The Water Online Show

Navigating federal infrastructure funding feels like stepping into an alphabet soup of domestic content mandates. In this premiere episode of The Water Online Show, presented in collaboration with the Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association (WEMA), industry experts demystify forced localization rules—explaining why these regulations are reshaping water infrastructure projects and how manufacturers and utilities can stay compliant. 

What if water isn't a utility cost to be managed, but a strategic asset capable of driving productivity, profitability, and long-term business resilience? In this episode of The Water Online Show, Travis Kennedy and Kevin Westerling sit down with Ecolab Industry Fellow Dr. Geoff Townsend to explore why leading organizations are rethinking water's role in industrial operations. From the growing link between water security, energy performance, and business competitiveness to the promise of circular water strategies, digital decision-making, and advanced water management in sectors like semiconductors and data centers, Townsend makes a compelling case that the companies best positioned for the future will be those that recognize the full value of water. This conversation challenges conventional thinking and offers a forward-looking perspective on how water can become a powerful driver of operational success rather than just another line-item expense.

Why do so many groundbreaking water and wastewater solutions get stuck in "pilot purgatory"? In this episode of The Water Online Show, hosts Travis Kennedy and Kevin Westerling are joined by global innovation expert Sivan Zamir from Xylem Innovation Labs to unpack why the water sector’s biggest challenge isn't inventing new technology, but scaling it. Zamir highlights how early-stage ecosystem collaboration, risk-sharing, and solid data foundations allow risk-averse utilities to adopt artificial intelligence, flood prediction, and advanced water reuse tools without compromising reliability. By shifting the industry's mindset from simply managing waste to actively mining resources, sector leaders can bridge the commercialization gap and transform promising pilots into infrastructure-critical reality.

Is "digital transformation" in the water sector a genuine revolution, or is it mostly high-level marketing buzz? In this episode of the Water Online Show, host Travis Kennedy and returning guest host Nadia Abboud welcome Bill Blank, Director of Global Marketing Communications for Badger Meter, to cut through the industry noise and get down to practical reality.

Together, they unpack why many water utilities feel paralyzed by massive tech overhauls, how to move from passive data collection to proactive decision-making, and what the future of water management actually looks like.

In this episode of The Water Online Show, host Travis Kennedy is joined by Mike Sadar of Lovibond to demystify two critical specifications often listed on instrument spec sheets: Limit of Detection (LOD) and Limit of Quantification (LOQ).

While these terms are frequently overlooked, understanding what they actually represent is essential for water treatment operators — especially when configuring process turbidimeters to prevent filter breakthrough and maintain strict regulatory compliance.

This episode of The Water Online Show: On Location captures the cutting-edge innovations and thought leadership defining the AWWA ACE 2026 conference. Hosts Travis Kennedy and Angela Godwin highlight the event’s central theme, "Water Heroes," celebrating the often-unsung workforce responsible for global public health, while diving into the technological turning points transforming the industry. Watch the full episode to learn more about game-changing AI advancements, and to find out Angela's show favorite for the year.

Tune into this episode for a wide-ranging conversation with Jim Good, Chairman and Founder of Parkview Advisors, that explores why progress in the water sector often moves more slowly than the technologies designed to advance it. Rather than focusing on any single solution, the discussion highlights the interplay between risk tolerance, operational realities, and the scale of the market itself, revealing how even strong ideas can struggle to gain traction. We also explore where meaningful change is beginning to surface — and why the path forward depends less on breakthrough moments and more on aligning practical needs with tools that actually fit how utilities operate day to day.

The clock is ticking for water utilities across the nation. With federal compliance deadlines for PFAS and other contaminants of emerging concern looming on the horizon, the municipal water sector is facing an unprecedented wave of operational and regulatory pressure. Are communities truly prepared for what’s coming, or are they waiting too long to act?

In this episode, host Travis Kennedy sit down with Paris Neofotistos, President & CEO of AqueoUS Vets, to dissect the shifting landscape of water remediation. Paris breaks down how upcoming regulatory mandates will fundamentally reshape the industry over the next several years and shares how AqueoUS Vets has aggressively scaled its own manufacturing and operational capabilities to meet the surging demand.

As utilities worldwide race to modernize, advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) has emerged as one of the most talked-about — and often misunderstood — investments in the water sector. In this episode, our hosts are joined by Smart Water Network Forum (SWAN) members Shirley Ben-Dak (SWAN Senior Advisor) and Richard Relyea (Senior Project Manager for Water Loss and AMI Technology at GHD) to discuss insights from the SWAN Global Smart Metering Playbook — unpacking why getting meters installed is only the beginning.

In this episode of The Water Online Show, Travis Kennedy and Kevin Westerling sit down with Seth Werlinsky, Director of Strategy and Growth for Boeh Agency, to tackle a question that continues to frustrate the water sector: if digital solutions are so powerful, why aren’t utilities embracing them faster?