strategies

429 The Life and Career of Jim Lukanich

444 Industrial Water Week 2025: Wastewater Thursday

445 Industrial Water Week 2025: Careers Friday

500 Industrial Water Week 2026: Cooling Wednesday

This episode made possible through our valued partners at

A wastewater inspection appeared to expose a failed treatment program—until Trace checked where the sample had been collected. For Industrial Water Week 2026: Wastewater Thursday, Trace Blackmore, CWT, connects correct sampling, water reuse, and careful troubleshooting with the decisions water treaters make every day.

Check the sample location before drawing conclusions

In an early-career account, a plant operator faced a threatened shutdown after an inspector's sample produced out-of-spec results. Trace reviewed logs, spoke with the engineer, and tested two locations. The inspector had sampled before treatment rather than at the correct downstream location.

Trace then showed the customer both results and asked the inspector where he had sampled. That curious, factual approach corrected the misunderstanding without blame. The customer also recognized the need to escort unfamiliar inspectors so they could collect samples from the right place.

Recover water, nutrients, and energy

Returning guest Dr. Veronika Zhiteneva of Waterloop Solutions describes wastewater plants as future resource recovery plants, reclaiming water, nutrients, and energy. Kalpna Solanki, president and CEO of GAMECHANGERS Inc., shares reuse examples from British Columbia: treated effluent for snowmaking, biosolids composted with sawdust, and reclaimed water for toilet flushing and rooftop irrigation at the Vancouver Convention Center West.

Together, their greetings shift attention toward what treatment can recover and where reclaimed water can serve another purpose.

Investigate the disappearing hardness

In the fictional Detective H2O story, The Case of the Disappearing Act, an operator measures 2–3 ppm total hardness leaving a softener, yet the feedwater tests soft. After checking condensate return, repeating the analyses, and walking the process, the detective finds that the feedwater sample point sits downstream of EDTA injection.

The case explains how chelant can complex calcium and magnesium before the hardness test, leaving a blue indication even when hardness has passed the softener. The resolution is to investigate the softener's leakage and turn the operator's observations into training and procedures.

Share the work behind Wastewater Thursday

Trace invites listeners to photograph their favorite wastewater equipment safely, wear appropriate PPE, and share the photo with #IWW26. He also recommends Episode 444 for last year's Wastewater Thursday Detective H2O story and invites mystery-voice guesses on LinkedIn before Careers Friday's reveal.

Check the sample location, verify the data, and understand the process before drawing conclusions. Those habits support clearer decisions and more useful conversations with customers and colleagues.

Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!

Timestamps

02:20 — Trace explains how wastewater treatment gives used water another life through treatment and reuse.

03:50 — A threatened plant shutdown introduces a sampling story that shows why an out-of-spec result needs investigation.

06:10 — Trace discovers that the inspector sampled before treatment, changing the interpretation of the reported results.

08:50 — Trace explains how curiosity and questions helped resolve the dispute and build trust with the inspector.

09:50 — Veronika Zhiteneva describes recovering water, nutrients, and energy rather than using new resources for the same purposes.

10:30 — Kalpna Solanki reframes wastewater as a resource and shares examples of treated-effluent and biosolids reuse.

11:40 — Kalpna describes reclaimed water at the Vancouver Convention Center West and discusses the future of water reclamation.

13:00 — Trace introduces the fictional Detective H2O case, The Case of the Disappearing Act, involving a water softener.

23:50 — Trace invites mystery-voice guesses on LinkedIn and recommends Episode 444 for another Wastewater Thursday story.

24:40 — Trace asks listeners to share a wastewater-equipment photo with #IWW26 while wearing PPE and working safely.

27:40 — Trace previews Careers Friday celebrations and mentions a water cake recipe for teams interested in trying it.

Connect with Dr. Veronika Zhiteneva

Email: [email protected]

Website: Home – Waterloop Solutions

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vzhiteneva/

Connect with Kalpna Solanki

Email: [email protected]

Website: GAMECHANGERS Inc. | Strategy Development And Implementation

LinkedIn: Kalpna Solanki MBA | LinkedIn

GAMECHANGERS Inc.: Overview | LinkedIn

Links Mentioned

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses

Submit a Show Idea

The Rising Tide Mastermind

Industrial Water Week

Industrial Water Week Scaling UP H2O Resource Page

Water Cake Recipe

459 — From Wastewater to Resource: Water Reuse with Dr. Veronika Zhiteneva

355 — Backflow Prevention: Safeguarding Water Quality

481 — From Waterfalls to SOPs: Building Better Utilities with Kalpna Solanki

389 — Industrial Water Week 2024: Careers Friday

445 — Industrial Water Week 2025: Careers Friday

This episode made possible through our valued partners at

Cooling Wednesday brings a practical reminder: correcting a treatment problem requires understanding what caused it. For Industrial Water Week 2026, Trace Blackmore, CWT, celebrates Episode 500 with lessons on cooling tower foam, biocide feed verification, Legionella risk, and unexplained chilled water loss.

Start with the feed history

When a cooling tower produces enough foam to spread across the property and trigger low water shutdowns, Trace begins with the biocide feed logs. He compares the chemical remaining in the tank with calculated consumption and finds evidence of earlier underfeeding, even though the pump operates correctly during his inspection.

Trace connects the foaming to accumulated biofilm and explains why a biological treatment program needs a clean system to maintain. The case highlights the value of checking historical chemical delivery alongside current equipment operation.

Find what interrupted treatment

After the tower is cleaned and the biocide program is restored, the problem returns. A plant engineer discovers that a contractor has unplugged the biocide pump from the controller output and connected a power tool instead.

The team labels both the pump plug and its connection at the controller, then adds a notice identifying the connection as something other than a general outlet. Their response addresses the cause and gives other people working around the equipment a clearer instruction.

Connect cooling data with risk management

Returning guests Jake (Jacob) Deak, Christine McHugh, and Matt Freije share Cooling Wednesday greetings. Jake discusses tracer monitoring technology, while Christine describes using water temperature, circulation, pH, makeup water, and environmental data to inform Legionella risk reduction.

Matt recalls a cooling tower worker's experience with Legionnaires' disease and emphasizes water management, maintenance, treatment, and testing. Their contributions connect cooling performance with the people working around these systems.

Investigate where the water is going

In the fictional Detective H2O: The Case of the Blues, a hospital's chilled water loop loses pressure and requires increasing makeup water, yet inspections reveal no visible leak. The investigation finds an ice machine connected to the chilled water loop instead of domestic cold water.

The story emphasizes verifying actual piping connections rather than relying only on labels or drawings. Trace also reflects on learning since his first recording in 2017 and invites listeners to share cooling equipment photos with #IWW26.

For water treatment professionals, both cases reinforce the same responsibility: follow the evidence, identify the cause, and take steps to prevent recurrence.

Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!

Timestamps

01:00 — Trace opens Cooling Wednesday and recognizes the industrial water treatment community's work.

02:00 — The Episode 500 milestone becomes a lesson in starting, learning, and improving through practice.

06:10 — Trace thanks Pyxis Lab and describes a tank measurement tool developed in response to field needs.

08:00 — Cooling towers, chillers, and heat exchangers illustrate the water treater's role in maintaining heat transfer.

09:30 — Willis Carrier's humidity problem provides an example of solving an operational challenge by thinking differently.

11:50 — Severe cooling tower foam introduces a case involving water loss and disrupted operation.

12:40 — Feed logs and chemical inventory reveal earlier biocide underfeeding despite correct pump operation during the visit.

14:10 — Trace connects accumulated biofilm with foaming and emphasizes establishing a clean system before maintaining it.

15:50 — Jake Deak shares a tracer technology greeting and a memorable PTSA spill in the field.

16:20 — Christine McHugh connects cooling tower data with Legionella risk reduction, training, and maintenance discussions.

17:20 — Matt Freije highlights the human consequences of Legionnaires' disease and the importance of cooling tower water management.

19:00 — Detective H2O opens "The Case of the Blues," a fictional hospital investigation into unexplained chilled water loss.

22:10 — Verified pressure and makeup readings direct the investigation beyond visible leaks.

27:50 — Blue ice provides the clue that leads to an ice machine connected to the chilled water loop.

31:20 — The story outlines correcting the piping connection and monitoring makeup water and pressure afterward.

34:30 — Trace invites LinkedIn voice guesses and announces that Friday's episode will reveal the mystery voices.

36:10 — A contractor's use of the biocide controller connection explains why treatment delivery was interrupted.

38:50 — Trace emphasizes preventing recurrence, then closes with appreciation for the community and the Cooling Wednesday photo invitation.

Connect with Jake Deak

Phone: +15704197057

Email: [email protected]

Website: Inline & Handheld Analytical Tools for Water Treatment | Pyxis Lab®

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobddeak/

Connect with Christine McHugh

Phone: +19179409383

Email: [email protected]

Website: White Strand Development

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-a-mchugh/

Connect with Matt Freije

Email: [email protected]

Website: Legionella Water Management Plans

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattfreije

Links Mentioned

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses

Submit a Show Idea

The Rising Tide Mastermind

Industrial Water Week

Industrial Water Week Scaling UP H2O Resource Page

001 A New Podcast for Water Treaters

443 Industrial Water Week 2025: Cooling Wednesday

423 Pushing the Boundaries: Jacob Deak on Innovating Water Treatment Systems

439 Innovating Water for Smart Cities: Christine McHugh's Vision

083 The One About Water Management Plans

432 Water Management Plans: Evolving Standards and Best Practices with Matt Freije

This episode made possible through our valued partners at

Boiler Tuesday is a reminder that industrial water treatment exists to protect heat transfer efficiency. For day two of Industrial Water Week 2026, Trace Blackmore, CWT, connects feedwater preparation, condensate quality, and treatment distribution to the everyday decisions that keep steam systems working.

Feedwater quality sets the stage

Trace starts with a practical measure of boiler performance: how much heat from the flame reaches the steam? Feedwater conditions directly affect that work.

He links inadequate feedwater heating with higher chemical demand, increased conductivity, and additional blowdown. For deaerators, he also emphasizes pressure. Together, these points reinforce the need to review feedwater conditions when evaluating treatment performance.

Follow contamination through the condensate system

Jake Elliott of HydroFlow recalls declining boiler alkalinity that eventually led to a plant room full of foam. A failed valve had allowed process material into the condensate return and feedwater tank, consuming alkalinity and forming soap.

Meanwhile, Trace shares a separate case involving oil contamination, boiler surging, priming, and deteriorating steam quality. The investigation traced the oil to a leak in a process condensate line. Recovery required isolating the affected return, cleaning the boiler, and withholding contaminated condensate while the plant corrected the equipment and process problem.

Both stories show why troubleshooting must include the process equipment connected to the condensate system.

Confirm that amine protection reaches distant equipment

James McDonald's scripted Detective H2O story, The Case of Not Going the Distance, examines a different condensate problem. Readings near the boiler house look acceptable, while distant sections show lower pH and corrosion.

The case explains amine distribution ratio as the relationship between amine in the vapor phase and amine in the liquid phase. It compares how morpholine, diethylaminoethanol, and cyclohexylamine travel through the system.

The detective reviews the blend and identifies satellite feed locations near long steam branches. Then he checks condensate pH at the same sampling locations after the changes. Early coupon observations support continued monitoring through a full exposure cycle.

Strengthen the fundamentals and celebrate the work

Frank Lecrone of AquaPhoenix Scientific shares a hardness testing mixup that reinforces the value of checking test instructions and using the correct titrant. Eric Johnson of Boilearn emphasizes learning boiler fundamentals and considers how future AI tools could help professionals interpret system data.

James Courtney of CSC Technologies closes the guest greetings with a story about returning to a familiar brewery boiler. To join the Boiler Tuesday celebration, share a photo with your boiler, deaerator, or feedwater tank using #IWW26. You can also guess the mystery guest voice on LinkedIn before Friday's reveal.

Sound boiler decisions depend on reliable testing, attention to connected processes, and evidence that treatment reaches the equipment it needs to protect.

Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!

Timestamps

01:10 — Trace welcomes the Scaling UP! Nation to Boiler Tuesday and invites professionals to share their boiler work during IWW26.

02:50 — Trace defines the water treater's role as a heat transfer efficiency manager and connects treatment work to steam production.

03:40 — The discussion moves from softened water and returned condensate to feedwater quality, establishing the starting point for boiler performance.

04:00 — Trace links inadequate feedwater heating to chemical demand and blowdown, then emphasizes deaerator temperature and pressure.

05:30 — Frank Lecrone shares a hardness testing error that shows why the correct titrant and test instructions matter.

06:30 — Eric Johnson explains how boiler fundamentals help professionals understand system behavior and troubleshoot customer problems.

07:50 — Eric considers future AI tools for interpreting boiler, steam, and hydronic system data to inform operating decisions.

09:10 — Jake Elliott describes declining alkalinity and foaming caused by process contamination entering the condensate system.

09:50 — Trace begins a field story about boiler surging, priming, and lost steam quality that disrupted production.

11:20 — The investigation identifies oil entering the condensate return through a process line leak, revealing the source of the boiler upset.

12:30 — Trace describes isolating the affected return, cleaning the boiler, and withholding contaminated condensate during recovery.

15:00 — Detective H2O begins The Case of Not Going the Distance, a scripted investigation into corrosion in distant condensate lines.

29:50 — James Courtney shares the personal significance of returning to a brewery boiler connected to his family business.

30:30 — Trace invites boiler room photos with #IWW26 and encourages listeners to prepare their Cooling Wednesday photos.

Connect with Frank Lecrone

Email: [email protected]

Website: Water Quality Testing Products | AquaPhoenix Scientific

LinkedIn: Frank Lecrone | LinkedIn

Connect with Eric Johnson

Email: [email protected]

Website: Boilearn I The Foundation of Boiler Training

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericjohnson2020/

Boilearn: Overview | LinkedIn

Connect with Jake Elliott, PhD

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://hydroflow.com.au/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hydro-flow/

Jake Elliott | LinkedIn

Connect with James Courtney

Phone: +1 443 878 2407

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.csctech2o.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-courtney-cwt-leed-ap-379a6877/

Links Mentioned

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses

Submit a Show Idea

The Rising Tide Mastermind

Industrial Water Week

Industrial Water Week Scaling UP H2O Resource Page

460 Building Boiler Talent: Fundamentals, Online Training, and Better Partnerships with Eric Johnson

451 Building a Culture of Innovation and Customer Service with Frank Lecrone

467 From PhD to Pump Rooms: Jake Elliott on Wastewater, Efficiency, and Saying "Yes" Wisely

325 Rising Together: Conquering Challenges through Collective Support

394 Visibility and Value: Enhancing Sustainability in Water Treatment

445 Industrial Water Week 2025: Careers Friday

This episode is made possible through our valued partners at

Industrial Water Week is here—and Day 1 is Pretreatment Monday. In Episode 498, Trace Blackmore, CWT, opens the 2026 celebration with troubleshooting stories, returning guest greetings, and a new Detective H2O case that brings pretreatment performance into focus.

Celebrate with purpose

Take a photo with your favorite pretreatment equipment—a softener, RO, or filter housing—and post it with #IWW26. Then search the hashtag to connect with others doing the same work. Trace's invitation makes the week visible and recognizes the people who keep downstream systems operating.

Start with the pretreatment train

At a food processing plant, rising RO product-water conductivity had already prompted a membrane replacement. Trace found the cause in the softener: channeling allowed hardness to pass through and scale the RO. Rebedding and reprogramming the softener resolved the problem without further work on the RO.

You'll also hear greetings from Conor Parrish of Fact Water Co, Ron Blutrich, and Dr. Kelle Zeiher. Their stories cover proper isolation before opening resin bottles, UV pretreatment and microbiological risk, and unexpected newspaper debris inside an RO—three reminders to keep questioning assumptions.

Follow the evidence with Detective H2O

James McDonald returns with The Case of Something Fading Fast, investigating boiler alkalinity that will not hold. A softener may test soft just after regeneration yet leak hardness later in its service run. The case connects that missed leakage with treatment consumption and falling alkalinity.

Detective H2O proposes an end-of-run grab sample or a 24-hour screening composite, supported by logs of the active tank, makeup demand, production load, and alkalinity timing. The composite helps screen performance across the service cycle; it does not replace targeted grab samples.

Follow along on LinkedIn to guess the mystery guest voices. Trace reveals them on Careers Friday, October 9. With Boiler Tuesday, Cooling Wednesday, and Wastewater Thursday still ahead, there are more opportunities to celebrate the work you do.

Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!

A controller and a handheld meter give you different readings. Before you adjust blowdown or chemical feed, how do you determine which result deserves your confidence? Reliable water treatment testing starts with understanding the sample, the system, and the equipment behind the number.

In Episode 497, "Pinks and Blues: From Sample to Solution," Trace Blackmore, CWT, answers listener questions that build on Episodes 397 and 408. He connects testing with repeatable procedures so technicians can interpret results, make informed adjustments, and explain their decisions to customers.

Collect water that represents the system

A correctly performed test cannot compensate for the wrong sample. Trace explains how stagnant water in long sample lines can misrepresent the system you intend to evaluate. Instead of assuming a quick rinse is enough, verify flushing at the sample station against water collected at the source. Record the sample location, collection time, source, and operating conditions so the next technician can understand what you tested.

Define normal and examine the trend

A baseline includes more than a conductivity target. Makeup water quality, equipment, treatment feed, control ranges, water usage, operating changes, and historical problems all help establish what a healthy account looks like. Then compare today's result with previous readings. Ask whether the pattern is stable, improving, or worsening, and what operational change could explain it.

Verify instruments before changing the program

Clean glassware, properly stored reagents, maintained probes, and calibration checks support confidence in your results. Trace describes using a known standard to investigate disagreement between a handheld meter and a controller. He also challenges a universal calibration schedule: verify how your own meter performs. Once a result is confirmed, examine related tests and system conditions before deciding on an adjustment.

Explain the findings and the next steps

A useful service report records observations, data, interpretation, actions, verification, and ownership. Explain what needs attention, who will address it, and how the correction will be checked. Where appropriate, show the cost of leaving a problem unresolved. These records also give customer reviews a clear account of the work completed and recommendations still awaiting action.

Trace brings these practices together in the SAMPLE method:

Use this framework to connect each test result with the system's condition and a clear next step.

Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!

Timestamps

02:20 — Trace reflects on listener feedback from AWT and how shared experiences can encourage professional growth

05:50 — Mark Lewis's award acceptance illustrates the value of lasting friendships within water treatment

08:30 — The Hang offers a way to continue industry conversations, share challenges, and learn from colleagues

10:40 — Trace outlines AWT technical training options to help professionals choose relevant continuing education

18:00 — Listener questions from Episodes 397 and 408 connect testing practices with documented procedures

19:30 — Conflicting conductivity readings introduce the need to verify results before making changes that affect water use and chemical feed

24:00 — Representative sampling matters because even a correctly performed test can answer the wrong question

25:50 — Trace explains how to check flushing at a sample station against water collected at the system's sampling source

28:10 — Recording sample time, location, source, and operating conditions gives future troubleshooting essential context

31:00 — An account baseline establishes what healthy operation looks like before technicians investigate an abnormal result

34:30 — Comparing readings over time helps distinguish a single result from a meaningful operating trend

36:30 — Test kit condition, reagent handling, and instrument maintenance determine whether results deserve confidence

39:00 — Known standards help verify meters and investigate disagreement with controller readings

41:00 — Trace examines related measurements, so an abnormal conductivity result does not become an isolated adjustment

44:20 — A structured service report explains observations, collected data, interpretation, actions, and verification

46:40 — Documenting the cost of inaction and assigning ownership makes recommendations easier for customers to act on

50:10 — The SAMPLE method combines sampling, baselines, trends, instrument verification, broader testing, and documentation

53:10 — Industrial Water Week invites professionals to celebrate their work, share equipment photos, and thank people who have helped their careers

Quotes

"And our real goal is to collect the right information in a consistent way so we can make better decisions with that information."

"So, a perfectly performed test on the wrong sample gives you a perfectly wrong answer."

"One data point can be a clue, but a trend is evidence and that's what we're going for."

"If we don't write it down, it didn't happen."

Connect with Scaling UP! H2O

Submit a show idea: Submit a Show Idea

LinkedIn: in/traceblackmore/

YouTube: @ScalingUpH2O

Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses

The Rising Tide Mastermind

Episode 397 Pinks and Blues: How to look at your tests

Episode 408 Pinks and Blues: The Power of Processes

AWT Technical Training Seminars

2026 Events for Water Professionals

Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.

This episode is made possible through our valued partners at

When a water treater can run a test but cannot yet diagnose a failing system, the next training decision matters. In Growing Through Change with Mark Lewis, Part 2, Mark Lewis of CRB Water joins Trace Blackmore, CWT, to connect training choices with work in the field.

Match Training to Experience

Mark sees the space between AWT's March and November training sessions as a chance to revise material instead of repeating the same presentation. He explains how Fundamentals and Applications, Program Designs and Operations, and Technical Training serve different levels of readiness. His informal progression from "water tester" to "water technologist" gives managers a way to judge skills by the work someone can handle, not simply years in the industry.

He also urges professionals to stay within their expertise when a system is unfamiliar. Managers can help people advance by pairing technical instruction with recognition and constructive feedback.

Give neglected accounts the attention they need

Returning to the neglected accounts discussed in Episode 141, Mark describes how responsibility can sit with the water treater or the customer. A monthly visit may leave too much time for a broken valve, feed issue, or empty chemical drum to go unnoticed.

First, learn how much time the customer can give the program. Then agree on practical checks for pumps, controller lights, and chemical inventory. If the account needs more attention, Mark suggests offering additional visits or equipment maintenance at a clearly priced service fee.

Use technology - and check what it tells you

Mark traces his shift from basic timers to remotely monitored controllers, PTSA probes, ORP control, and tank level sensors. For him, the advantage is seeing program behavior between visits and planning before a problem becomes a customer call. Yet he still checks level sensor readings against what is in the tank.

That judgment carries over to AI. Mark and Trace discuss how a tidy report can mislead when it compares only the first and last conductivity readings while missing the fluctuations between them. The underlying data still need a professional's review.

Keep Learning

Mark recommends the AWT Technical Reference and Training Manual and experienced mentors. He also asks listeners to consider where they want to be in five or ten years and begin taking steps toward it now.

Better training, closer attention to account needs, and honest interpretation of data help water professionals decide where they are ready to lead and where they still need to learn.

Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!

Timestamps

05:00 — Trace and Mark consider the revised technical training schedule and how time between sessions can improve course material.

07:50 — Mark explains how to choose training by a person's current knowledge and responsibilities, rather than tenure alone.

09:30 — Mark urges water treaters to recognize the limits of their experience before taking on an unfamiliar system.

11:30 — Technical instruction, recognition, and constructive feedback all play a part in developing a colleague.

14:00 — Mark recommends the AWT Technical Reference and Training Manual as a resource to study and understand.

19:00 — Trace revisits Episode 141 and its lessons about neglected accounts for new water treaters.

20:00 — Mark distinguishes problems a vendor has overlooked from equipment issues a customer has left unresolved.

22:30 — Simple checks between visits can help customers notice problems with controllers, pumps, and chemical inventory.

23:40 — Mark explains why the value of added service should be considered alongside its fee.

26:40 — Remote monitoring gives Mark information he can use to plan service before a customer calls about a problem.

27:30 — Mark describes how PTSA probes and other controls have changed the way he manages a program.

32:20 — Mark explains why protecting test kits from moisture matters for field instruments.

33:10 — Mark cautions water treaters to verify a level sensor's reading against the tank.

34:50 — Mark raises the need to check the information behind an AI response.

37:40 — A report based on two conductivity readings can miss the fluctuations between them.

39:40 — Mark names a temperature gun as a useful test kit tool because temperature affects how water behaves.

40:50 — Mark asks listeners to choose a five- or ten-year goal and begin working toward it now.

43:40 — Trace invites listeners to take part in Industrial Water Week, October 5–9.

Quotes

"you can't change the beginning, but you can change the end."

"Today I realize that I have limitations and it's okay to say no."

Connect with Mark T Lewis

Phone: 7043225406

Email: [email protected]

Website: CRB Water

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mark-lewis-01a3b56

Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses

Submit a Show Idea

141 The One About Neglected Accounts

This episode is made possible through our valued partners at: