Message from Kristin Johansen, RMWEA President March 2026

Climate Resiliency and Sustainability – Our Industry's Time To Shine

This March/April edition of Rocky Mountain Water may find many of you reconciling snowpack numbers and inventorying the condition of assets as we start thinking about spring. 

The water industry has a history of absorbing the shocks of changing populations and variable environmental conditions. We are keen observers to the fact that previously reliable data and statistics for snowpack depth and water levels in our reservoirs and weather patterns for freeze-thaw cycles oftentimes no longer mimic historical trends. New industries and contaminants emerge continually thereby stressing our water supplies, treatment facilities, the environment, and the people behind the scenes making sure water gets to and from where it needs to go reliably and safely. 

The way I see it, it is our industry’s time to shine. Utilities, operators, engineers, and equipment manufacturers are tasked with adapting to unique challenges related to climate resiliency and sustainability. Finding innovative and creative solutions and leading our communities in resiliency and sustainability means relying on new data sets and technology, out of the box thinking, and looking at solutions differently than we have in the past. 

Sustainability means looking to nature for solutions to improve our adaptability and resiliency. It means considering circular water economics – how can we reuse water, nutrients, or methane for beneficial purposes?  It means considering the environmental footprint of infrastructure and equipment – how long will it last, can it be repurposed, and what will happen once it is beyond its useful life? How are different species impacted by our industry in ways such as water quality, light and noise pollution, and habitat reduction and are there ways to improve or offset these impacts? Are there new or different energy sources to tap into such as geothermal energy which has gained a lot of “steam” recently?

In January, RMWEA hosted our annual Winter Planning Meeting at the University of Colorado Boulder where we circled together to brainstorm ways to address these current and future challenges of the water industry through the lens of workforce development. Who are the future problem solvers and how do we retain and attract them to the water industry? We discussed mentorship and collaboration opportunities, meaningful impact and outreach through government affairs, and regional partnerships with a local focus.  We heard from Dr. Richard D. Kuckenrither (University of Colorado Boulder, 1995-1996 WEF President, author of WEF textbook The Effective Water Professional: Leadership, Communication, Management, Finance and Governance) and we toured the City of Boulder Water Reclamation Facility and learned about innovative approaches to sustainability from the utility’s perspective. 

In February, RMWEA’s Innovative Water Technology committee hosted their much-anticipated annual Innovative Water Technology Seminar with a focus on the future of resource recovery, biogas, and biosolids management. RMWEA also hosted our annual Operator Fundamentals School at the Delta Hotel in Thornton where we will also host our Intermediate/Advanced School in April. A big shoutout to all the operators who completed their required training units and tested for licenses!! 

Our Leadville Operator School in July is another upcoming operator training event and be sure to check our RMWEA calendar for upcoming dates of local Professional Water/Wastewater Operator (PWO) Seminars. I am also excited to join RMSAWWA at the New Mexico Water Seminar in April in Albuquerque.

My challenge for you this spring is to come up with just one new idea about resiliency and sustainability and share it with your RMWEA committee or WEF community, work organization, colleagues, local community, and/or family. Send me your idea at kristin.johansen@stantec.com and you could be featured in my next article!

Lastly, keep an eye out for ongoing communication about RMWEA’s 90^th Year Anniversary throughout the year! Our Communications Committee will be rolling out special commemorative articles, trivia, logo, and a membership event. Thank you to all our members – we are here because of YOU and look forward to celebrating this special year and clean water TOGETHER!