How technology, resilience demands, and cybersecurity are transforming the water industry

Please tell us briefly about your background and your current professional role at Black & Veatch.

I am an Executive Vice President and Water Solutions Group Leader at Black & Veatch — a global employee-owned company with more than a century of experience in the water industry. We focus on consulting, engineering, and construction, specialising in the development of human critical infrastructure. I’ve been with Black & Veatch for more than three decades, and I’ve enjoyed solving our clients’ most critical challenges in the water industry, which is at a critical juncture.

Given the estimated $3.2 billion annual cost to comply with the EPA’s new per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulations, how do you envision utilities balancing compliance with affordability for ratepayers?

At Black & Veatch, we continue to partner with our clients to identify strategies for securing funding and improving operational efficiency

Utilities are always working to balance rising costs with the need to maintain high-quality service to their customers and to ensure the delivery of safe and reliable drinking water to the communities they serve. Increasingly, regulatory requirements are driving major capital investments, whether to develop new water sources or meet water quality standards. At Black & Veatch, we continue to partner with our clients to identify strategies for securing funding and improving operational efficiency, all in service of the shared goal of delivering clean, safe water to their customers and the environment. 

The report notes that only 28% of respondents have a One Water or integrated water supply plan. Why do you think adoption is still so low, and what are the barriers?

Clean, affordable and accessible water is essential for the long-term well-being of people, communities, industries and the environment. Municipal water systems—whether it’s water supply, wastewater treatment or stormwater management—are deeply interconnected. One Water redefines water resource management by viewing water as a single, renewable resource with value in every part of its cycle. We’re seeing a growing number of communities embrace this mindset, integrating water planning decisions across systems rather than making them in isolation. It’s a smarter, more resilient way forward—but there are still real barriers to broader adoption. 

First, institutional silos have existed for decades, and it’s hard to break away from steady habits. New costs and addressing ageing infrastructure can also prevent some communities from shifting to a One Water approach, but our teams are helping clients achieve this highly beneficial transformation by developing One Water strategies. We work closely with utilities and municipalities to help them with their One Water journey and remove the barriers to entry.

We have partnered with water utilities and companies on integrating land- and water-use planning, incorporating natural water sources, and restoring and protecting the environment through nature-based solutions while promoting water sustainability and economic growth for years to come. It’s exciting to see the impact of our work and how it can help improve not only natural resources but also the growth of a community.

Many utilities report low maturity in leveraging data. What are the most critical first steps for those looking to move from data collection to actionable insights?

Nearly half of the respondents to our water report survey indicated that they are collecting a lot of data but not leveraging the data effectively. Every water utility has the opportunity to harness its data to explore, assess, report and forecast trends, and evolve into an organisation grounded in strong data management. But to make that shift, utilities need a well-structured home for their data — and a team of skilled stewards to manage it.

More specifically, that home is a CMMS (Computerised Maintenance Management System) aligned with business processes such as asset management, frameworks, and risk and maintenance strategies, paired with the staff to keep the data up to date.

One Water redefines water resource management by viewing water as a single, renewable resource with value in every part of its cycle

A data strategy is not an out-of-the-box solution. That’s why in 2025, we see utilities revisiting their strategies and asking evolved questions such as, “What information is strategic? What data-driven decisions do we want to make as an organisation? What change management strategies can we deploy?” It’s crucial to determine those answers so that terabytes of data can become helpful in addressing persistent issues, such as helping pinpoint and stem water loss.

When done right, digital water transforms utilities from reactive operators to strategic planners, driving efficiency, sustainability, and long-term resilience. Ideally, the focus should not just be on buying a CMMS but on effectively training people to maximise the power of the solutions.

Data maturity means having both the system and the trained workforce to set up the system, download the information and create learning systems and solid assessment and action processes for the data they collect.

With “safety and public welfare” topping cybersecurity priorities, how can smaller utilities realistically afford the necessary OT cybersecurity measures?

Smaller utilities with fewer resources and team members are certainly just as vulnerable to safety issues as larger, more complex utilities. While budgets can be more limited at smaller utilities, the cost and risk of not implementing proper controls can be even greater. We recommend starting with an overall operational technology (OT) risk assessment to evaluate the greatest vulnerabilities and identify which assets need the most attention and resources.

Employee education and training are also essential to mitigating risks, and utilities need to adopt a culture of cybersecurity, no matter their size. Employees need to have a firm grasp of their roles and how they fit into the chain of being cyber-ready.

How are utilities preparing for the “silver tsunami” of retirements, particularly in terms of data literacy and digital infrastructure management?

The silver tsunami is real, and many utilities are facing a wave of retirements and staff shortages, especially in technical and project management roles. As workers retire, water utilities do lose some institutional knowledge. But that also opens the door for new opportunities and ushers in a new generation of water experts.

Tackling the talent drought entails an industry collaboration of trade schools, industry organisations, water utilities, governments, and other entities. Being part of the water industry is vital work, and it contributes to the public health, environmental sustainability and economic growth of a region.

Water utility clients are also turning to staff augmentation and program management support. We are supporting many clients by filling their workforce gaps by providing program management services to keep critical infrastructure projects moving forward.  

What forms of federal or state-level support are most urgently needed to help utilities navigate regulatory compliance and infrastructure upgrades?

Smaller utilities with fewer resources and team members are certainly just as vulnerable to safety issues as larger, more complex utilities

Through the ebbs and flows, the water sector has proven resilient, regardless of a plethora of competing priorities and potential policy changes that could influence operations and complicate planning. That includes things like water quality standards involving contaminant removal, climate change strategies and sorely needed infrastructure upgrades. However, our report found that, for the most part, the majority of utilities don’t intend to make changes to their priorities, at least for now.

Our survey respondents showed a strong commitment to existing plans, with half saying they would not make any adjustments if regulations were relaxed. Only about one in five said they’d shift money to other priorities, while 9% said they would slow the pace of capital improvement projects.

However, when it comes to regulation, few topics have drawn more attention than those meant to rid drinking water of PFAS. Thus, the water industry’s eyes naturally remain affixed on Capitol Hill in the U.S. for any policy changes involving PFAS.

It can be difficult for utilities to navigate regulatory compliance. Therefore, we were particularly excited to be selected by the American Water Works Association to develop guidance for pilot testing of the treatment of PFAS. Our goal was to combine minimum requirements and provide best practices for water utilities, regulators, and engineers to equip the industry with the information needed to make timely, informed decisions about PFAS treatment projects.

Based on the findings in this year’s report, what trends do you believe will most significantly reshape the U.S. water sector over the next five years?

The water industry is undergoing a significant transformation driven by new technologies, increasing resilience needs and the urgent need for heightened cyber / OT protection to address looming threats. These trends are reshaping the industry’s priorities by requiring utilities to address ageing infrastructure, secure water supplies, and respond to climate-related disruptions and natural disasters. 

Our survey and Water Report shows that respondents are concerned about shifting weather patterns and increasingly extreme weather events. The flooding and droughts associated with these challenges are causing utilities to address resiliency in their systems through water infrastructure hardening, diversification of water sources, and innovative water reuse strategies.  

Many water utilities are dealing with both ageing infrastructure and workforce. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of survey respondents identified ageing water and wastewater systems as the top challenge facing the water industry. This was followed by ageing workforce (39%) and limited access to funding. To address these challenges, utilities are exploring multifaceted solutions such as public-private partnerships, consolidating water systems and implementing new technologies to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Meanwhile, water supply remains top of mind as a perennial concern. The growth of data centres and the increasing demand for AI technologies, and climate-related stressors all contribute to pressures on water resources. To mitigate their supply risks, utilities and municipalities are taking an array of actions, including promoting water conservation and reuse, investing in aquifer storage and recovery, and expanding alternative water supplies. Black & Veatch has been a leader in advancing these solutions, working closely with utilities and communities to improve resilience.

Cybersecurity and safety have also emerged as critical trends. We live in a world of frequent and sophisticated cyber threats that are advancing and changing, even within the last several years. The urgency for robust cybersecurity and OT protection continues to grow.  We are seeing an escalating threat landscape that is rapidly evolving, and we expect cybersecurity to remain a top priority going forward.