Leading Two Utilities, One Vision: How Pieter Van Ry Rebuilt Trust, Talent, and Technology

Over the course of this conversation, we dive into the journey and leadership philosophy of Pieter Van Ry, who leads both South Platte Renew and the City of Englewood’s water utility. Pieter shares how he transitioned from a consultant in stormwater management to a dual-role leader overseeing drinking water and wastewater services for over 300,000 people. His story is one of transformation—both personal and organizational.We explore how he manages the two distinct utilities, which are legally and operationally separate. South Platte Renew serves a regional area through a joint venture between Englewood and Littleton, while the Englewood utility is more localized. Pieter splits his time equally between the two, relying on strong deputy leadership to maintain continuity and operational excellence.One of the main challenges both entities faced was decades of underinvestment. Pieter focused early on building long-term financial models and sustainable funding mechanisms. He emphasizes transparency with policymakers, using clear data to show the long-term consequences of decisions. His team successfully leveraged federal funding like WIFIA and the Drinking Water Revolving Fund to modernize infrastructure while raising rates carefully and with community backing—even during COVID.On the drinking water side, the transformation has been more severe. The utility was decades behind in staffing, technology, and systems. Simple operations like backwashes were still being done with stopwatches. Today, that same utility is removing all 3,000 of its lead service lines and has increased staff by 40%.Leadership is a central theme. Pieter believes in fostering an environment where people love coming to work. That mindset ties directly into performance, innovation, and long-term success. He embraces delegation, transparency, and accountability as leadership cornerstones and promotes a culture that allows for calculated risks and learning through failure.A key outcome of this leadership approach is the development of PARC (Pilot and Research Center), an open innovation platform designed to plug researchers, universities, and technology companies directly into the treatment process. The idea is to invest early in flexible infrastructure—across liquid, solids, and gas systems—so external innovators can rapidly pilot their solutions. PARC enables Pieter’s team to stay ahead of looming regulations and drive customer value through smarter, cheaper, and more sustainable treatment technologies.As we wrap up, Pieter reflects on his legacy. He wants his departure to be a “blip”—a sign that he’s built resilient systems, not just personal authority. And on public trust, he’s clear: acknowledge mistakes, transparently share progress, and always circle back to communicate results. Trust, like infrastructure, is built over time—and it’s earned through action.City of Englewood Utilities: https://www.englewoodco.gov/government/city-departments/utilitiesSouth Platte Renew: https://southplatterenewco.gov/ Aquasight Website: https://aquasight.io/