PARC Innovation Flow

What does it really take to build a safety culture where every employee feels empowered to speak up—and even stop work? In this episode, host Blair Corning sits down with Izaiah Kruenegel, Deputy Director of Operations & Maintenance at South Platte Renew, to explore SPR Safe, the organization’s safety program built around the idea that people are the most valuable asset. Izaiah shares how SPR Safe moves beyond policies and procedures to create a culture rooted in trust, accountability, and proactive thinking. From Job Hazard Analyses and tailgate meetings to employee-driven input and hands-on training, the conversation highlights how safety is embedded into daily operations—not treated as an afterthought. Looking ahead, Izaiah discusses how SPR Safe will continue to evolve and what success looks like in the years to come. Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes In this episode, host Blair Corning sits down with Adele Rucker, SPR's Laboratory Manager and Abby Wharton, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)'s Wastewater Surveillance Coordinator to explore the growing field of wastewater surveillance. By analyzing wastewater samples, public health officials can detect viruses and pathogens circulating in communities—often before clinical testing shows a rise in cases. Abby and Adele share the history of Colorado’s wastewater surveillance program, how it has evolved since its early days, and how samples collected from treatment facilities like South Platte Renew are processed and analyzed. The conversation dives into what diseases can be detected, how the data supports public health decision-making, and how researchers and communities can access the information. From tracking infectious disease trends to identifying emerging threats, wastewater surveillance is proving to be a powerful tool at the intersection of environmental engineering and public health. Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes Ever wondered what happens to utility equipment that’s no longer needed, but still works? In this episode, we unpack the Facility Asset Renewal Marketplace (FARM) and how it helps utilities turn surplus assets into shared opportunities. From reducing waste to saving money, FARM is reshaping how the industry thinks about asset renewal. Host Blair Corning sits down with Caleb Vannice, Maintenance Manager at South Platte Renew, to discuss this innovative platform from how it got its start winning the Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association’s Innovative Water Technologies Shark Tank Competition to its potential to reshape industry sustainability. Links: FARM site: https://www.memberleap.com/members/classifieds_hybrid.php?org_id=RMWE\&sec=A RMWEA IWT Committee: https://rmwea.org/innovative_technologies.php Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes Live from WEFTEC 2025, host Blair Corning interviews Bryan Coday, Principal Technologist at Carollo Engineers, to discuss the cutting-edge of biological phosphorus removal. Bryan explains why the industry is in a "golden age of innovation" and breaks down the complexities of Side Stream Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal. Bryan details a joint pilot project with South Platte Renew that converted existing infrastructure into a dedicated fermenter. This pilot offers a path to reducing long-term chemical reliance and creating a circular water economy by recovering phosphorus for beneficial reuse. Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes In this live episode from WEFTEC 2025, we sit down with Per Henrik Nielsen of VCS Denmark, a distinguished leader with 40 years in wastewater innovation. Per shares our belief that public utilities have an obligation to drive change where vendors and consultants cannot. Learn how VCS Denmark became an energy-positive utility, the challenges and calculated risks involved in pursuing ambitious projects, and why fostering an organizational culture built on trust and a "willingness to fail" is key to the future of water. Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes In this episode, recorded live from WEFTEC 2025, Jamie Lefkowitz and Mahesh Lunani explore how data science and artificial intelligence (AI) are fundamentally changing the future of the water industry. First, we tackle the urgent challenge of PFAS with Jamie Lefkowitz, Innovation Development Leader at Brown and Caldwell. Jamie shares details on a pioneering research project that uses machine learning algorithms to identify the unique "chemical fingerprint" of PFAS sources. Then Mahesh Lunani, Founder & CEO of Aquasight, introduces Ava, an AI-powered water assistant built to turn utility data into real-time operational intelligence. What’s in store for this new era of digital utility management? Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes What is the “money value of time” in wastewater master planning, and how is it fueling innovation at South Platte Renew? In this episode, we talk to Deena Davidson, Municipal Operations Manager at Tetra Tech Water, who describes building flexibility into South Platte Renew’s latest Master Plan. The model allows utilities to intentionally delay critical spending decisions in order to ensure the most current, proven, and cost-effective technology. She and host, Blair Corning, also get into the groundbreaking PdNA pilot happening on-site at South Platte Renew. Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes What’s going on at the Pilot and Research Center (PARC) at South Platte Renew (SPR), and what does it take to be a good innovator? This episode features Anna Schroeder, Engineering and PARC Manager at SPR, sharing what’s new and exciting about the PARC program, from groundbreaking pilot projects to the rewards she's experienced through the process. She and host, Blair Corning, discuss how treating water holistically invites the kind of collaboration and creativity needed to build sustainable solutions. Learn how PARC brings long-term vision to life through detailed, real-world pilot design. Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

What role does research and development play at public utilities? According to Jay Bernas, General Manager and CEO at Hampton Roads Sanitation District in Virginia, and Pieter Van Ry, Director of South Platte Renew, the rationale boils down to keeping rates low in the face of growing water treatment and funding challenges. In this PARC Innovation Flow Bonus Episode, Jay Bernas, Pieter Van Ry, and Blair Corning sat down at the recent NACWA Utility Leadership Conference to discuss the value and imperative of innovation at public utilities. Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes How do we execute ideas for pilot projects at PARC? Here, we learn from Brianna Miller, Engineer II at South Platte Renew, who responded to an infrastructure-related challenge with a question: Can we concentrate biosolids in the wastewater treatment process without polymer? By adjusting polymer usage, Bri sought to reduce chemical costs and improve plant efficiency. This is a story of persistence, trial, error, and the data that is now moving this pilot project on to its next phase. Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes How can we begin to break down the PFAS cycle in the wastewater treatment process? Andy Safulko at Brown and Caldwell says: Biochar! In this episode, Andy and host Blair Corning unpack the growing challenges that these “forever chemicals” pose to land application and what innovative alternatives might be on the horizon. What is the potential of transforming biosolids into biochar as a PFAS treatment? Can we bench test foam fractionation as a PFAS removal technique? This episode explores cutting-edge research that may result in PFAS destruction in biosolids. Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes In this episode of Innovation Flow, host Blair Corning taps into the story behind Project Green 2025 with Innovation Brewer Justin Fisher of Breckenridge Brewery, which was crafted with 100% purified water from the Colorado School of Mines’ Direct Potable Reuse trailer while hosted at SPR’s Pilot and Research Center. Timed with World Environment Day on June 5, 2025, Project Green 2025 is part of a larger celebration including a river clean-up with Protect Our Rivers and a sustainability event at Breckenridge Brewery’s Farm House in Littleton, CO. Proceeds support ongoing river conservation efforts through Protect Our Rivers. Tune in as Justin shares the science and strategy behind brewing with recycled water, why Helles Lager was the perfect pick, and how sustainability flows through every step of the process at Breckenridge Brewery. Read more about Project Green 2025. Learn more about the Direct Potable Reuse trailer in Episode 5 Pure Potential: Colorado's Path to Sustainable Water featuring Tzahi Cath of Colorado School of Mines. Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes Pure Potential: Colorado’s Path to Sustainable Water explores the challenges, research, and social acceptance surrounding potable reuse through the lens of a first-of-its-kind direct potable reuse (DPR) pilot trailer. Blair Corning is joined by Dr. Tzahi Cath with the Colorado School of Mines to break down the science behind carbon-based advanced treatment (CBAT) and reverse osmosis (RO), creating a “testbed” for innovations in programming and technologies, and more in the DPR mobile demonstration trailer. Join us as we uncover the innovations driving water reuse and conservation across Colorado. Interested in learning more about the DPR trailer? Check out this Denver7 article. Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes In this episode of Innovation Flow, we are introduced to a trailblazing new tool that could help utility managers throughout the industry. Host Blair Corning interviews Pieter Van Ry, Director of South Platte Renew, and Ben Stanford, Associate Vice President at Hazen and Sawyer, to discuss the Utility Diagnostic Tool (UDT) development and the benefits it can have on utility leaders and organizations. They talk about how an idea that originated on the back of a napkin has become a transformative tool for the industry,  explaining how this easily implemented framework helps managers determine where their focus is most needed within their organization, giving them an understanding of the value of being able to determine where professional growth can be developed to fill gaps within rapidly changing organizations. Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes This episode dives into a partnership between South Platte Renew (SPR), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and the University of Virginia (UVA) researching the low temperature CO2 methanation for biogas-to-renewable natural gas conversion via advanced nickel based catalysts.     The team has been working on using a catalyst to convert the carbon dioxide fraction of biogas into methane, producing renewable natural gas. This approach aims to maximize the utilization of   biogas generated in the water renewal process, ensuring it is fully recovered as a renewable resource. Matt Yung, NREL's Group Manager of Catalytic Process Development, and Bryan Schmerber, Engineering Supervisor at SPR, join host Blair Corning in the studio to discuss findings and next steps in their research. Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes This episode explores a recent Reaeration (RA) Basin Denitrification Pilot at South Platte Renew's Pilot and Research Center (PARC), conducted in partnership with Laws Whiskey House. Shannon Harney, Engineer II at SPR, sits down with host Blair Corning to discuss how SPR utilized the carbon-rich waste produced by the distillery combined with existing microbial populations to promote denitrification. The goal of the pilot was to reduce reliance on methanol, resulting in reduced operating costs and promoting a circular economy between SPR and a community discharger. Shannon and Blair discuss the results of the pilot, plans to expand the pilot further, and more. Find out more at https://parc-innovation-flow.pinecast.co

Episode Notes The first episode of PARC Innovation Flow podcast was recorded live from the WEFTEC showroom floor. The episode explores how the South Platte Renew Pilot and Research Center (PARC) was created and constructed. The mission of PARC and its reach throughout the water industry is also discussed. The plan for future PARC podcast episodes is also shared with listeners. Guests include: Pieter Van Ry, Director of South Platte Renew, Anna Schroeder, Engineering Supervisor at SPR, Raymond Torrejon, PCL Construction Special Projects Manager, and Allegra da Silva, Deputy Research and Innovation Director at Brown and Caldwell.