From Chronic Crisis to Quick Wins With High-Impact I&I Solutions With Kwin Peterson

Kwin Peterson is 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… Across many cities, routine storms can overwhelm wastewater systems and expose costly infrastructure gaps. Hidden sources of inflow and infiltration often go unnoticed until they create major treatment burdens. What if targeting just a few key sources could save money, resources, and capacity? The biggest issues are often the easiest to fix, according to Kwin Peterson, an expert in wastewater infrastructure and inflow and infiltration detection. Rather than relying on slow, high-cost studies, he points to an emerging 80/20 "low-hanging fruit" pattern where a small number of defects drive most of the damage. Real-world examples include a San Rafael system that cut storm flows by 81% after fixing a single source contributing over 1.4 million gallons, and a Half Moon Bay case where routine flooding workarounds quietly cost thousands per event. Kwin also emphasizes a critical mindset shift from treating I&I as a chronic burden to an acute, solvable problem, reinforced by better detection and targeting. These insights show how cities can address long-standing infrastructure challenges with faster, more measurable results. In this episode of Saving Our Sewers, Kwin Peterson, Senior Account Manager at RH Borden and Company, is interviewed by Chad Franzen of Rise25 to discuss inflow and infiltration challenges and rapid fixes. Kwin explains 80/20 "low-hanging fruit" wins, shares San Rafael's 1.2M-gallon reduction case, and breaks down Half Moon Bay's hidden costs. He also explores shifting from chronic to acute problem-solving and the role of smarter sensor deployment.