Spotlight On: Melissa Meeker, CEO, The Water Tower

 CEO of The Water Tower, sat down with  Focus:  to discuss how federal grants have helped transform the nonprofit organization’s workforce training programs, the impact AI and new technologies are having on the water utility industry, and what The Water Tower is doing to help recruit and retain talent in a challenging and ever changing market space.

What changes over the past year have most impacted the organization and in what ways?

At the end of last year, we received a large federal grant that has really transformed our workforce training programs for water utilities and significantly expanded our partnerships with social service NGOs. What was already a strong program has now been supercharged. It’s truly impacting people’s lives and addressing workforce needs.

How has the adoption of AI and other digital technologies progressed?

This is the most dynamic part of our work. Water utilities can be very conservative and slow to adopt new technologies, which makes total sense when you consider that they are responsible for protecting public health and the environment. These technologies, however, can provide great value, so we host workshops, conferences, and open house-type events to showcase technologies and case studies. With the goal of helping the water workforce through digital innovations, we are able to improve treatment and process efficiencies, save energy, conserve water at the consumer level, and so much more. We’re also training tomorrow’s workforce on these technologies, including using digital twins as training tools, enabling trainees to better understand key concepts and hit the ground running once they get hired.

One example of an innovative tool we are developing is a GPT-based chatbot inspired by Jerry, an 81-year old operator of a small system in Georgia. Jerry holds decades of institutional knowledge and operational expertise in his memory. The town can’t afford to lose that critical insight, so we are looking at different ways to capture it. Currently, we are essentially transferring the information from his brain into a computer that uses AI to offer advice. The chatbot allows others to ask, “What would Jerry do in this scenario?” and receive guidance instantly. Although it can’t replace the operator, it can certainly help troubleshoot issues that may arise.

When it comes to challenges like climate change, how is your organization addressing these issues through the use of technologies, collaboration, or more?

In the water utility space, climate change and more intense storms mean shifts in how much, when, and where water arrives. Utilities are looking more at the potential for cascading failures, for example, what happens if the utility is able to weather the storm, but the power grid fails? We’re not just adopting new technologies, we’re focused on building resilience. That means replacing systems with smart technologies and elevating vulnerable infrastructure to withstand floods. We’re also fostering thought leadership on timely issues. Last year, we had 9,000 visitors to our campus, including universities, utilities and businesses eager to engage in conversations about resiliency, technologies, and workforce.

What types of companies are using your lab and what problems are they looking to solve?

The lab is doing some really cool projects, focusing on emerging contaminants like PFAs. These “forever” chemicals are manmade and have been used for years in water and fireproofing, in pots and pans, and even in things like dental floss. And they are really hard to destroy. On one hand, we’re working with companies to refine methodologies to analyze these compounds and look at innovative treatment technologies that not just remove, but destroy these complex, regulated, and not yet regulated contaminants. We are also evaluating real-time monitoring technologies for lakes and rivers, which are our drinking water sources, that can help utilities prepare for challenges while protecting public health.

How do partnerships help your organization to achieve its goals?

Our partners all have the same goal of helping water utilities and industry tackle challenges that they face in water treatment, monitoring, and delivery. Whether it is an academic institution shifting from theoretical research to applied research, engineering firms who can bring expertise and diverse experiences, construction firms who want to be part of the solution, or companies focused on AI and machine learning, or who have developed a unique widget, we collectively work to solve real-world problems in water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater. Tomorrow’s challenges can seem daunting, but together we can solve anything.

What are the biggest challenges that utilities face?

Recruiting is a major challenge — people rarely consider careers in water. There is a lot that goes on between turning on your tap and flushing your toilet, which translates into a wide range of job opportunities out there. With the industry facing a wave of retirements we’re rethinking how we reach people. At The Water Tower, we take a different approach when it comes to recruitment, using tailored social media campaigns and working with nonprofits to engage communities directly. 

For example, many people, such as homeschoolers, youth aging out of foster care, and others who are often overlooked, don’t even know these water jobs exist. Our training graduates are landing solid jobs with benefits and a career pathway. I’ve heard several say that they never saw themselves in a career. I believe we are making an impact and not only addressing a workforce need, but also improving communities. There are challenges, the largest being the different ways people really engage and learn, which has required us to shift the way we teach. Our approach is hands-on, practical, and tailored for specific population segments. Many often struggle in traditional classroom settings, so we blend academics with real-world experience. They see a process on a slide, then do it themselves on our campus or at a plant. This has helped these individuals to really learn and understand what they are doing, setting them up for success at their future jobs.

Looking ahead, what are your organization’s top priorities for the next three to five years?

Our vision is to build a thriving ecosystem of innovation driven by water challenges informed by research and powered by people. At the top of our priority list is our commitment to staying ahead of the challenges facing water — anticipating what’s coming next, being ready for it, and bringing solutions to the table. As TWT continues to grow, we’re also focused on attracting water-related companies that could benefit from being on our campus. We have the physical space and are actively working to bring industry in to support important advancements for the water sector.

SOURCE

Taxonomy

• Mixing Technology
• Technology
• IT
• Water Utility
• Tower
• Georgia, United States
• water treatment