Clear as Mud
My kids like to tease me about using ‘old-person phrases’ when I say an older cliché: better than sliced bread, put the cart before the horse, flapping their gums, the bees’ knees—all are classified as old-person phrases. Or my particular favorite: I was born at night but not last night. It doesn’t always occur to me before I say these that my kids might not understand what I mean. I take for granted that my meaning is clear to everyone around me.
The same can happen in the water treatment industry. It’s easy to assume that everyone knows what a certain phrase means or how to address a particular issue. But in order to be clear, we must ensure that we clarify what things mean every so often. This can be done through training, hands-on demonstration, popularly used books or manuals, websites and more.
There are a multitude of issues with water treatment and the sectors have unique characteristics. As the world pivots to sustainability, with even more issues arising as a result of climate change, one of those that affects all markets water softener brine recovery. This is particularly true of the smaller commercial and light industrial markets, which produce a great deal of brine-polluted water. Peter Cartwright, PE, and his son, Tom, present an article on the possibilities of an innovative brine recovery methodology using nanofiltration.
Finalizing his series on water filtration, Gary Battenberg of Argonide Corporation covers the different types of filters, their capacities and limitations, and the need to know the right product for the right job. It is imperative to know the specifics of the product as well as the specifics of the project to ensure the best possible outcome. To that end, the workhorse of water treatment being filtration, it’s better to know the possibilities before engaging.
Training, especially hands-on training, is at the forefront of becoming a successful water treatment specialist. To meet that need, WQA created a training program decades ago. In the last few years, the association made a great many modifications to upgrade the program, now known as the Modular Education Program (MEP). WQA’s Tanya Lubner, PhD, offers an in-depth update on the program, what worked, what didn’t and how it is being updated to reflect the realities associated with water treatment.
Change and innovation are essential characteristics of successful businesses. As the world around us evolves into a more tech-savvy enterprise, it’s important that those engaged in water treatment stay abreast of what is happening relative to their chosen industry. WC&P strives to make that happen by presenting the latest information and peer-reviewed technical articles. If you have questions, please ask and we’ll do our best to get you answers.
The 2022-2023 Buyer’s Guide is another way we can all be working from the same page. Water treatment professionals rely upon the Guide to find the latest product offerings and updated company contact information. Don’t miss out—visit wcponline.com and click on the Buyer’s Guide button to secure your listing today.
Deborah Stadtler, Publisher
