Scaling UP! H2O

56:58

482 Preserving Our Industry's Story – Paul Petersen...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/06/26

Industrial water treatment has always supported industry, but much of that story remains invisible to the public. Paul Petersen wants to change that by helping establish an industrial water treatment presence at the National Museum of Industrial History in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Paul Petersen, former president and CEO of Trident Technologies and current leader of the Industrial Water Task Group, joins Trace Blackmore to explain why preserving the industry's history matters. His vision is not

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01:08:11

481 From Waterfalls to SOPs: Building Better...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/06/19

Water utility work depends on more than technical knowledge. It depends on clear procedures, current documents, practical training, and performance conversations that reflect what operators actually do in the field. In Episode 481, Trace Blackmore, CWT, welcomes back Kalpna Solanki, President and CEO at GAMECHANGERS Inc., for a practical conversation on building stronger utilities through standard operating procedures, competencies, and performance evaluations. Kalpna shares how outdated SOPs,

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55:11

480 From Engineering Numbers to People, Power, and...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/06/13

Industrial water professionals work with chemistry, equipment, permits, and performance targets every day. Yet every gallon also moves through a framework of policy decisions: who can withdraw water, how it may be used, what quality must be returned, and whose needs are considered when systems are designed. Sherine El-Wattar, a science network officer supporting the IPCC Working Group II Technical Support Unit, brings an engineering foundation and a human-centered perspective to those questions

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01:19:09

479 Water Treatment: The Next Generation - Hustle...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/06/05

In today's episode of Scaling UP! H2O, host Trace Blackmore sits down with workplace resilience expert and U.S. Marine veteran Tiffany Wentz‑Root to decode how different generations show up in the industrial water treatment industry. From the Silent Generation's post‑war loyalties through Baby Boomers' commitment to long hours, Gen X's distrust of corporate loyalty, Millennials' desire for purpose and feedback, and Gen Z's demand for emotional literacy, the conversation illustrates how each cohort

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51:55

478 Rethinking Power Plant Water and Steam Chemistry...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/05/29

Power plant water and steam chemistry does not fail in isolation. A mistaken unit, an unused analyzer, an overdesigned pretreatment system, or a misunderstood condensate return problem can ripple across equipment, permits, production, and safety. In this Part 2 conversation with Bradley Buecker of SAMCO Technologies and Buecker Associates, Trace Blackmore continues a practical discussion on the details that shape industrial water decisions. Brad shares field stories from combined cycle plants,

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01:01:45

477 Rethinking Power Plant Water and Steam Chemistry...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/05/22

Power plant water and steam chemistry is not a background task. It affects safety, reliability, metallurgy, production, and the decisions plant teams make under pressure. In Part 1 of this conversation, Trace Blackmore, CWT, welcomes Bradley Buecker of SAMCO Technologies and Buecker Associates to examine what happens when familiar assumptions go unchallenged. Safety Comes First in High-Energy Systems Bradley begins with the lesson that has shaped decades of his work: safety. Power and industrial

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01:15:51

476 Positive Communication, Temperaments, and the WOW...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/05/15

Communication shapes how teams learn, respond, correct, and build trust. Trace Blackmore, CWT welcomes returning guest Paule Genest, Director, Sales and ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) Water and Energy TGWT / The Tannin Guys for a conversation on positive communication, temperaments, the WOW Effect, and how water professionals can use words with more clarity and care. Communication With a Positive Impact Paule reframes positive communication as communication with a positive impact

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56:58

475 Inside the Boiler: Inspection, Failure Analysis,...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/05/08

A boiler failure can create pressure quickly: production is down, emotions are high, and the water treater may be the first person blamed. Cheryl Heiser of TGWT Clean Technologies Inc. joins Trace Blackmore, CWT, to walk through a more disciplined way to evaluate boiler issues by looking beyond chemistry alone. Why Boiler Failures Need a Broader Lens Cheryl brings field experience from the OEM boiler side, conventional water treatment, and purified tannin boiler treatment. Her perspective is

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01:00:35

474 Questions from the Scaling UP! Nation about Trace

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/04/30

Every career in industrial water treatment is shaped by decisions, mentors, credentials, systems, and the willingness to keep learning. In this special mailbag-style episode, Trace Blackmore, CWT, answers questions from the Scaling UP! Nation about how he entered water treatment, why he started the podcast, what professional credentials have meant to him, and what he is still working to improve. This conversation gives water professionals a practical look at the habits behind a long career in the

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01:06:59

473 From Oil to Water: How the Water Midstream Sector...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/04/25

Industrial water professionals often think about water in terms of treatment, compliance, reuse, and operational risk. John Durand brings a different but closely connected view: water as infrastructure, water as a managed resource, and water as a strategic part of energy development. John Durand, one of the early pioneers of the water midstream sector and CEO of Magnificent Desolation, LLC, joins Trace Blackmore to explain how produced water moved from a disposal challenge to a large-scale

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56:16

472 Finding and Fixing the Invisible: Chris MacDonald...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/04/17

"Document everything." Spring startup season exposes more than operational stress. It also reveals what happened months earlier when systems were laid up poorly, maintenance steps were skipped, or warning signs were documented but not acted on. In this episode, Trace Blackmore connects that reality to a broader infrastructure problem: hidden damage inside pressure piping systems that operators often cannot see until a leak, rupture, or budget crisis forces action. Why hidden pressure pipe

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56:35

471 Biofilms, Biocides, and TTPC: A Deep Dive with...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/04/10

Biofilm is not a fringe issue in cooling systems. As Dr. Jeff Kramer explains, it is a given. That matters because biofilm affects heat transfer, contributes to corrosion, and can serve as a reservoir for Legionella in treated systems. In this conversation, Trace Blackmore and Dr. Kramer examine what experienced water treaters should be looking for when choosing and evaluating a microbiological control program. Biofilm as an operating problem Dr. Jeff defines biofilm as a community of

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01:10:57

470 Wastewater Enthusiast: Training the Next...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/04/03

Shawn Powell has built a following by doing something wastewater operators have needed for a long time: making practical technical education easier to access. In Episode 470, he explains why that matters, how he built The Wastewater Enthusiast, and what the industry still gets wrong about training, certification, and knowledge transfer. From test prep to true understanding A major thread in this conversation is the gap between passing an exam and actually understanding plant operations. Shawn

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56:54

469 ABMA: The Oldest Association Meets Today's...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/03/27

Boiler performance rarely depends on a single decision. It depends on design, controls, maintenance, workforce capability, and, as this conversation makes clear, the quality of water treatment. Scott Lynch and Shaunica Jayson explain how American Boiler Manufacturers Association (ABMA) is addressing those realities by connecting manufacturers, representatives, suppliers, and field stakeholders around education and practical guidance. Why ABMA still matters in a changing boiler market ABMA has been

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01:16:46

468 Born into Water Treatment: Tom Brandvold on AWT's...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/03/20

Tom Brandvold, CWT, has lived industrial water treatment from the inside out. In this conversation, he traces that path from sweeping floors and running sample bottles as a kid to leading Premier Water and Energy Technology and serving as a former president of Association of Water Technologies (AWT). The result is not just a career story. It is a useful look at how credibility, collaboration, and standards are built over time in this industry. How Association of Water Technologies (AWT) was formed

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01:07:43

467 From PhD to Pump Rooms: Jake Elliott on...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/03/13

What happens when a water chemist leaves the lab and heads to the pump room?  Dr. Jake Elliott knows firsthand. A former PhD researcher who studied resource recovery from trade‑waste customers, Jake now manages accounts at Hydro flow in Melbourne, working with cooling towers, boilers, chemical dosing rigs and wastewater treatment systems. He joins host Trace Blackmore to discuss how rigorous research, regulatory compliance and process automation translate into practical field work for industrial

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57:12

466 Stories, Math, and "Never Again" Moments: Inside...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/03/06

AWT's in‑person technical training is a keystone for developing competent water treaters. Yet classroom knowledge only matters when it survives the drive home and emerges later in the field. In this second conversation with Dan Merritt, CWT—National Sales Manager at CH2O Inc. and head of AWT's education committee—Trace Blackmore uncovers how stories, math, and memorable mistakes turn theory into intuition. Why training keeps evolving Dan explains that the Association of Water Technologies

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01:03:31

465 From Classroom to Cooling Towers: Teaching Water...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/02/27

Industrial water training only works when the knowledge transfers. That means the material lands with the audience, survives the drive home, and shows up later in the field when decisions get made. Dan Merritt, CWT, Sales Manager at CH2O, brings a rare perspective to that problem. He started as a teacher (chemistry, calculus, physics), entered industrial water treatment on February 5, 2002, and later became part of the AWT training team. This conversation follows the path from classroom instruction

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01:12:19

464 Corrosion Coupons, Brand Building, and Having Fun...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/02/20

"Don't be afraid to say I don't know. - Will Ritter" Corrosion is expensive, relentless, and easy to underestimate—until a "lasagna battery" turns aluminum foil green and reminds you what electrochemistry can do in the real world. This conversation reframes corrosion coupons as what they actually are: a repeatable field test that can sharpen your decisions—if you treat the process with consistency. Respect the coupon, protect the data Trace breaks down why coupons became non-negotiable in his

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01:07:56

463 Mapping the Future of Water Innovation with Paul...

Scaling UP! H2O ·

2026/02/13

"If you say something over and over often and enough, it becomes true because perception is reality." Paul O'Callaghan has built a career at the intersection of water science, wastewater realities, and the practical question every operator and executive eventually faces; what actually moves innovation from idea to adoption. As Founder and CEO of BlueTech Research, Paul explains how his team helps decision-makers put capital to work more efficiently in water by reducing uncertainty and

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