459 From Wastewater to Resource: Water Reuse with Dr. Veronika Zhiteneva
Release Date: 01/16/2026
484 Risk, Resilience, and Water Security with Dr. Newsha Ajami
Scaling UP! H2O
Industrial operations depend on water of a predictable quantity and quality, yet many organizations still treat that reliability as a given. joins Trace Blackmore, CWT, to examine water security as a business continuity issue and resilience as the ability to withstand pressure, maintain operations, and recover quickly when systems fail. Connecting Risk, Resilience, and Recovery For industrial water users, water security means maintaining access to the quantity and quality required to operate without interruption. That reliability depends on...
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483 From Process Engineer to Process Architect: Alicia Butler‑Pierre on Making Work Flow
Scaling UP! H2O
Industrial water professionals understand flow, pressure, heat exchange, wastewater, boilers, condensers, and process control. Alicia Butler-Pierre brings that same engineering logic into business systems, showing how work, information, decisions, and people move through an organization. Alicia, CEO of Equilibria, joins Trace Blackmore, CWT, to connect process engineering, operations management, Lean Six Sigma, dashboards, professional training, and business infrastructure. Her message is clear: whether you are moving water through a pipeline or work through a company, the question remains the...
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482 Preserving Our Industry’s Story – Paul Petersen and the Industrial Water Exhibit
Scaling UP! H2O
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 simply a static display of old equipment. Instead, the goal is to...
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481 From Waterfalls to SOPs: Building Better Utilities with Kalpna Solanki
Scaling UP! H2O
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 , President and CEO at , for a practical conversation on building stronger utilities through standard operating procedures, competencies, and performance evaluations. Kalpna shares how outdated SOPs, disconnected training tools, and top-down documentation can create risk, confusion, and missed...
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480 From Engineering Numbers to People, Power, and Policy with Sherine El‑Wattar
Scaling UP! H2O
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. , a science network officer supporting the Working Group II Technical Support Unit, brings an engineering foundation and a human-centered perspective to those questions. Her work focuses on climate impacts, adaptation, vulnerability, and risk while helping...
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479 Water Treatment: The Next Generation - Hustle Culture Meets Emotional Literacy with Tiffany Wentz‑Root
Scaling UP! H2O
In today’s episode of Scaling UP! H2O, host Trace Blackmore sits down with workplace resilience expert and U.S. Marine veteran 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 was shaped by historical and technological upheaval. The discussion reframes “hustle...
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478 Rethinking Power Plant Water and Steam Chemistry with Brad Buecker (Part 2)
Scaling UP! H2O
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477 Rethinking Power Plant Water and Steam Chemistry with Brad Buecker (Part 1)
Scaling UP! H2O
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476 Positive Communication, Temperaments, and the WOW Effect with Paule Genest
Scaling UP! H2O
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475 Inside the Boiler: Inspection, Failure Analysis, and Photography with Cheryl Heiser
Scaling UP! H2O
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Industrial water professionals are increasingly pulled into conversations about scarcity, resilience, and “where the next gallon comes from.”
Dr. Veronika Zhiteneva, CEO and Co-founder of Waterloop Solutions frames water reuse as an implementation challenge more than a technology gap—and explains where the practical starting points are when the scope feels overwhelming.
Moving reuse forward when the technology already exists
Waterloop Solutions was founded to accelerate implementation: clarifying end-use quality, identifying post-treatment needs on the back end of existing plants, and building risk management plans that fit real operational and regulatory expectations. The conversation stays grounded in what slows projects down (time, permitting, funding, and public acceptance) and where progress can be made without reinventing the toolbox.
Centralized vs. decentralized: why “less regulated” can move faster
Europe’s agricultural reuse regulation (noted as coming into effect in June 2023) created shared minimum requirements, but also uncertainty around permitting and responsibility at the local level. In contrast, decentralized reuse is described as an “early adopter” space—often driven by innovative building projects (gray water separation, rooftop rain capture) and, in some cases, easier implementation from scratch than retrofits.
What matters to industrial listeners: partnerships, autonomy, and distance
For industrial teams, Dr. Veronika points out opportunities for synergistic partnerships with municipalities and agriculture—balanced against the realities of infrastructure distance and cost. She also makes the case for industrial autonomy: decoupling from conventional sources through internal reuse to protect future production when municipal needs take precedence.
Communication and the “toilet to tap” problem
Public perception remains a stubborn barrier. Dr. Veronika calls out the long-lasting impact of “toilet to tap” framing and why first impressions can derail technically sound reuse projects.
Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!
Timestamps
03:58 - Trace Blackmore shares how “Pinks and Blues” questions get chosen—and where listeners can submit them
05:05 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals
07:42 – Words of Water with James McDonald
11:47 – Meet Dr. Veronika Zhiteneva and why Trace invited her from LinkedIn insights
12:20 — Veronika’s path: UMD → Colorado School of Mines → PhD at Technical University of Munich
15:40 — Why Waterloop Solutions started: progress is slow, but implementation support is missing
19:40 — Decentralized reuse: why interest is rising, and why it can be easier to implement in buildings
20:20 — EU agricultural reuse regulation (June 2023): minimum quality, crop types, and risk plan uncertainty
23:40 — Unique barriers by sector: municipal timelines, industrial ROI, and the difficulty of reaching farmers
33:20 — Lowest-hanging fruit: municipal reuse for street cleaning and parks; industrial autonomy via internal reuse
45:00 — Women and young professionals: visibility, role models, and why the sector’s willingness to help matters
47:20 — Where to learn more: US EPA resources, EU work underway, and Australia as a reuse leader
Quotes
“It's okay to ask questions.”
“But actually, all the technology needed for it already exists.”
“What I think is awesome in the US, for example, that you guys are really pursuing this direct potable reuse now.”
“I think these are all valid options to have kind of in the water management portfolio on a local level and also on a regional level.”
Connect with Dr. Veronika Zhiteneva 
Email: vzhiteneva@gowaterloop.com
Website: Home – Waterloop Solutions
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vzhiteneva/
Waterloop Solutions: Overview | LinkedIn
Guest Resources Mentioned
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (Paperback)
European Commission's Water reuse: New EU rules to improve access to safe irrigation
Intermezzo Paperback – by Sally Rooney (Author)
US EPA State Water Reuse Resources
US EPA Water Reuse Information Library
US EPA's “A Framework for Permitting Innovation in the Wastewater Sector Report”
US Department of Energy’s About the BuildingsNEXT Student Design Competition
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)
Water Reuse Europe Policy and Regulations
Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned
AWT (Association of Water Technologies)
AWT Technical Training Seminars
Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses
Words of Water with James McDonald
Today's definition is a device for removing condensate from a steam line without allowing the steam to escape. Can you guess the word or phrase?
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.
