Environmental Finance Center Network

In the world of wastewater treatment, operators often wear many hats—including that of the sampler. Sampling is not just a regulatory requirement; it’s a cornerstone of effective plant operation and environmental protection. Yet, many operators face challenges due to limited access to proper tools and training.

In this second episode of a two-part series, the Environmental Finance Center Network’s own Mike Rivera—a seasoned operator and plant manager—discusses the different type of samples a wastewater worker may conduct to optimize their wastewater treatment process and meet regulatory requirements. Mike provides a walkthrough of the wastew...

In the world of wastewater treatment, operators often wear many hats—including that of the sampler. Sampling is not just a regulatory requirement; it’s a cornerstone of effective plant operation and environmental protection. Yet, many operators face challenges due to limited access to proper tools and training.

In this first episode of a two-part series, the Environmental Finance Center Network’s own Mike Rivera—a seasoned operator and plant manager—shares practical guidance on how to get started with sampling and how to ensure your procedures are accurate and compliant. From choosing the right equipment to avoiding c...

Veteran operator, Mike Rivera, shares real-world water sampling insights—from compliance prep and troubleshooting to working in tough environments. Practical tips for small system water operators.

Join the Environmental Finance Center Network as we explore how capital improvement planning can lead to a more financially resilient utility.

In this episode, Southwest EFC Research Engineer A.J. Barney speaks with Rose Fenton, the Wastewater Plant Operations Manager at the Village of Jemez Springs, NM. Rose shares her firsthand perspective on the journey of developing a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) from the ground up. Whether you're new to capital planning or looking to refine your approach, you'll gain valuable insights into:

This podcast features an interview with Nicole Rentz, the Director of Market Development and Policy for New Columbia Solar, a company that specializes in commercial and industrial solar energy solutions.

The discussion revolves around the use of solar energy in wastewater treatment plants, covering topics like the benefits of solar, assessing feasibility, costs, financing options, technical and site requirements, and common pitfalls to avoid while planning for solar at your facility.

Presenter: Danish Kumar, UMD EFC

For decades, a Community Based Organization have been stewards of the Las Curías lake in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In this Spanish-language episode, we talk with limnologist Jorge Ortíz about an outreach project developed by Syracuse University EFC in collaboration with the University of Puerto Rico. This Community Science and Stewardship project provides opportunities for collaborative learning, allowing participants to explore scientific concepts and communications engagement strategies among community members and environmental science students, focusing on the impacts of decentralized wastewater systems on water quality to increase best management practices and environmental stewardship.

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A discussion with Carmen Guzman-Simpliciano from the community of Waianae, Oahu Hawaii on the importance of engaging communities from the beginning of a project. Carmen is the Director and cofounder of the community based organization Kingdom Pathways, and is also Capacity Collaborative's Manager for Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. Carmen is interviewed by Sarah Diefendorf (Director) and Elaine McCarty (Associate Director) of Capacity Collaborative.

In this episode Daryl J. Gotham, PE, Senior Research Engineer at the Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center interviews Dr. Ishi Keenum of Michigan Technological University (MTU) about the surveillance of pathogens in wastewater. Ishi has Bachelor's and Master's degrees in environmental engineering and a PhD in Civil engineering. She is an Assistant Professor at MTU.

In this episode Daryl J. Gotham, PE, Senior Research Engineer at the Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center interviews Jean Inman, P.E. about the benefits of cleaning and televising wastewater collection systems. Jean is a licensed professional engineer with Spicer Group of Saginaw, Michigan with over 28 years of experience with municipal wastewater collection systems and treatment plants.

In this episode Alex Radke of the Center for Technology and Training at Michigan Technological University interviews Daryl J. Gotham, PE, Senior Research Engineer at the Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center about the benefits of wastewater collection system preventative maintenance. Daryl was previously the Director of the Department of Public Services for a large Michigan Township.

In this episode Daryl J. Gotham, PE, Senior Research Engineer at the Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center interviews Anne Tavalire of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) about the national pretreatment program rules and implementation. Anne is a Regional Pretreatment Program Specialist with EGLE.  

In this Podcast Dawn Nall and A.J. Barney discuss their recent experience providing technical assistance as part of the EPA's "Closing America's Wastewater Access Gap" Pilot projects. They discuss what they liked about this project, how the pilot provided a unique strategy for progress, and how communities may benefit from similar future projects.

In this episode we discuss fee schedules for fats, oils, and grease (FOG) Pretreatment programs. We discuss how fee schedules can be developed to effectively enforce Pretreatment regulations and how different strategies can be used for different Pretreatment programs. We also discuss how fees can be used as more than just a form of punishment, but also as a tool to encourage and help FOG producers protect their business and the community around them.

Presenters: Dawn Nall & AJ Barney, Southewest Environmental Finance Center

Join us for a discussion with two Regional Environmental Finance Centers (EFCs) who have the ability to provide a qualified engineer to do a preliminary engineering report (or PER) for small disadvantaged communities. Hosted by John Sullivan, PE from the Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center at Michigan Technological University, the EFC in EPA Region 5.

The funding landscape is often treacherous, filled with complexities and challenges that can feel overwhelming, especially for smaller communities. Problems undoubtedly arise, from securing the right grants to fostering collaborations among various agencies. Understanding these hurdles and learning from those who are on the other side of this process can make a significant difference. Please join us for an informative conversation with Charlie Philion who brings years of experience, a multitude of knowledge, and an expert understanding of the funding landscape.

This podcast discusses the topics of power generation and heating using biogas produced during the digestion process in wastewater treatment. The focus of the discussion is the equipment required for power and heat production, related costs, and considerations related to the cost-benefit of potential heat and power projects. Presented by Tim Colling and Daryl Gotham

Join Program Associate Mike Tate as he goes through the long history of wastewater treatment.

In this podcast you will hear from Heather Himmelberger, Dawn Nall, and Mike Rivera on their perspectives of what you need to talk to your engineer about during both the planning and design phase of your project. Heather and Dawn are both engineers and Mike is a certified water and wastewater operator. They share their experiences and what they have learned by working with water systems around the country about collaborating with your design engineer.

Moonshot Missions (a partner of the EFCN) discusses the experiences they've had with the San Carlos Apache Tribe, one of the communities participating in EPA's and USDA's Closing America's Wastewater Access Gap Pilot Project. San Carlos Apache Tribe worked alongside EPA, USDA, IHS, EFCN, contractors and many others to develop a solution plan for issues they are facing with aging wastewater infrastructure. Challenges encountered and Important takeaways from this pilot project are highlighted in this podcast.

In this episode Dawn Nall from the Southwest Environmental Finance Center interviews Sarah Diefendorf and Elaine McCarty from the EFC West, or soon to be Capacity Collaborative, on the importance of communicating in the wastewater industry. Sarah and Elaine reflect on their vast experience focusing on community outreach and education to share what they've learned about communication in wastewater, especially the importantance of learning about your stakeholders, maintaining engagement with them, creating trust, and catering your outreach to the individual community.

In this episode Dawn Nall from the Southwest Environmental Finance Center interviews Sarah Diefendorf and Elaine McCarty from the EFC West, or soon to be Capacity Collaborative, on the impact unknowns have on septic systems and the communities they influence. Septic systems are an important tool used to meet the wastewater needs of many communities and individuals that can't access centralized wastewater treatment, but due to their nature as private systems officials and even the owners themselves often don't know the full extent of their functionality. Sarah and Elaine discuss strategies for addressing these knowledge gaps and the importance...

Interview City of Tucson, AZ staff: John Kmiec, Tucson Water Director; James MacAdam, Administrator, Conservation & Stormwater Resources, Tucson Water; Andrea Achilli, Associate Professor, Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Arizona (UA) and deputy director of the UA Water and Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center.

Embark on an exploration of the transformative odyssey undertaken by Moonshot Missions as we delve into the origins of this innovative initiative. In this enlightening podcast, Nathan Coey articulates the genesis of Moonshot Missions and recounts his personal involvement in fostering the growth of Moonshot Missions to its present prominence.

We want our assets doing their intended function as much as possible, but how do we make that happen? One way is the concept of reliability. Reliability helps us ensure we are doing the right maintenance activities to keep our assets in proper working order as much as possible. It helps us prevent catastrophic failures and can even improve operator safety. In this podcast we are joined by George Williams and Paul Crocker from Reliability X to talk about their experience integrating reliability into their work flow. Join us to learn all about how you can implement reliability and...

In this episode, we dive into collection systems. We discuss the basic components that make-up collection systems and their objectives. Wastewater starts at your homes, then travels to the wastewater treatment plant, and we will discuss all the parts that get it there. Finally, we talk about what it takes to maintain that system and what is done to protect it. Please join us for this in-depth journey from your drains through the sewers!

Severe storms and flooding can cause problems for wastewater systems whenever they occur, but these events are happening more frequently and with more intensity due to climate change. The impacts of these events on wastewater systems are not limited to more frequent flooding, power outages, and service interruptions, but also may include sewer overflows, reduced treatment effectiveness, and changing operations and maintenance needs. What steps can wastewater managers take to improve their ability to handle these issues and become more resilient to the impacts of climate change? In this podcast episode, we speak with Dr. Christine Kirchhoff, Ph.D...

Justinn Overton, Executive Director Coosa WaterKeeper located in Birmingham Alabama patrols and documents the Coosa River and its tributaries from the land, water, and air, looks for pollution problems, responds to citizen complaints, researches and analyzes polluters’ permits, collects pollution samples for laboratory analysis, educates the public about the beauty of the river and threats to it, advocates compliance with environmental laws, and works on finding solutions to pollution problems. In short – she speaks for the Coosa River. In this interview she discusses the river's wastewater challenges and offers some solutions.

Dr. DeAnn Presley, PhD, a Professor of Environmental Soil Science and Management discusses how soil conditions impact different home waste systems with Tonya Bronlewee, Director at the WSU EFC.

Many communities’ wastewater treatment plants and related infrastructure are located in or near floodplains, which makes sense given how these facilities work. However, this also means that they are prone to flooding. The Town of Waterbury, Vermont experienced catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Irene in 2011, as did the rest of the state. Their wastewater pump station was inundated and rendered inoperable for several days. To reduce the chances of this happening again, they implemented several flood mitigation measures at the facility over the next few years. Then, in 2023, major floods hit the Town again, putting their mitigation projects to the te...

On this episode, we are delighted to welcome Dr. Mercy Umeri from the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs at Wichita State University as our guest. Dr. Umeri shares valuable insights on the importance of implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices in the water sector. She also speaks on the significance of conflict resolution and provides us with helpful tips on how to improve our conflict resolution skills.

Join Jeff Severin, Program Manager from Wichita State University EFC as he discusses how we can better understand the burden that our utility may be placing on our customers and how we can utilize empathy to better serve them.

Marketing research has found that we are exposed to as many as 10,000 marketing/outreach messages daily. This podcast by Wichita State University Program Manager Brian Bohnsack focuses on practical ways wastewater and water utilities can increase their outreach and marketing messages.

There are many benefits of more holistic or integrated water resource management, whether that is across "types" of water resources or across municipal boundaries. The Derry Township Municipal Authority (DTMA) in south-central Pennsylvania has served as the local wastewater utility for several decades. Recently they took over management of the Township's stormwater system. Mike Postick, an engineer, has been involved with DTMA for several years and is currently the DTMA's Stormwater Program Manager. In this podcast interview, he recounts their experience of adding stormwater to the Authority's responsibilities and shares advice for other communities considering this type of integration.<...

Mike Tate discusses the development of an NPDES permit. He goes over the three facets of developing NPDES Permits: Technology Based Limits, TMDL Specified Limits and Water Quality Based Limits. Better understand your permit today!

Join Mike Tate who spent a bulk of his 40 year career working with smaller communities and their lagoon systems. He goes over 7 common issues that he encountered over his years and offers practical advice on how to prevent and solve these issues.

Martha Graham, Source Water Protection Specialist at New Mexico Rural Water Association, discusses the importance of a source water protection assessment and plan with the EFCN team. We dive into source water protection for small water systems and water systems in New Mexico including resources for those interested in implementing source water protection at their system.

Linda Hills from ERG, the organization who developed the SCAP Tool, discusses how the tool was created, the benefits to small systems who need to develop an asset inventory, and how the tool can be used to design, update, and maintain an asset management plan.

This podcast discusses the importance of asset management, what issues an asset management plan helps to address, and plan implementation.

This podcast compares centralized and decentralized wastewater systems and describes the advantages and disadvantages of each system type.

This podcast explains different service rate structures, methods and resources used to set service rates, and the challenges small systems face in setting rates.