Top 5 Thoughts Of The Month: May 2026

Each month, host Travis Kennedy and co-host Kevin Westerling break down the top issues on the minds of engineers, operators, and utilities across the industry. In this kickoff episode, the two cover five pressing topics — from energy costs and AI adoption to workforce development and customer satisfaction — making the case that the water sector is at a turning point that will require utilities to adapt financially, digitally, and culturally to meet the challenges ahead. 00:12 | Intro 00:52 | Energy Efficiency Is Not A Sustainability Initiative — It's Risk Management 06:46 | Americans Have Spoken: Water Is As Important As The Economy 20:07 | Satisfaction Is Up, But The Bill Is Still $100 A Month 24:49 | The Talent Crisis Is The Hidden Infrastructure Problem Access this and other episodes of the Water Online Show podcast at https://www.wateronline.com/solution/... --- #wateronlineshow #municipalwater #industrialwater #wastewatertreatment #wateronline #energyefficiency #waterinfrastructure #AIinwater #waterutilities #workforcedevelopment #watersector #drinkingwater #smartwater #watertech #waterpolicy --- Subscribe to the podcast: Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Amazon - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/98e... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6FRuO7y... YouTube -    • Water Online Show