Scaling UP! H2O: Daily Summaries Delivered

495 Growing Through Change in Water Treatment with Mark Lewis, Part 1

Change is unavoidable, but uncertainty does not have to control how water treatment professionals respond to it. Mark Lewis returns to share what he learned when Southeastern Laboratories was acquired by CRB Water—and how employees can remain valuable, informed, and open to opportunity during a business transition. Navigating an Acquisition from the Employee's Perspective Southeastern Laboratories began exploring a buyer because its owners wanted to protect the company and approximately 30 employees. When CRB Water entered the picture, employees naturally wondered what would change and how those decisions would affect their careers. Mark explains how CRB Water's "do no harm" approach helped employees navigate the transition. Although changes to compensation, insurance, expenses, and operating practices required adjustment, the acquisition also brought additional resources and access to larger corporate accounts that may not have been available through a smaller organization. His practical advice is direct: ask questions, understand the business, examine the available data, and keep an open mind. A change in ownership can create discomfort, but it may also expand what employees and their territories can accomplish. Becoming an Asset Before Change Arrives Professionals cannot always control when a company is sold, but they can control the value they bring to the organization. Mark encourages water treaters to strengthen their technical knowledge, return from training with something useful, understand how the business operates, and close gaps in their performance. That mindset makes an employee valuable to both the current organization and any future owner. It also replaces fear with preparation. Instead of waiting for uncertainty to pass, professionals can become better account managers, technical resources, and business contributors. Leadership Through Service and Preparation Mark also reflects on his years of service with the Association of Water Technologies, including committee leadership, board service, and his term as AWT president. Effective association leadership, he explains, requires preparation, sound judgment, and a willingness to do the work behind every meeting and decision. His receipt of the Ray Baum Memorial Water Technologist of the Year Award reinforces another leadership lesson: professional success is rarely built alone. Mark credits the people who taught, challenged, and trusted him throughout his career. The conversation closes with lessons from rebuilding AWT's Fundamentals and Applications training. Strong instruction begins with a sound foundation, a clear explanation of why, and the confidence to speak from experience rather than simply read from a slide.<span data-ccp-props= "{"1342

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

A strong convention outcome starts before the first session and continues long after the exhibit hall closes. Association of Water Technologies Executive Director Matt Coffindaffer explains how deliberate preparation, wider professional relationships, and volunteer service can turn AWT 2026 into practical value for an industrial water treatment career or business. Find the Right Place to Volunteer AWT offers yearlong committee service, shorter task-force assignments, and opportunities across technical research, marketing, membership, regulatory affairs, business resources, young professionals, Women of Water, legislative work, and charity. Matt emphasizes that there is no single ideal volunteer: owners, technical directors, sales and service professionals, field technicians, suppliers, and newcomers can contribute according to their time, experience, and interests. For business owners, committee work can strengthen peer relationships and provide access to practical operating resources. Newer professionals can also use the Young Professionals Committee to understand the organization, explore career paths, and learn about different specialties within industrial water treatment. Turn Convention Attendance into Business Value AWT 2026 in Oklahoma City brings together more than 1,000 industry peers and about 130 exhibitors. The program prioritizes technical content, while the September 15 Business Owners Meeting gives owners and management-team members a focused setting for business education, networking, and market insights from AWT's benchmarking survey. Matt frames the convention's value in operational terms: practitioners share lessons shaped by field experience, suppliers can support the full water treatment service chain, and one useful insight or connection may help a company solve problems more efficiently. The strongest return comes from engaging beyond familiar contacts. Prepare, Connect, and Divide the Learning Before arriving, review the schedule, select sessions, read available papers, and prepare questions. Because several technical tracks run simultaneously, coordinate with peers, attend different presentations, and compare notes afterward. First-time attendees can use the first-timer ribbon—and the Scaling UP! H2O "magic button"—to begin conversations more naturally. Trace adds a practical exhibit-hall strategy: review the exhibitor list and map, note vendors connected to specific questions, walk the full floor once for orientation, then return for focused conversations. If attending alone, approach the event as a "faithful translator" responsible for bringing useful information back to the team. Strong professional communities grow when people contribute, remain curious, and share what they learn. AWT 2026 offers a concentrated opportunity to strengthen all three habits. Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge! Timestamps 05:00 — Trace introduces the Scaling UP! H2O "magic button" as a simple icebreaker for starting conversations and expanding a professional network. 09:50 — Matt outlines AWT's committee and task-force opportunities, showing how members can contribute through technical, business, membership, regulatory, and community-focused work. 11:40 — Matt explains why AWT does not have one ideal volunteer and why bringing your complete experience and perspective strengthens the organization. 13:20 — Business owners, sales and service professionals, suppliers, field technicians, and industry newcomers learn how volunteering can expand their knowledge and professional relationships. 19:00 — Matt provides clear next steps for getting involved by contacting a committee chair, the AWT president, Matt, or an AWT staff member. 19:30 — The AWT Annual Convention preview covers Oklahoma City, technical education, networking opportunities, suppliers, and activities planned for attendees. 23:10 — Matt explains what business owners can expect from the September 15 meeting, including benchmarking insights and structured peer collaboration. 26:40 — Matt describes why the convention attracts highly invested practitioners and gives attendees access to experienced peers and about 130 exhibitor

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

Strong professional associations do more than provide programs and credentials. They create an environment where members can exchange knowledge, build trusted relationships, and prepare their businesses for what comes next. As the Association of Water Technologies enters a new operational chapter, Executive Director Matt Coffindaffer explains how AWT is strengthening that environment without losing the culture that makes it distinctive. From the Arts to Association Leadership Before entering association management, Matt built a career behind the scenes in theater. His experience designing scenery, lighting, and technical environments taught him how people with different skills can work together in service of a larger concept. That same principle now shapes his leadership at AWT. Matt describes his role as a partnership with the board of directors: helping volunteer leaders make timely, consequential decisions based on reliable information while directing the staff and daily operations that turn strategy into member value. Evolving AWT's Operational Structure After 20 years with Management Solutions Plus, AWT transitioned its association management support to Momentum Association Management. Matt explains that the change was driven by the organization's long-term strategic goals and the need to align staff resources with the expectations of a growing membership. Members can expect evolutionary improvements before larger changes take shape. Specialized support is being assigned to membership, CWT certification, committees, meetings, and exhibits. A new ticketing system will also help AWT track inquiries and connect members with the appropriate staff. With the annual convention approaching, customer service and a successful Oklahoma City experience remain the immediate priorities. Expanding the Reach of the CWT Program The Certified Water Technologist designation remains one of AWT's most important professional programs. However, the number of certificate holders has remained around 300 to 350 for more than a decade, despite more than 4,500 professionals being within AWT's member orbit. Matt outlines a broader strategy for growth: examine potential barriers to eligibility, provide specialized administrative support, pursue ANSI accreditation, and work toward greater recognition of the CWT designation in bid specifications and regulatory requirements. The objective is to expand participation while preserving the credential's rigor and professional value. Making the Convention Work for You Trace closes with a practical reminder: plan your agenda, make time for the exhibit hall, and use the Scaling UP! H2O button as a simple conversation starter. Attendees can continue those connections during the next Hang on October 1 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. The strength of AWT comes from professionals who contribute their knowledge, volunteer their time, and help one another succeed. Preparing intentionally for the convention allows yo

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

491 Environmental Microbiology and Legionella: Managing Building Water Risks with Dr. Rajiv Sahay

Reliable Legionella results begin long before a sample reaches the laboratory. Dr. Rajiv Sahay of Sahay Scientific Services explains how building conditions, field collection practices, and laboratory methods influence the quality—and usefulness—of the data water professionals receive. Building Water Conditions Shape the Risk Modern buildings rely heavily on controlled mechanical systems, yet water can remain an overlooked part of the indoor environment. Stagnation, low flow, dead legs, temperature, pH, disinfectant residuals, corrosion, and accumulated organic material can all influence biofilm development and microbial activity. Dr. Sahay cautions against solving one problem while creating another. Raising a disinfectant concentration without considering system materials, water chemistry, and occupant health can introduce secondary risks. Instead, water professionals need enough data to balance microbial control with the operational realities of the system. Better Samples Begin in the Field Sample quality depends on what happens at the collection point. Dr. Sahay recommends recording temperature and pH when the sample is taken, selecting a collection technique suited to the water body, and avoiding unnecessary sediment or debris. He also explains how gloves, hands, bottles, and sampling equipment can introduce cross-contamination. Aseptic handling, clean barriers, appropriate disinfection, and complete chain-of-custody documentation help the laboratory connect its findings with actual field conditions. What Happens Inside the Laboratory Dr. Sahay walks listeners through three testing pathways: non-culture methods, traditional culture, and molecular diagnostics such as PCR. Culture remains the reference method discussed for isolating and confirming Legionella, while molecular testing can provide faster screening information. The conversation also follows a sample through filtration, preparation, inoculation on BCYE media, incubation, preliminary identification, and confirmation. This context helps water professionals understand why laboratory turnaround times and reported results vary by method. Reading Results With the Right Context A nondetect does not necessarily establish that an entire water system—or even the full sample bottle—contains no Legionella. It means the laboratory did not detect the organism in the analyzed portion under the method's detection capability. That distinction reinforces the central lesson: usable field data, representative sampling, appropriate laboratory methods, and informed interpretation must work together. Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge! Connect with Dr. Rajiv Sahay Phone: (727) 488-4001 Email: rajiv_sahay9@hotmail.com Website: Environmental Services Consulting LinkedIn: Dr. Rajiv Sahay, FIAS, CIAQP | LinkedIn Sa

490 From Plans to Prevention: Water Management Insights with Dr. Abe Cullom

A water management plan protects people only when the facility uses it to guide decisions. Dr. Abe Cullom, Director of Water Safety & Management at Pace Analytical, joins Trace Blackmore, CWT, to examine why Legionella programs break down—and how testing, communication, and consistent implementation can strengthen them. Implementation Is the Bottleneck Five decades after Legionella was identified, researchers understand much more about the organism, its ecology, the conditions that support its growth, and the interventions available to control it. However, Dr. Cullom identifies implementation—not a lack of science—as the primary bottleneck. Many plans remain in filing cabinets or operate on autopilot. Teams collect measurements and samples, yet no one connects the results into a complete picture of the building water system. Process failures, limited follow-up, budget constraints, and unclear communication can allow a developing problem to remain hidden behind repeated low-level corrective actions. Testing Must Inform Risk Culture remains a dominant testing method, although the typical wait for results can complicate decisions during an investigation or operational change. qPCR provides faster results but may detect genetic material from both living and dead cells. Dr. Cullom also explains viable but non-culturable cells and why recent heat treatment, supplemental disinfection, oxidative stress, or prolonged stagnation can affect culture results. The goal is not automatically to drive every Legionella result to zero. Instead, teams should interpret findings using the species detected, distal site positivity, the facility's population, and the limitations of the testing method. Dr. Cullom explains why testing only for Legionella pneumophila may make sense in some systems, while healthcare facilities may require a broader view because highly immunocompromised patients can develop infections from other Legionella species. Ownership, Communication, and Continuous Review Water management plans often fail when responsibility for corrective action has not been assigned. Dr. Cullom calls one version of this breakdown the "milkman approach": a consultant or water treater delivers results, but the facility expects that outside party to organize a response that was never included in the scope. Effective programs clearly define authority, assign actions, and give engineers, infection prevention professionals, facility leaders, consultants, and water treaters a shared vocabulary. When reviewing a program, examine its records, verification and validation activities, corrective-action documentation, and long-term data trends. Dr. Cullom recommends giving someone at least 30 minutes each month to consider what the results reveal and whether the plan needs to change. He closes with a direct priority: validate every plan through testing—at least once and, ideally, routinely. Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!<span data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"13423311

489 Copper-Silver Ionization Technology and Legionella Control with Tory Schira

Copper-silver ionization offers building operators a persistent approach to Legionella control—one designed to carry an active disinfectant residual throughout complex plumbing infrastructure. LiquiTech CEO Tory Schira explains how the technology works, what operating data matters, and why successful implementation requires more than installing equipment. How Copper-Silver Ionization Works Copper and silver ions are introduced through a flow chamber containing sacrificial electrodes. A controlled electrical charge releases the positively charged ions into the water, allowing them to travel through the plumbing system and reach areas where biofilm and Legionella may grow. Tory describes the ions as independently biocidal but more effective when working together. Copper weakens the bacterial cell wall, while silver gains greater access to the cell and disrupts the bacteria. Unlike traditional oxidants that can decay with time and temperature, copper and silver ions remain persistent across hot and cold building water systems. Designing, Monitoring, and Controlling the System Proper design begins with engineering data. The deployment team evaluates whether treatment should be installed on the hot-water recirculation loop or at the building's cold-water point of entry. Peak demand, water consumption, conductivity, and pH also influence system sizing and operation. Tory outlines target ranges of 0.1–0.8 ppm copper and approximately 30–80 ppb silver. Real-time monitoring tracks ion introduction, while samples collected from distal locations help verify distribution. Those samples are analyzed by an independent laboratory using ICP-MS testing under EPA Method 200.8. Water Management Plans Must Match the Control Method Changing a building's disinfection method should trigger a review of its water management plan. Tory cautions that many plans remain too generic and fail to define method-specific target ranges, corrective actions, and root-cause analysis procedures. The conversation also examines lessons from pandemic-era building stagnation. LiquiTech used connected-system data to identify low-flow areas and guide more targeted flushing, demonstrating how water-use visibility can strengthen operational decisions. Persistent Legionella positivity should not automatically be accepted as control. Water professionals must define success clearly, verify distribution, and align technology, monitoring, and corrective actions with the desired water-safety outcome. Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge! Timestamps 02:30 — Trace Blackmore opens the second week of Legionella Awareness Month and explains why copper-silver ionization must operate within a broader water management plan. 04:20 — Trace highlights the Legionella Resources page, including materials from the CDC, World Health Organization, and previous podcast guests. 07:30 — Trace explains how episode discussion guides help teams turn podcast insights into practical workplace conversations and action items.<span data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"13423311

488 Managing Legionella with confidence: A Conversation with Patsy Root

"Our goal is not zero Legionella pneumophila bacteria. Our goal is zero cases." – Patsy Root Legionella risk becomes harder to manage when building teams treat every detection as equivalent—or collect samples without first deciding what a positive result will trigger. Patsy Root, Senior Manager of Government Affairs at IDEXX Water, explains how a clear water management program can replace uncertainty with defined responsibilities, routine monitoring, and proportionate action. Focus Testing on the Organism of Concern Patsy distinguishes between the broader group of Legionella species and Legionella pneumophila, the organism she recommends prioritizing during routine monitoring. She reviews research indicating that detecting non-pneumophila Legionella does not automatically mean L. pneumophila is present. That distinction matters operationally. Remediation can require significant time, money, facility disruption, and lost revenue. Testing targets and corrective actions should reflect public-health risk rather than a generalized fear of any Legionella detection. The goal is management, not eradication. A well-designed program aims to prevent disease while recognizing that completely eliminating the organism from every water system is not realistic. Define the Response Before Sampling Questions about routine monitoring remain among the most common Patsy receives: Where should samples be collected? How often should testing occur? Which laboratory and method should be used? What actions should follow a positive result? When reviewing a positive laboratory report, determine whether L. pneumophila was detected, its concentration, how many locations tested positive, and whether those locations are clustered or distributed throughout the building. Then compare the findings with the action limits and response procedures established in the water management program. Testing without a response plan can create unnecessary confusion. Likewise, writing a program does not protect a facility unless the assigned monitoring, flushing, temperature checks, chlorine residual measurements, documentation, and corrective actions are consistently completed. Connect Water Treatment, Exposure, and Ownership A conventional water treatment program designed for heat-transfer efficiency does not automatically address every public-health exposure route. Building teams must consider where people could encounter aerosolized or otherwise unsafe water—not only whether treatment chemistry is operating as intended. Patsy uses a milk-jug analogy to explain building ownership. Farmers, processors, transporters,