364 Water Abundance: A Global Perspective on Water Technology and Treatment Options
Scaling UP! H2O
We have the technology to treat any type of water, so instead of focusing on 'water scarcity,' let's talk about 'water abundance'. - Walid Khoury In the latest episode of the Scaling UP! H2O podcast, we explore how to shift the narrative from "Water Scarcity" to "Water Abundance" with returning guest , President and CEO of . Walid’s global perspective on water technology and treatment options provides invaluable insights for water professionals, industry owners, policymakers, and anyone interested in addressing global water challenges. Here are five strategies Walid provides to guide your...
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363 Pricing Boost: Get Paid Well For Your Excellence
Scaling UP! H2O
“Dogs and prospects can smell fear.” - Casey Brown Are you struggling with pricing your products and services confidently? Do you fear presenting proposals to clients and dealing with objections? Are you unsure how to have effective conversations around price increases? If these questions sound familiar, you’re going to love today’s episode featuring , founder of . Boost Pricing has the singular goal of helping organizations get paid well for their excellence, and in this informative conversation, Casey shares invaluable insights on how to elevate your pricing game and communicate...
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362 Navigating 97-005: Insights and Impacts on Potable Water
Scaling UP! H2O
“Achieving a well with reliable water quality and supply requires a significant amount of effort and work” - Mike Taraszki In this engaging episode of Scaling UP! H2O, hydrogeologist delves into California's Process Memo 97-005, a key resource for direct potable water use from extremely impaired sources. If you’re eager to learn about the criteria and steps outlined in Process Memo 97-005 and how to keep your water permits current, this episode provides all the details you need. Mike examines the nationwide impact of 97-005 on potable water and shares his expertise in hydrogeologic...
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361 Scaling UP! Your Testing: Answering Listener Questions About Water Testing
Scaling UP! H2O
“I have never regretted having too much data when collecting a sample.” - Trace Blackmore In this insightful episode of Scaling UP! H2O, join your host as he helps water professionals scale up their water testing knowledge, addressing listener questions and providing invaluable expertise for water treatment professionals. Water testing stands as a cornerstone of effective water treatment, and Trace serves as your guide through this vital terrain. With a wealth of expertise, he addresses listener questions, offering invaluable insights to elevate the practices of water treatment...
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360 Unlocking Profitable Sustainability: Winning RFPs and Making a Positive Impact
Scaling UP! H2O
Ready to uncover how to win RFPs, boost profits, and make a tangible positive impact – all while championing sustainability in your industry? Discover how to demystify sustainability and align your company's practices with environmental, social, and economic goals in the latest episode of Scaling UP! H2O. Host Trace Blackmore sits down with , CEO of , to explore practical strategies for water professionals to embrace sustainability. Learn how small changes in energy efficiency, understanding sustainability scopes, and having sustainability data on hand can give your company a competitive...
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359 Visualizing Success: The Power of Creativity and Problem-Solving in Water Treatment
Scaling UP! H2O
Visualization helps water professionals better understand equipment, processes, and problem-solving techniques Often, as water professionals, we breeze past the intricate inner workings of the equipment we handle, missing out on valuable insights that could enhance our understanding and effectiveness. But what if we took a moment to visualize what's happening inside that cooling tower? Through the simple act of visualization, we can unlock a whole new perspective on the systems we work with, gaining profound insights into their operation. Step into the fascinating world of industrial water...
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358 Safety First: Practical Tips, Big Results in Water Treatment
Scaling UP! H2O
Did you know that integrating safety practices into your organization's culture can lead to significant improvements in employee engagement and overall performance? Step into the world of safety excellence alongside two industry leaders, Michael Highum and Reid Hutchison, in this enriching episode of the Scaling UP! H2O Podcast. As seasoned experts in their respective fields, Michael and Reid bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, making this conversation a must-listen for anyone seeking to enhance their understanding of safety practices in the water treatment industry. With...
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357 Essential Leadership Skills for Water Professionals: A Guide by Dr. Andrew Temte
Scaling UP! H2O
How does a high school dropout go on to earn a Ph.D. from the University Of Iowa and become the host of one of Apple Podcast’s Top 15 shows on Management? mission is to Teach, Coach, Mentor, and Inspire, and today, the Scaling UP! H2O podcast is honored to feature him. In this transformative interview, Andrew discusses the foundational elements of building company culture, emphasizing that it starts with leadership. He shares valuable insights on why companies should prioritize defining their purpose before diving into marketing strategies. Additionally, Andrew explores the concept of...
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356 Unlocking the Future: Collaborative Water Management
Scaling UP! H2O
Collaborate strategically, embrace AI innovations, and champion data access, and scale up your knowledge to conquer industry challenges. - Dragan Savić FREng On this episode of Scaling UP! H2O, we're diving into the future of water management with our distinguished guest, , the CEO of and Professor of Hydroinformatics at the . With over 30 years of experience in numerical optimization and AI tools, Dragan Savić has been a driving force in reshaping the water sector. As an engineer and the leader of KWR, he's at the forefront of collaborative efforts, bringing together computer...
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355 Backflow Prevention: Safeguarding Water Quality
Scaling UP! H2O
“Why is the water weirdly blue? Why does it smell bad? Why does it taste bad? The culprit is frequently Backflow.” - Kalpna Solanki Delve into the mysteries behind strange-tinted water, unpleasant odors, and off-putting tastes – all signs pointing to an all too common culprit: Backflow. Uncover the shocking narrative of over 50,000 residents enduring weeks without water due to industrial chemicals infiltrating their drinking supply in Ontario, Canada. Join , President and CEO of the , on a mission to safeguard our drinking water. In this episode, Kalpna Solanki delves into the concealed...
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“Don’t shortcut boiler safety. Do it once, do it right, and don’t put your life or someone else's life at risk.” - Barry Higgins
Happy days are here again! Dive deeper into the realm of steam boilers with Part 2 of our exclusive interview with the brilliant Barry Higgins from AquaChem. If you enjoyed last Friday's episode, get ready for an even more profound exploration into the intricacies of boiler management.
In this episode, Barry takes us on a journey through advanced topics crucial for every water treater and industry enthusiast. Discover the significance of pH management, from its intricate relation to alkalinity to the cautionary notes on caustic demand above pH 11. Barry emphasizes the importance of precise pH meter calibration, advocating for separate probes in high pH ranges and the use of single-use cells for calibration.
Explore the nuances of the blowdown system as Barry stresses the effectiveness of short, pulsating blowdowns for optimal sludge removal. Uncover the distinctions between bottom and top blowdowns and the potential pitfalls of leaving the blowdown open for extended periods. Safety measures take center stage as Barry shares a personal account, highlighting the critical importance of regular checks on low and high-level probes, weekly boiler checks, and alarm tests.
Water level monitoring becomes a fascinating topic, discussing variations due to steam density, the significance of steady levels, and the importance of checking sight glasses for signs of corrosion. Barry wraps it up with insights into boiler water sampling, offering guidance on ideal sampling locations and considerations when a sample cooler is unavailable.
Join host Trace Blackmore as he continues his conversation with Barry Higgins, unraveling advanced boiler checks and sharing invaluable wisdom. Get ready for a knowledge-packed episode that elevates your expertise in industrial water treatment. Happy days, indeed!
Timestamps
01:00 - Trace Blackmore reminds you to share your water resources with others
03:40 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals
08:30 - Interview with Barry Higgins, Boilers Part 2
34:30 - Lightning round questions
40:00 - Closing thoughts with Trace
48:15 - Drop by Drop With James McDonald
Quotes
“Do it once, do it right, and don’t put your life or someone else's life at risk.
It’s not worth your life. Don’t shortcut boiler safety. Get the steam properly in one hour, not two minutes.” - Barry Higgins
“You have to check all your levels and check all your probes and make sure all these alarms are working.” - Barry Higgins
“Jump in, you’ll love working with water. If you like to solve problems this is a job for life. You will never have two days that are exactly the same.” - Barry Higgins
“I'm a water treater, I'm not a Magician.” - Barry Higgins
“Advice for water treaters on day one: Be bold. Make hard decisions that come your way, don't be scared of them. It’s gonna be a roller coaster. It's gonna be up. It's gonna be down, but just go with the flow and learn. If you get a knock get back up again and and learn learn from why you failed and just keep going” - Barry Higgins
Connect with Barry Higgins
Phone: +353 87 987 8606
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.aquachem.ie
LinkedIn: in/barry-higgins-bagrsc-59030225
Read or Download Barry Higgins’ Press Release HERE
Links Mentioned
Ep 281 The One About The Power of Kindness with Kathleen Edelman
Ep 117 The One With Temperament Expert, Kathleen Edelman
Ep 179 Another One that Teaches Us to Communicate Better with Others
AWT (Association of Water Technologies)
Books Mentioned
I Said This, You Heard That by Kathleen Edelman
I Said This, You Heard That, Workbook by Kathleen Edelman
I Said This, You Heard That, Workbook, 2nd Edition by Kathleen Edelman
Adults Guide to Kids Wiring by Kathleen Edelman
Talking To Strangers by Michael Harding
Drop By Drop with James
In today’s episode, we are going to talk about one of water’s absolutely amazing properties. We are going to talk about hydrogen bonding, one of my favorite types of bonding in the atomic world. Yeah, I’m weird that way.
Water is H2O or two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. The two hydrogen atoms are not stuck to each other but are stuck to the oxygen atom instead. It’s HOW they are stuck to the oxygen atom that makes all the difference in the universe! They are NOT stuck directly across from each other on the oxygen atom at 180 degrees like the buns on Princess Leia’s hair. No buddy. That would have been disastrous for life as we know it! We would have had no hope.
Instead, they are stuck at an angle; at approximately a 104.5 degree angle. Think Mickey Mouse with his two ears representing the two hydrogen atoms and his head the oxygen atom. THAT is water. This kink of an angle leads to a very important superpower. Because the hydrogen atoms are small and only have 1 measly electron, they’re easy to push around and take their electrons. The much bigger oxygen atom only needs 2 more electrons to fill its outer shell and be in a state of nirvana, and it gets these from the two hydrogen atoms. Because the water molecule looks like Mickey Mouse with the hydrogen atoms more on one side of the molecule than the other, you end up with a partial positive charge on the more hydrogen side and a partial negative charge on the more oxygen side.
We’ve all heard that opposites attract, and that’s true in the world of chemistry as well. The partially positive side of one water molecule is attracted to the partially negative side of another water molecule, making water “sticky.” This, my friends, is called hydrogen bonding. It doesn’t just end with water molecules sticking to each other, though. Water molecules will also be attracted to other positively and negatively charged ions, too. For example, this explains why table salt or NaCl dissolves so easily in water. The positive sodium ions are attracted to the partially negative oxygen side of the water molecule while the negative chloride ions are attracted to the partially positive hydrogen side.
Hydrogen bonding leads to all kinds of unique properties of water. Water is a liquid at room temperature. That may sound like a “duh” comment, but when one considers that other molecules of similar or heavier weights are gasses at room temperature, such as methane, propane, and butane, it suddenly seems a little more amazing.
Water has a high heat capacity, meaning it takes more heat to raise the temperature of water and especially to make it change phases from solid to liquid to gas. We use this property every day in industrial water applications with boilers, cooling towers, etc., and it’s all thanks to hydrogen bonding.
There are more examples, but it should suffice to say that hydrogen bonding is one of water’s primary super powers that influences our industrial water lives in so many ways every second of every minute of every day.
2024 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 or using the dropdown menu.
