Why Reactive Sewer Maintenance Is Costing Cities More (And How To Fix It) With Kwin Peterson

Experience Leads to Progress With Leland Myers

Leland Myers is the Executive Director of the Wasatch Front Water Quality Council, a collaborative research organization focused on protecting Utah Lake, the Jordan River, and the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. With more than 35 years of experience — including leadership of the Central Davis Sewer District and guidance on more than $2.5 billion in treatment plant upgrades — he has helped reduce nutrient pollution and shaped Utah's cost-effective wastewater standards, ecosystem management strategies, and sewer collection rules. Leland's work has earned national recognition, including an EPA award for outstanding wastewater operations. In this episode… Wastewater systems are often judged by what comes out of the pipe, but the smartest decisions begin much earlier. Utilities weigh regulations, ratepayer costs, infrastructure conditions, and ecosystem outcomes before committing to major upgrades. How can wastewater leaders make progress without spending more than the science can justify? The answer is using research and data to guide practical, adaptive decisions. Leland Myers brings decades of wastewater leadership and ecosystem research experience, and he explains why utilities should understand nutrient sources, treatment impacts, and watershed conditions before accepting new requirements or investing in costly upgrades. Rather than chasing the lowest possible pollutant levels, Leland emphasizes aligning improvements with measurable ecosystem benefits, maintaining public trust through cost-conscious planning, and using collection system data to guide maintenance frequency, capacity planning, and inflow and infiltration strategies. The result is a more disciplined approach to compliance, infrastructure renewal, and long-term environmental stewardship. In this episode of Saving Our Sewers, Eric Petersen sits down with Leland Myers, Executive Director at Wasatch Front Water Quality Council, to discuss how science-based wastewater research can shape smarter sewer management. Leland shares why nutrient rules need ecological justification, how data support affordable upgrades, and what collection systems need to do to stay ahead of failure. He also touches on PFAS, regulatory oversight, and lifelong learning.

Implementing Manhole Rehab Decisions With LiDAR and 360 Digital Twinning

Jesus Barron is the Lead Wastewater Collections System Worker III at Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD), where he helps oversee field operations, maintenance, emergency response, compliance, and infrastructure projects. With nearly two decades of municipal collections experience, Jesus has advanced data-driven manhole assessment and rehabilitation using LiDAR and 360-degree digital twin technology. He was named CWEA's 2024-2025 Collection System Person of the Year and also holds CWEA and NASSCO certifications. Jon Borden is the President of RH Borden and Company, a Salt Lake City-based firm applying advanced sensor technology and data-driven solutions to modernize wastewater and sewer systems across the US. Under his leadership, RH Borden pioneered digital twin and condition-based maintenance strategies, enabling cities to streamline maintenance and deliver the nation's largest inflow and infiltration study in New York with more than 400 sensors deployed. With a background in Fortune 100 IT program management, Jon brings proven digital transformation expertise to aging infrastructure. In this episode… Wastewater infrastructure is often out of sight, but it cannot afford to be out of mind. When manholes are deteriorating underground, agencies need better ways to know which assets truly need attention and which can wait. How can utilities move from educated guesses to confident, data-driven rehab decisions? Jesus Barron's answer is to replace tribal knowledge with measurable, repeatable assessment data. As a wastewater collections leader with nearly two decades of municipal collection system experience, Jesus explains how LiDAR scans, 360-degree imagery, and digital twins can help teams evaluate manhole wall condition, identify degradation, and prioritize repairs based on actual need. Jon Borden adds how digital twin models, point clouds, and VR tools can improve measurement accuracy, reduce confined-space risks, and help agencies communicate hidden infrastructure needs more clearly. Together, they emphasize starting with a small pilot, securing management and engineering buy-in, and using dashboards and baseline data to track degradation over time and focus limited budgets where they matter most. In this episode of Saving Our Sewers, Kwin Peterson features Jesus Barron, Lead Wastewater Collections System Worker III at Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, and Jon Borden, President of RH Borden, in a panel discussion about improving manhole rehab decisions using LiDAR and 360-degree digital twins. They discuss starting with a 20-manhole pilot, implementing color-coded scoring to prioritize rehab, and building a long-term baseline for smarter asset management.

The Elephant in the I&I Room: Lateral Infiltration With Chris Parker

Chris Parker is the Founder and President of infraTerra™, a company focused on wastewater pipeline intelligence and data-driven infrastructure solutions. With more than two decades of experience in the wastewater industry, he has worked with hundreds of municipalities and contractors to improve system performance and reduce infrastructure failures. Chris specializes in condition assessment, data integration, and strategies to address inflow and infiltration challenges in sewer systems. He is also an advocate for modernizing wastewater management through technology, education, and policy reform. In this episode… America's wastewater systems are facing a crisis, with frequent spills and aging infrastructure threatening public health, the environment, and city finances. In places like Florida, the sheer volume of sewage spills and the challenges of managing inflow and infiltration (I&I) have forced communities to reckon with the true state of their underground networks. What new strategies and technologies are helping cities turn the tide against these daunting problems? Chris Parker's answer points directly to visibility and strategy. As a wastewater infrastructure expert with decades of experience working alongside municipalities, he explains that the biggest barrier isn't always funding — it's fragmented, underutilized data. By combining condition assessments, flow monitoring, and GIS mapping into a single, visualized system, utilities can pinpoint exactly where infiltration and inflow issues originate and address them with precision. Chris emphasizes moving away from blanket rehabilitation approaches toward targeted interventions, including tackling private lateral lines that are often overlooked. Ultimately, better data integration leads to smarter decisions, reduced costs, and more resilient systems. In this episode of Saving Our Sewers, Kwin Peterson hosts Chris Parker, Founder and President of infraTerra, to discuss how Florida's combination of public pressure, legislative reform, and modern data tools is creating a new standard for sewer management. Chris talks about Florida's surge in sewer spills, the shift to proactive infrastructure strategies, and how data visualization helped restore compliance to 27 pump stations.

Why Reactive Sewer Maintenance Is Costing Cities More (And How To Fix It) With Kwin Peterson

Kwin Peterson is a Senior Account Manager at RH Borden and Company, a Salt Lake City-based firm applying advanced sensor technology and data-driven solutions to modernize wastewater and sewer systems across the US. He has supported more than 60 collection systems in becoming more efficient through condition-based maintenance and innovative assessment tools. Kwin also serves on the San Francisco Bay Section Collection Systems Committee. Before joining RH Borden, he spent 17 years in the electric utilities industry working in education, public relations, and technical committee support. In this episode… Many cities still rely on reactive sewer maintenance, which leads to higher costs, increased risks, and frequent emergencies. Despite knowing that preventative maintenance is more effective, budget constraints, cultural habits, and outdated decision-making often keep municipalities stuck in this cycle. Why do so many cities continue choosing short-term savings over long-term efficiency and resilience? Kwin Peterson, an infrastructure expert specializing in wastewater systems, explains that the shift to proactive maintenance begins with understanding the true cost of inaction. Kwin highlights how reactive approaches lead to expensive emergencies, regulatory penalties, and wasted resources, while data-driven strategies enable smarter decisions. By leveraging tools like acoustic assessment and condition-based maintenance, cities can identify problem areas early, reduce unnecessary work, and allocate resources more effectively. He also emphasizes setting clear goals — such as reducing spills or overtime — and leveraging data to build a compelling case for change with decision-makers. In this episode of Saving Our Sewers, Chad Franzen of Rise25 chats with Kwin Peterson, a Senior Account Manager at RH Borden, about transitioning from a reactive approach to a more proactive sewer maintenance strategy. Kwin provides insights on reducing emergency costs, optimizing maintenance with data, and building political will. He also discusses acoustic assessment, condition-based maintenance, and identifying hidden infrastructure risks.

Why US Sewer Systems Are Failing (And What We Must Do Next) With Scott Boyd

Scott Boyd is the Founder and Vice President of Business Development at Quality Pipe Services, a Colorado-based company specializing in the maintenance, inspection, and rehabilitation of wastewater and underground infrastructure. Starting in the late 1990s, he grew the business from a one-man operation into a trusted regional leader, culminating in its 2019 merger with Woman Construction. With over 25 years of experience, Scott is recognized for his technical expertise, strong client relationships, and a problem-solving approach that blends empathy with innovation. In this episode… America's wastewater systems are aging, underfunded, and largely invisible until something goes wrong. Behind the scenes, operators and municipalities are scrambling to keep up with growing demands, limited resources, and outdated infrastructure. So what does it really take to turn things around and build systems that actually work? Scott Boyd's answer comes from decades of hands-on experience in the wastewater industry, where he's built a reputation as a problem solver who prioritizes people first. Drawing from his background in construction and service, he emphasizes empathy, strong relationships, and listening closely to customer pain points. Scott highlights the importance of embracing new technologies, proactively leveraging data rather than reacting to it, and focusing on incremental improvements rather than overwhelming overhauls. He also shares lessons on scaling a business, adapting to change, and forming the right partnerships by aligning values and vision. Ultimately, his approach centers on solving problems step-by-step while staying committed to long-term impact. In this episode of Saving Our Sewers, Kwin Peterson talks with Scott Boyd, VP of Business Development at Quality Pipe Services, to discuss modernizing wastewater systems. They explore empathy in customer service, the rise of data-driven maintenance, and how strategic partnerships can unlock growth and efficiency.