488 Managing Legionella with confidence: A Conversation with Patsy Root
Scaling UP! H2O
“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. , Senior Manager of Government Affairs at , 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...
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487 The 60‑Minute CFO: Tracy Bech on Making Business Finance Less Scary
Scaling UP! H2O
“Our gross profit margin is truly the battle we have to win in order to win all of the downstream wars.” - Tracy Bech Financial statements become useful when leaders can translate the numbers into decisions. , founder and author of , explains how business owners, managers, salespeople, and field professionals can develop financial fluency without becoming accountants. Turn Financial Data into a Meaningful Scorecard Tracy teaches finance through stories and relationships rather than isolated numbers. Revenue alone does not reveal whether a company is...
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486 Meter Optimization: Air in the water with Anthony Giudice
Scaling UP! H2O
Water meters register the volume passing through them, but what happens when that volume contains both water and entrained air? Anthony Giudice, president of AquaFlow, explains how turbulent flow can influence meter readings and how AquaFlow’s calibrated valve is designed to help meters reflect what he describes as true water consumption. Why Flow Conditions Matter at the Meter Anthony connects entrained air to the pressure required to move municipal water and the turbulence created as water travels through piping, changes...
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485 Questions from the Nation Around the World with Trace Blackmore, CWT
Scaling UP! H2O
Ten questions from water professionals around the world become a practical decision-making session with Trace Blackmore, CWT. Drawing on earlier Scaling UP! H2O conversations, Trace explains how to evaluate treatment changes, use emerging tools responsibly, begin water reuse projects, strengthen teams, and continue growing professionally. Evaluate the Entire System A proposed treatment change should be evaluated by more than its purchase price. When comparing chlorine dioxide with traditional chlorine, Trace recommends examining biocide consumption, chemical storage,...
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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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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 teams, using repeatable processes, and staying open to new tools like AI.
From Family Influence to a Career in Water Treatment
Trace shares that his start in water treatment came through his father, who brought him along to accounts after school. His early memories include watching test results change color, learning around hospital accounts, and seeing how water treatment decisions were made in the field.
Before entering water treatment full-time, Trace worked in financial services and received strong sales training. However, he realized he was not enjoying the work. His father invited him to become a service technician, which led to a career path that combined technical problem-solving, customer service, sales, and a deep appreciation for the industrial water community.
Why Credentials, Associations, and Documentation Matter
Trace explains why the Certified Water Technologist credential remains one of the professional accomplishments he values most. He also discusses his LEED GA and LEED AP credentials, his time as a former president of the Association of Water Technologies, and his training as a master facilitator.
For professionals building their own careers, the larger lesson is clear: credentials, online presence, and association involvement can shape how customers and peers understand your expertise. Trace also emphasizes the importance of documenting conversations, decisions, and recommendations so teams and customers have a clear record when issues arise.
The Podcast, Rising Tide Mastermind, and Raising the Industry Bar
Trace reflects on launching the Scaling UP! H2O Podcast in 2017 after encouragement from Charlie Cicchetti and Conor Parrish. What began as a monthly podcast eventually became a weekly resource with structured processes, procedures, and a growing audience of water professionals.
He also discusses the honor of having Scaling UP! H2O recognized as the official podcast of the Association of Water Technologies, as well as the creation of Rising Tide Mastermind, which now includes 76 members across 7 groups. Both platforms reflect the same goal: creating spaces where industrial water professionals can learn, connect, and improve together.
Technology, AI, and the Next Phase of Learning
When asked about the biggest change in the industry, Trace points to data collection, remote monitoring, the Internet of Things, and AI. He remembers a time when system information required an on-site visit. Today, water professionals can review controller data, reports, and trends before arriving in the field.
Trace also shares how his Doctor of Business Administration program is changing the way he thinks about research, learning, and long-term growth. His 2026 goals include continuing that academic work, strengthening the podcast’s educational value, and giving family and personal commitments proper space on the calendar.
This episode is not only a personal reflection. It is a reminder that long-term success in water treatment depends on learning, relationships, systems, and the willingness to keep improving.
Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!
Timestamps
02:35 — Trace opens the episode with a May update and connects the season to a practical cooling tower challenge: pollen in Southern systems.
04:30 — Trace explains why this episode is different: Scaling UP! Nation asked for more personal stories and career reflections from him.
06:50 — Trace highlights the 6th Annual Oilfield Water Markets Conference and shares the Scaling UP! H2O listener discount code.
08:00 — Trace mentions the International Water Association Leading Edge Conference on Water and Wastewater Technologies in Houston.
08:50 — Trace points healthcare-focused water professionals toward ASHE’s Healthcare Facilities Innovation Conference in Minneapolis.
09:50 — James McDonald presents a new Words of Water definition focused on wet bulb temperature and cooling tower performance.
11:20 — Trace explains why receiving compliments used to be difficult and how mentorship helped him respond with more respect and gratitude.
13:50 — Trace answers how he got started in water treatment through his father, field visits, testing, and early exposure to accounts.
15:50 — Trace describes leaving financial services, joining his father’s company as a service technician, and finding work he genuinely enjoyed.
18:20 — Trace explains the credentials behind his name, beginning with the Certified Water Technologist designation.
20:25 — Trace discusses LEED GA and LEED AP credentials and how they helped him communicate with commercial building owners.
23:00 — Trace shares why his AWT leadership experience and master facilitator training matter to his professional identity.
24:55 — Trace explains how Charlie Cicchetti introduced him to podcasts and encouraged him to start what became Scaling UP! H2O.
27:30 — Trace describes the podcast’s early cadence, moving from monthly to biweekly and then weekly episodes.
32:30 — Trace identifies AWT naming Scaling UP! H2O its official podcast as a crowning moment for the show.
33:45 — Trace shares personal and professional achievements, including adopting his son, building the podcast, and launching Rising Tide Mastermind.
35:30 — Trace explains how he balances podcasting, business, and other responsibilities through team support, time blocking, procedures, and the 12 Week Year.
41:05 — Trace shares advice to his younger self: join an association early, get involved, document everything, and build relationships in the industry.
44:40 — Trace identifies data, remote monitoring, IoT, AI, Legionella, PFAS, and water management plans as major changes in the industry.
48:10 — Trace shares scuba diving as his favorite non-water-treatment hobby and reflects on teaching more than 1,000 people to dive.
50:00 — Trace explains how pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration is teaching him research, academic discipline, and new ways to learn.
54:05 — Trace shares his 2026 goals, including progressing through his DBA program, expanding podcast resources, and prioritizing family on his calendar
Connect with Scaling UP! H2O
Submit a show idea: Submit a Show Idea
LinkedIn: in/traceblackmore/
YouTube: @ScalingUpH2O
Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned
Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses
420 Tapping Into Tech: How Ben Frieders Uses AI to Elevate Water Treatment Marketing
Words of Water with James McDonald
Today's definition is the lowest temperature that can be achieved through evaporation alone and is used to evaluate cooling tower performance. Do you know 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.
