21st Century Water

In this episode of 21st Century Water, we sit down with Eric Johnson, Executive Director of the Fox River Water Reclamation District (FRWRD), to unpack a unique leadership journey and explore a forward-thinking approach to water management. Eric’s path to running a regional wastewater agency is anything but conventional. Starting in public service at age 19 while in college, he transitioned from political roles to township supervis...

In this episode of 21st Century Water, we sit down with Andrea Cole, General Manager of Dominion Water & Sanitation District in Colorado. With a background in engineering and law, Andrea brings a multidimensional perspective to leading water, wastewater, and stormwater efforts in the fast-growing Sterling Ranch community. We begin by exploring her journey from a small town in Wyoming, where an early appreciation for natural resourc...

In this episode of 21st Century Water, we sit down with John J. Entsminger, General Manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) and the Las Vegas Valley Water District. John oversees the water supply for 2.5 million residents and 40 million visitors annually in one of the most water-stressed regions of the United States. He shares his journey from environmental law to leading a major water utility and highlights the pivot...

In this episode of 21st Century Water, we sit down with Matthew Wirtz, Deputy Director and Chief Engineer at Fort Wayne City Utilities. With over 25 years of experience, Matt has played a crucial role in shaping the city’s water infrastructure, addressing challenges like flood prevention, stormwater management, and sustainability. Coming from a farming background, Matt’s early exposure to water management laid the foundation for hi...

This episode of 21st Century Water features a dynamic conversation with Ghassan Korban, Executive Director of the Sewage & Water Board of New Orleans. Korban shares insights from his six-year tenure, focusing on the challenges and transformative solutions for New Orleans’ water infrastructure, a system vital to a city below sea level. The episode dives into the critical steps taken to modernize the city’s systems, sustain its popul...

In this episode of 21st Century Water, Mahesh Lunani speaks with Will Pickering, CEO of Pittsburgh Water, about the transformative changes he has overseen in Pittsburgh's water infrastructure. Pickering shares his unconventional journey into utility leadership, tracing his career from public policy roles in Washington, D.C., to heading a water utility that was in dire need of reform when he joined.

Pickering discusses the challenges...

In today's episode of the 21st Century Water Podcast, we engage in an insightful conversation with Greg Eyerly, Director of Houston Water. Greg's journey through the water industry spans three decades, and his career trajectory is a testament to his willingness to take risks and make bold decisions. He started in the laboratory and transitioned to operations, a move that laid the foundation for his eventual rise to leadership. His ...

In this episode of the 21st Century Water podcast, Mahesh Lunani talks with Craig Miller, the general manager of the Western Municipal Water District in California. Craig brings over three decades of experience in water management, focusing on operations, engineering, and community service. He discusses the significant decisions in his career and his vision for creating a climate-resilient water system in Southern California.

Craig ...

In the "21st Century Water" podcast episode hosted by Mahesh Lunani, listeners are introduced to Kishia Powell, the General Manager and CEO of WSSC Water, which is recognized as the eighth-largest water utility in the United States. With a career spanning over 25 years, Powell has significantly contributed to the water sector, focusing on the provision of essential services, the economic implications of water, and the maintenance a...

In our latest episode of the 21st Century Water Podcast, we had the privilege of engaging with Shivaji Deshmukh, General Manager of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency. Shivaji, a veteran in the field with over two decades of experience in sustainable water solutions, sheds light on the evolution and challenges of Southern California's water systems, emphasizing the importance of innovative practices in water management.

We kicked of...

In this episode of the 21st Century Water podcast, we delve into the visionary leadership and innovative mindset of Roger Bailey, the General Manager of the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District. With a distinguished career that has spanned across the United States, Bailey shares his extensive experience and the transformative journey in the water industry, from his early days in Antigua and various roles in the U.S. to his curren...

We dive into a conversation with Kevin Ward, the General Manager of the Trinity River Authority Kevin oversees a vast operation that includes water treatment and wastewater facilities, serving a wide area and managing a significant budget. His journey from a temporary role in the water business to leading one of the top utilities in the country is a testament to his dedication and adaptability.

Kevin's career began out of necessity,...

We dive into the heart of water infrastructure challenges and innovations in our latest podcast episode. Our guest, Troy Hayes, brings over two decades of experience from the City of Phoenix, where he oversees a vast utilities operation. His journey from engineering to operations highlights pivotal shifts towards managing one of the largest utilities in the U.S., emphasizing the generational legacy and the evolution of water system...

Juan Carlos Guerrero, Public Utilities Director at the City of San Diego, shares his journey from starting as a wastewater treatment plant operator to becoming a utility CEO. He discusses the pivotal moments in his career and the challenges and opportunities in the water industry. Juan also talks about the size and scope of the City of San Diego's public utilities, including its water and wastewater systems. He highlights the impor...

Today, Aquasight's Mahesh Lunani welcomes Andrew Lee, CEO of Seattle Public Utilities.   He currently manages about 1,400 employees, and has previously worked in Bellevue, San Franscisco, and various consulting firms.

First and foremost to Andrew is a desire to serve people. Yes, in Seattle they service large corporations like Microsoft and Amazon, but Andrew takes pride in serving the most vulnerable and underserved communities. Th...

Michael Mucha, the Chief Engineer and Director for the Madison Metropolitan Sewage District (MMSD), has bi-coastal experience as both an educator and administrator.  Prior to his current role in Wisconson, he's worked in both Olympia, Washington, and Reading, Pennslyvania.  This structural engineer by degree explains how a job as a civil engineer completely changed his career trajectory.

Michael discusses the challenges faced by MMS...

As GM of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Marty Adams is in a very unique position in the water world.  Not only does he oversee a combined department of water and power, he's doing it for the second largest city in the country, along with all the climate challenges faced by the state of California.

Having worked at LADWP for 39 years, Marty has seen the department through many difficult events in Los Angeles' history...

NEW Water in Green Bay, Wisconsin, may be a mid-sized utility.  But during our interview with executive director Tom Sigmund today, you'll hear about the remarkable things they are doing to prepare for the future.

NEW Water covers 15 municipalities and over 240,000 residents. Over the next 20 years, they will implement a $470 million dollar capital improvement plan. Like many utilities, Tom sees their top three challenges as this ca...

Today, Mahesh Lunani talks to Kamuron Gurol, Director of the King County Wastewater Treatment Division, Washington State (including Seattle). Prior to taking on this role, Kamuron was a Corridor Development Director at a 116-mile rail system connecting greater Seattle area.  Kamuron was also the City Manager at City of Burien, a community of 50,000 with hundreds of businesses.

In his current role, Gurol oversees 5 treatment plants, ...