455 Mentors, Mindset, and the CWT: Owning Your Water Career with Nella Fergusson
Release Date: 12/19/2025
475 Inside the Boiler: Inspection, Failure Analysis, and Photography with Cheryl Heiser
Scaling UP! H2O
A boiler failure can create pressure quickly: production is down, emotions are high, and the water treater may be the first person blamed. of . 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 rooted in the idea that no two boilers are the same. Design, operating conditions, fuel, history, circulation, steam...
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474 Questions from the Scaling UP! Nation about Trace
Scaling UP! H2O
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 industry: getting involved early, documenting customer conversations, building strong...
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473 From Oil to Water: How the Water Midstream Sector Was Born with John Durand
Scaling UP! H2O
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. , 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 infrastructure opportunity. From Disposal Model to Managed Resource John describes how...
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472 Finding and Fixing the Invisible: Chris MacDonald on Pressure Pipe Inspection and Rehab
Scaling UP! H2O
"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 problems are so expensive , CEO and President of , explains why pressure pipe...
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471 Biofilms, Biocides, and TTPC: A Deep Dive with Dr. Jeff Kramer
Scaling UP! H2O
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 microorganisms attached to a surface and held together by an external polymeric matrix. From there,...
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470 Wastewater Enthusiast: Training the Next Generation Online
Scaling UP! H2O
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 , 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 reflects on his own early experience with certification prep, where classes helped him recognize test questions but did not always help him...
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469 ABMA: The Oldest Association Meets Today’s Challenges
Scaling UP! H2O
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. and explain how 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 in place since 1888, but this discussion is not about preserving old structures for their own sake. Scott and Shaunica describe an association that has expanded beyond...
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468 Born into Water Treatment: Tom Brandvold on AWT’s Origin Story and a Life in the Industry
Scaling UP! H2O
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 . 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 One of the most valuable parts of this discussion is Tom’s explanation of how Association of Water Technologies (AWT) began. The...
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467 From PhD to Pump Rooms: Jake Elliott on Wastewater, Efficiency, and Saying “Yes” Wisely
Scaling UP! H2O
What happens when a water chemist leaves the lab and heads to the pump room? knows firsthand. A former PhD researcher who studied resource recovery from trade‑waste customers, Jake now manages accounts at 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 water treatment professionals. From PhD Research to Industrial Practice Jake’s academic background informs the way he...
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466 Stories, Math, and “Never Again” Moments: Inside AWT Technical Training with Dan Merritt (Part 2)
Scaling UP! H2O
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 —National Sales Manager at 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 rewrites courses every year. Instructors refine content, delivery and demonstrations, not for novelty’s sake, but because...
info_outline“So one thing I never do is try to start giving remediation or advice before I truly have understood and diagnosed the problem.”
Mentorship and certifications don’t replace experience—but they can accelerate it when paired with the right mindset and a disciplined approach to learning. Nella Fergusson, CWT (District Manager, Southern California, Garratt-Callahan), lays out what “growing up” in industrial water treatment actually looks like: repeated exposure to real problems, strong diagnostic habits, and a willingness to keep learning long after year one.
Learning that keeps you employable
Water treatment evolves. Nella contrasts today’s challenges with what she faced 15 years ago and explains why complacency is the fastest path to getting left behind. She describes water treatment as industry-specific by nature—food processing cooling and commercial real estate operations don’t behave the same, don’t shut down the same way, and can’t be serviced the same way.
Diagnosing before prescribing
Her troubleshooting process starts with questions: the system’s history, what changed, when symptoms appeared, and how critical the impacted use is. She emphasizes water sampling across different times of day and refuses to offer remediation before a proper diagnosis—because misdiagnosis creates extra problems instead of solving the original one.
Career decisions, culture, and the 80/20 risk
Nella shares a candid career detour: leaving Garratt-Callahan for GE Water/Suez, then realizing quickly what she lost—support, resources, and “family”—before returning. She frames many job moves through an 80/20 lens: chasing a missing 20% can cost the 80% that already works, especially when recruiters’ incentives don’t align with yours.
Credentials that signal competence—and protect end users
Nella explains why she pursued the CWT: an industry-agreed benchmark that reflects years of varied problem-solving. She also discusses ASSE 12080 recertification and why correct sampling, shipping, labeling, and interpretation matter—particularly in Legionella and water safety work. Customers may fear testing; she argues the goal is to find risk where maintenance is weak, then build site-specific procedures that facilities can actually sustain with their staffing. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!
Timestamps
02:22 - Trace message: CWT prep course + planning for 2026
09:17 - Water You Know with James McDonald
10:48 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals
14:49 - Interview with Nella Fergusson, CWT, (District Manager, Southern California, Garratt-Callahan)
16: 27- Ongoing education + how the industry has changed
21:06 - Nella’s troubleshooting approach: history, what changed, sampling, impact, don’t prescribe before diagnosing
31:00 - Nella’s 80/20 rule for deciding whether to leave a company
34:22 - Why she pursued CWT + value of certifications in the industry
40:15 - Getting results immediately + confidence while testing
Connect with Nella Fergusson 
Email: nfergusson@g-c.com
Website: http://www.garrattcallahan.com/
LinkedIn: Nella Fergusson, CWT | LinkedIn
Guest Resources Mentioned
ASSE 12080 Certification – ASSE International
Why ASSE Certifications Matter – Garratt‑Callahan
Impact of Cooling Tower Downtime in Food & Beverage Operations – Aggreko
Scheduling Off‑Peak HVAC Maintenance – Facility Response Group
Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned
AWT (Association of Water Technologies)
Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses
Water You Know with James McDonald
Question: What is the piece of equipment called that is a heat exchanger placed in the gas passage between the boiler and the stack designed to recover exhaust gas heat into the boiler feedwater?
2025 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.
