Scaling UP! H2O Podcast Por scalinguph2o.com arte de portada

Scaling UP! H2O

Scaling UP! H2O

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The podcast where we scale up on knowledge so we don't scale up our systems. Find out why working in Industrial Water Treatment is the best job in the world. Hear industry experts share their knowledge and stories. Learn about technologies, methods, and career journeys. Join podcast host Trace Blackmore, former AWT President, LEED, and CWT every Friday for a new episode.© 2018 All Rights Reserved, Blackmore Enterprises, Inc. Economía
Episodios
  • 463 Mapping the Future of Water Innovation with Paul O'Callaghan

    463 Mapping the Future of Water Innovation with Paul O'Callaghan
    Feb 13 2026
    "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 separating signal from noise. He describes patterns he's watched repeat across water entrepreneurs, pilots, and product market fit, and why "innovation" often breaks down simply because utilities, investors, and founders are using the same word to mean different things. Capital, fit, and the language gap Paul unpacks what it takes to align an investor's expectations with a technology's true pathway to scale. He contrasts different "types" of innovation and why matching the right investor, entrepreneur, market, and timeline matters as much as the technology itself. The conversation also highlights why solving a problem someone has today is often a safer starting point than betting everything on a problem that might arrive tomorrow. Regulations as a driver and a risk Regulation matters in water and wastewater, but Paul cautions against building an entire business on the hope that rules will create a market on schedule. He walks through timing risk, enforcement uncertainty, and why tracking policy momentum matters as much as tracking the text of the regulation itself. He also notes a shift toward more "aspirational" regulation focused on reuse, regeneration, and systems-level outcomes. Storytelling that changes adoption From Brave Blue World to Our Blue World, Paul shares what he learned about making water personal and compelling without reducing it to doom-and-gloom narratives. The stories he tells connect to a core professional challenge: technologies enable outcomes, but adoption accelerates when people can see and want the "better" future those outcomes create. Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge! Timestamps 02:33 - Trace's message on finding "your next love" through learning 09:25 - Words of Water with James McDonald 11:25 - AWT connection and the importance of being challenged by community 13:06 - Industrial Water Week dates for "this year" (Oct 5–9) 14:02 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals 19:15 - Interview with Founder & CEO of BlueTech Research, author of The Dynamics of Water Innovation, Executive Producer of Brave Blue World and Our Blue World 22:20 - Pivot moment into water as a career (Malaysia, Edinburgh course, "living machines") 25:15 - What BlueTech Research does (reducing uncertainty, helping capital work efficiently) 27:50 - How startups connect with BlueTech and why storytelling matters 30:09 - Matching investors, entrepreneurs, and markets (alignment and "different languages") 33:00 - The role of regulations (timing risk and market realities) 35:15 - How BlueTech keeps up (themes, emerging areas, and using AI for tracking legislation) 36:30 - Paul's book: The Dynamics of Water Innovation (why he wrote it and who it's for) 40:49 - Documentary storytelling origin and Discovery Channel experience 44:22 - How celebrities got involved and why the outreach worked 45:30 - Why they made a second film and the goal of making water personal 48:03 - Viewer feedback, education impact, and grassroots screening stories 50:08 - "Water 2050" video game inspired by the films 51:21 - Additional ripple effects and "halo" projects (curriculum, photography competition, water walks) 53:06 - Where water innovation is going (desirability, storytelling, and "leaving water") 56:07- Advice for people with ideas (talk to people, generosity of the sector, ikigai, long-term view) 58:08 - Ostara / Crystal Green story (finding the operator's "today problem") 59:54 - One point Paul wants to leave: "It's a journey, enjoy it." Quotes "We do our best to help people put capital to work more efficiently to solve water challenges." "Try and find a problem that someone has today, ideally." Connect with Paul O'Callaghan Email: paul.ocallaghan@bluetechresearch.com Website: BlueTech Research – Actionable Water Technology Market Intelligence braveblueworldstudios | Instagram | Linktree LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/o2environmental/ Guest Resources Mentioned The Dynamics of Water Innovation: A Guide to Water Technology Commercialization by Lakshmi M. Adapa (Author), Paul O'Callaghan (Author), Cees Buisman (Author) Watch Brave Blue World: Racing to Solve Our Water Crisis | Netflix Braveblueworldstudios | Instagram | Linktree "...
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    1 h y 8 m
  • 462 From Lab Chemist to Field Mentor: Water, Culture, and Representation

    462 From Lab Chemist to Field Mentor: Water, Culture, and Representation
    Feb 6 2026
    Industrial water work rewards people who can move between precision and practicality. Katie Holliday brings both. She started as a lab chemist, then transitioned into field service with Apex Water and Process, where much of her work supports healthcare facilities and high-accountability programs. Lab habits that protect your tools and your data Katie describes the first surprise of field work: a central plant is "very dirty," and the job demands good technique without chasing lab-level perfection. She shares a couple of simple practices that prevent expensive problems. Use proper lab wipes on glassware instead of shirts or paper towels, which can scratch surfaces and compromise readings. Keep pH probes wet with the correct storage solution, because once they dry out, they often stop working. Healthcare water: SPD work and Legionella prevention About 90% of Katie's accounts are healthcare. She defines SPD as the sterile processing department and explains why expectations shift compared to boilers and cooling towers. SPD work is cleaner, more controlled, and typically includes additional components such as endotoxin filtration and UV. It also involves more testing and stricter standards that tie directly to patient safety. Alongside SPD, she emphasizes Legionella prevention as a constant priority, from cooling towers (including secondary disinfection) to domestic water, because facilities want to reduce risk to patients. Water chemistry reality check: Phoenix versus "everywhere else" Katie explains how Arizona water changes the operating window. She notes high hardness and high chlorides, which can limit cycles of concentration and force conservative targets compared with places like Atlanta, where Trace describes running much higher cycles. The takeaway for experienced pros is familiar: operating limits are local, and "what good looks like" depends on the incoming water and the constraints that matter most at that site. Mentorship, representation, and field readiness systems Katie shares what it meant to be the first woman account manager hire in a long-running operation, and her advice is practical: recruit intentionally, then train people in the field, not from the sidelines. She credits her mentor, Bernie Peacock, for accelerating her learning curve, and she now passes that on by responding fast, following through, and providing steady backup to newer teammates. She also describes how she built mechanical confidence, using manuals, YouTube, phone video, and a OneNote playbook that captures account contacts, access details, sampling points, and "where things are" notes for clean coverage when someone else is on-site. Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge! Timestamps 02:14 - Trace Blackmore shares "first day" intimidation and learning curve in water treatment 08:55 - Words of Water with James McDonald 12:30 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals 14:48 - Interview begins: Katie Holliday introduced (Apex Water and Process) 15:55 – Lab to Field transition and technique 20:27 – Representation and Mentorship 26:42 – Culture and Water Stewardship 33:31 – Healthcare work, SPD, and Legionella 35:56 – Mentoring and "give it back" 39:22 – Mechanical Confidence, Tools, and Documentation Systems Quotes and Key Takeaways "What do I not know that I don't know?" "Everyone needs a Bernie Peacock" "Field accuracy doesn't require lab perfection, but it does require clean technique." "The most effective mentoring is responsive and practical." "Documentation scales your value" Connect with Katie Holliday Email: k.nativeamericanbeadwork@gmail.com Website https://teamapex.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-holliday-9b6977246/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/apex-water-process/ Guest Resources Mentioned The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose Under the Bridge by Rebecca Godfrey AAMI ST108 Compliance in Sterile Processing High hardness in Phoenix ASSE 12080 Legionella Water Safety certification Navajo Nation water access Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned AWT (Association of Water Technologies) Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses Submit a Show Idea The Rising Tide Mastermind Fearless Pricing: Ignite Your Team, Own Your Value, and Command What You Deserve by Casey Brown Words of Water with James McDonald Today's definition is the upward flow of water through a resin bed to clean, expand, and reclassify the bed. Can you guess the word? 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.
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    55 m
  • 461 Corrosion, Lead, and Algae: New Tools for Old Water Problems

    461 Corrosion, Lead, and Algae: New Tools for Old Water Problems
    Jan 30 2026
    Corrosion rarely announces itself as a "big water problem." It shows up as leaching at the tap, residual loss in the field, premature equipment replacement, and the slow, expensive erosion of decision-quality. Pat Rosenstiel (CEO) and Wolf Merker (chemist/Chief Science Officer) of Great Water Tech lay out a system-wide view of corrosion control—starting with what changed in Flint from a technical standpoint and moving into why many utilities still struggle to meet expectations when standards and risk assumptions shift. System-wide corrosion control starts with chemistry and consequences A source-water change can shift corrosivity fast. If corrosion control does not adjust proactively, the downstream effects show in metal release and public exposure. Wolf stresses the distinction between the technical problem and the political challenges, then points to corrosion control as a solvable technical matter when it is treated as a system condition—not a single asset issue. Why "phosphate-only" isn't the end of the story Trace frames what most operators recognize: many municipalities use phosphate inhibitors to form a tenacious film and reduce corrosion. Wolf argues phosphates are "a little bit of old news" in practice and explains the approach Great Water Tech discusses with their German partners—using phosphates and silicates together in the right amounts to create a tighter separation between water and metal. Barriers, biology, and the disinfection tradeoff Wolf breaks corrosion drivers into three sources: chemical, biological, and electrochemical (dissimilar metal corrosion). He also ties corrosion to cascading operational decisions—especially disinfectant strategy. If residual loss pushes a system from chlorine to chloramine, Wolf warns that corrosivity can increase dramatically, and that corrosion can amplify the formation of disinfection byproducts as chlorine reacts with what is in the water. What industrial water treaters should listen for Pat connects the same barrier logic to industrial priorities—CapEx, OpEx, and lifecycle extension in closed systems (cooling towers, closed chilled loops, boilers). Wolf clarifies that closed systems require different product "flavors," while keeping the core concept consistent: the combined silicate/phosphate approach remains the best path he is aware of. Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge! Timestamps 02:20 - Trace sets the tone for the episode: decision-quality improves when you "rethink the way that you think you know things," especially around tests and procedures 08:20 - Words of Water with James McDonald 11:00 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals 18:22 - Interview with Pat Rosenstiel, CEO of Great Water Tech & Wolf Merker, Chief Science Officer of Great Water Tech 23:00 - Flint technical breakdown 27:30 - Corrosion control options 32:20 - Scale vs. Corrosion 43:40 – Algae Control Pivot Connect with Pat Rosenstiel Website: Great Water Tech | Water Treatment Solutions LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-rosenstiel-a148952/ Great Water Tech LLC: Overview | LinkedIn Connect with Wolf Merker Website: Great Water Tech | Water Treatment Solutions LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wolf-merker-a1b95284/ Great Water Tech LLC: Overview | LinkedIn Guest Resources Mentioned NSF/ANSI/CAN 60 — Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals: Health Effect NSF — Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals Certification (NSF/ANSI/CAN 60) (how certification works) ANSI Webstore listing (official standard access/purchase) EPA — Lead and Copper Rule (regulation hub) EPA — Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) (final rule page) EPA fact sheet — Tap Monitoring Requirements (LCRI) (sampling protocol changes) Great Water Tech Folmar (Great Water Tech) — corrosion inhibitor (phosphate + silicate blend) Algae Armor (Great Water Tech) — nutrient-binding tool for ponds/lakes EPA Distribution System Toolbox — Pigging fact sheet (PDF) (removing biofilm/scale/sediment from mains) U.S. Bureau of Reclamation report page (chlorine vs chloramine impacts incl. corrosion/leaching discussion) AWWA Opflow article (main cleaning techniques incl. pigging): AWWA's utility-facing perspective on cleaning options Silicate corrosion inhibitors Historical context for silicate–phosphate combinations Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned AWT (Association of Water Technologies) AWT Technical Training (March 2026) Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses Submit a Show Idea The Rising Tide Mastermind Ep 422 Inside the Association of Water Technologies with John Caloritis Hach Water Analysis Handbook Words of Water with James McDonald Today's definition is the smallest functional ...
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    55 m
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