Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/728580
But for the most part, many states will recognize a well driller's license and they can install water treatment. It just depends on the local regulations. WWJ: As you know, the U.S. Geological Survey released a report on lead in water on July 12. Have you seen an effect on the groundwater industry? If so, how? Greg: I have. Every soccer mom in the country is now con- cerned about the water that is coming out of a pipe. They al- ways thought their water was safe, but this has raised a lot of flags on water quality issues across the country. There is a tremendous amount of testing being done from schools to hospitals to cities because of the lead problems in Flint, Michigan. Our lab is being overwhelmed with lead test- ing right now, and it's the same for many labs across the country. People want to know what's in their water. It has re- ally brought a lot of attention to water quality and other water issues. People are now aware they have to be the final barrier— not the government. No one else is going to take care of the water that goes into their house and into their body except the homeowner. It really opened a lot of opportunities for water treatment professionals. WWJ: What do you see as the critical issue facing the groundwater industry today? Greg: Family businesses are dying out. The kids are looking to do something a little different than just drilling wells. The family businesses that aren't diversifying are dying off. The good news is I believe the next generation looks at themselves as water providers—not just well drillers. When I'm in my booth, it's the younger generations who seem the most interested in water treatment. There are a lot of different areas for companies to diversify and water treatment is one of the big ones. WWJ: Do you see a different issue facing the groundwater industry on the horizon? Greg: We have several different pushes on the water industry. I think government regulations will continue to pop up in our industry. There are always new contaminants, and it can be difficult to keep up with treatment options. The second is consumers. They're becoming more con- cerned about the environment and are turning away from bot- tled water. They want to take the water from their tap and carry it around in their own water bottle. So that's pushing the water industry. Last but not least, water resources and conservation. In the home today we have water-saving toilets, washing machines, and dishwashers. Everything touching water is using less water. So in the home, water quality has to be at its best in order for these appliances to run properly. The new style of water heaters have very small tanks and high BTUs, for example. If there is any calcium in that water at all, the hot water heater is not going to work. A modern home does not work unless you have quality water. WWJ: You will be leading a pair of workshops at Ground- water Week this year in Las Vegas. Tell us a little bit about what you will be speaking about. Greg: I'm going to talk about the things you need to be suc- cessful in water treatment and the things you need to stay away from. We're going to teach how to successfully treat water by staying "in the box." We'll start with a small box to stay out of trouble and work our way up. We're going to do testing right there in the class so people will learn how to test hardness, iron, pH, and total dissolved solids. We'll identify the problems by testing and show them how to fix them. WWJ Groundwater Week Workshops Will Teach How to Be Successful in Water Treatment Greg Gruett will lead a pair of workshops at Groundwater Week, December 6-8 in Las Vegas. His two sessions are titled "Water Treatment Opportunities: When to Hold Them and When to Fold Them" and "What Contractors Need to Know to Successfully Treat Water." Check out page 39 and visit www.GroundwaterWeek.com for more information. Twitter @WaterWellJournl Blistering speed. 70% less mess. Unique capabilities not found anywhere else. Picture a sonic drill in your future! SONIC DRILL CORPORATION Suite 190#120, 119 N. Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225 1-604-588-6081 www.sonic-drill.com Award-Winning Patented Technology Award-Winning Patented Technology WWJ October 2016 43 Jennifer Strawn was the associate editor of Water Well Journal from 2004 to 2007. She is currently in the internal communications department at Nationwide in Columbus, Ohio. She can be reached at strawnj2 @gmail.com.