Do We Do That?

Abstract

During a presentation at AWWA's Annual Conference & Exposition (ACE) a couple of years ago, the person sitting in front of me turned to her coworker and asked, “Do we do that?” I wondered, was she talking about something they should be doing, or was she talking about something they should ensure that they absolutely should not ever do? Frankly, it doesn't really matter—what was important was that the knowledge exchanged during the presentation prompted questions, and one can assume that further dialogue either led to potential improvements or more confidence in current methods. Effective knowledge exchange and constructive communication are vital to maintain stability in the water industry and to encourage its evolution. For both individuals and organizations, knowledge transfer includes at least two parts: direct personal experience and the second-hand experience of others. Focusing on the latter, water professionals at all levels should make concerted efforts to share their knowledge with colleagues, decision-makers, and influencers. Researchers and innovators particularly need to connect with those who are likely to use their findings, not only to share their results but also to receive critical feedback and advice. Please share your ideas and knowledge with your professional networks in whatever manner best suits your skills, whether published as original research in the peer-reviewed literature, as a utility's operational experience in the pages of Opflow, or in the proceedings of a conference with an accompanying live presentation. Wherever possible, use professional networks and educational institutions to foster cross-sector cooperation and invite broad community and stakeholder involvement that can result in support for current policies, procedures, and practices—or identify areas where these can be improved. Perhaps you are a knowledge broker within your organization, reading the literature and attending conferences with subsequent dissemination to decision-makers and influencers within your community. Building institutional capacity in this way requires both freedom and curiosity, which are actively encouraged in forward-looking agencies. Finding time can be challenging, but do the best with the time you have. And as new knowledge and guidance come your way, always question the source's quality; it's really your duty to ask questions where there is doubt or concern (e.g., do we do that?). This month's Journal AWWA highlights Charles Haas, AWWA's 2018 A.P. Black Research Award recipient and water research giant (page 36). Significant original research this month includes a critical review of water quality following cured-in-place pipe repairs (page 15), an evaluation of ion-exchange brine regeneration (page 33), an examination of innovation in the water technology industry (page 34), and a review of the emerging contaminant hexavalent chromium in drinking water (page 35). Feature articles include in-depth discussions of water management using peak-day water demand (page 42) and an overview of water services development and governance in Finland (page 50). Please consider submitting your original research and practical perspectives for publication in Journal AWWA to better connect the water industry.