Saving Our Sewers

Kwin Peterson
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This is the Saving Our Sewers podcast, where we feature the practices, tools, technologies, and ideas that will save our sewers.

Episodes

  1. 6D AGO

    Revolutionizing Wastewater Management for Small Towns 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… Wastewater systems in small municipalities face unique challenges, particularly when it comes to resource limitations. Aging infrastructure, unpredictable weather conditions, and minimal staffing can make maintenance and upgrades difficult to manage. How can small cities tackle these issues without overextending their budgets or falling behind on necessary repairs? Kwin Peterson, an expert in wastewater management, sheds light on how small systems can thrive despite their constraints by using technology. He shares how systems like Cherry Creek Heights and Strathmore Hills benefit from data-driven solutions that prioritize maintenance and guide resource allocation. By using tools that provide actionable insights into system performance, small cities can proactively address problems, saving both time and money. The technology reduces unnecessary work, improves decision-making, and allows these communities to function more efficiently, often with fewer resources. The result is more manageable systems and reduced risk for costly failures. In this episode of Saving Our Sewers, Chad Franzen interviews Kwin Peterson, Senior Account Manager at RH Borden, about the challenges small cities face in wastewater management. Kwin discusses his work with systems like Cherry Creek Heights, Strathmore Hills, and Brighton, focusing on how technology drives efficiency. He also explores the impact of data on system governance, the transition from reactive to proactive maintenance, and the financial benefits of reducing unnecessary work.

    28 min

  2. 6D AGO

    Revolutionizing Wastewater Management for Small Towns 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… Wastewater systems in small municipalities face unique challenges, particularly when it comes to resource limitations. Aging infrastructure, unpredictable weather conditions, and minimal staffing can make maintenance and upgrades difficult to manage. How can small cities tackle these issues without overextending their budgets or falling behind on necessary repairs? Kwin Peterson, an expert in wastewater management, sheds light on how small systems can thrive despite their constraints by using technology. He shares how systems like Cherry Creek Heights and Strathmore Hills benefit from data-driven solutions that prioritize maintenance and guide resource allocation. By using tools that provide actionable insights into system performance, small cities can proactively address problems, saving both time and money. The technology reduces unnecessary work, improves decision-making, and allows these communities to function more efficiently, often with fewer resources. The result is more manageable systems and reduced risk for costly failures. In this episode of Saving Our Sewers, Chad Franzen interviews Kwin Peterson, Senior Account Manager at RH Borden, about the challenges small cities face in wastewater management. Kwin discusses his work with systems like Cherry Creek Heights, Strathmore Hills, and Brighton, focusing on how technology drives efficiency. He also explores the impact of data on system governance, the transition from reactive to proactive maintenance, and the financial benefits of reducing unnecessary work.

    28 min

  3. MAR 10

    Alex Churchill: An OG of the Smart Sewer

    Alex Churchill is the CEO and a board member at InfoSense, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based company developing acoustic inspection technologies for wastewater systems. Over the past eight years, he's been leading the company's growth from an NSF-supported research partnership with Charlotte Water to a global provider serving more than 2,000 municipalities and inspecting over 500 million feet of pipe. A Chartered Manager and Chartered Physicist, Alex brings a background in engineering, manufacturing, and business leadership, with prior senior roles in operations and consulting, including at Booz & Company.  In this episode… Most people don't think twice about what's happening beneath their feet until something goes wrong. Aging sewer systems, limited budgets, and reactive maintenance have quietly become one of the biggest infrastructure challenges facing communities today. Can we replace guesswork with data that shows exactly where problems are hiding? How would that change utility operations if data could reveal exactly where problems lie? According to Alex Churchill, a longtime innovator in wastewater technology and operations, the answer starts with useful information and a willingness to rethink old habits. He explains that most sewer systems don't fail evenly; instead, a small portion of pipes cause the majority of problems, while the rest often don't need attention at all. Drawing from years of field experience, Alex describes how rapid acoustic screening helps utilities focus their time, money, and crews where it actually matters. He also shares how initial skepticism from utilities pushed the technology to improve through rigorous testing and real-world validation. Ultimately, his approach is about removing uncertainty, enabling leaders to move from guesswork to informed, confident decision-making. In this episode of Saving Our Sewers, Kwin Peterson interviews Alex Churchill, CEO at InfoSense, about the evolution of smart sewer technology and what it takes to modernize wastewater systems. Alex discusses the origins of the Sewer Line Rapid Assessment Tool (SL-RAT), lessons from scaling a niche technology, and why leadership buy-in is critical for change.

    46 min

  4. MAR 3

    Technology's Growing Role: A (Steel-Toed) Boots on the Ground Perspective With Nate Denny

    Nate Denny is the Vice President of Operations at Twin D, Inc., a pipeline maintenance and wastewater services company acquired by Azuria Water Solutions in 2024. He helps lead operations for municipal and utility clients across Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, working alongside his family to ensure reliable service. With extensive hands-on industry experience, Nate champions advanced technologies such as GIS mapping, AI-driven analysis, and acoustic testing to improve wastewater infrastructure solutions. In this episode… Technology is rapidly reshaping the way wastewater systems are maintained, but many municipalities are still stuck on outdated, reactive approaches. With aging infrastructure, rising costs, and increasing pressure to operate efficiently, the margin for error has never been smaller. What does it take to bring a boots-on-the-ground perspective into the future of sewer maintenance? Drawing on his extensive expertise in rotational sewer maintenance and pipeline operations, Nate Denny explains how proactive cleaning programs can help prevent emergencies, reduce overtime callouts, and protect both residents and municipal crews from disruptive sewer overflows. Nate emphasizes the growing role of GIS mapping, AI-driven inspection tools, and smarter data management in helping utilities turn overwhelming volumes of footage and reports into clear, actionable repair priorities. His insights show how embracing innovation allows municipalities to move from simply reacting to problems toward truly improving sewer systems. In this episode of Saving Our Sewers, Kwin Peterson sits down with Nate Denny, Vice President of Operations at Twin D, Inc., to discuss technology's growing role in proactive sewer maintenance. They explore rotational cleaning, the impact of GIS and AI on inspections, and emerging tools like acoustic testing to improve efficiency.

    37 min

  5. FEB 24

    Smart Cities Start Underground: Modernizing Wastewater Infrastructure 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 the US, aging wastewater systems are failing quietly beneath cities, draining budgets and increasing public health risks without clear visibility or accountability. Municipal leaders often lack the data needed to prioritize repairs, justify spending, or act before small issues become crises. How can cities see those problems coming and fix them before they spiral out of control? According to Kwin Peterson, a longtime wastewater technology advocate, the real issue is not a lack of effort but a lack of visibility. For Kwin, the key lies in using data to make underground systems as understandable and defensible as roads, parks, or traffic signals. He explains how tools like sensors and condition-based monitoring reveal which small sections of a system are actually causing the biggest problems, instead of wasting time and money treating everything equally. By translating technical findings into clear financial impacts, he shows how cities can finally connect sewer maintenance to budget decisions. The bigger takeaway is that data turns wastewater management from guesswork into strategy, giving municipalities control instead of constant crisis. 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 how data-driven technology is modernizing wastewater infrastructure. Kwin breaks down why most sewer systems are underfunded, how smart monitoring reduces unnecessary labor, and what it takes to gain buy-in from city councils. He also delves into workforce shortages and how modern-day systems help crews do more with less.

    29 min

  6. FEB 2

    Revolutionizing Wastewater: Digital Twins in Action With Jon Borden

    Jon Borden is the President of 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. Under his leadership, RH Borden pioneered digital twin and condition-based maintenance strategies, enabling cities to streamline maintenance and deliver the nation's largest inflow and infiltration study in New York with more than 400 sensors deployed. With a background in Fortune 100 IT program management, Jon brings proven digital transformation expertise to aging infrastructure. In this episode… America's sewer infrastructure is aging, under-monitored, and expensive to maintain, often relying on outdated, time-based practices. Cities face shrinking budgets, labor shortages, and limited visibility into what's actually failing underground. How can municipalities modernize critical wastewater systems without overspending or overhauling everything all at once? Jon Borden says the answer starts with using data to understand actual system conditions rather than relying on schedules or assumptions. As an expert in wastewater infrastructure technology and digital systems, Jon explains how sensors, acoustics, and analytics help cities focus work where it truly matters. He encourages utilities to rethink "more work" as "smarter work," adopt condition-based maintenance, and use data to guide long-term planning. The result is greater efficiency, lower costs, and better outcomes for communities. In this episode of Saving Our Sewers, Jon Borden is interviewed by Chad Franzen of Rise25, as they explore data-driven innovation in wastewater infrastructure. Jon provides insights on condition-based maintenance, digital twins in sewer systems, AI-powered inspections, labor shortages in municipalities, and strategies for reducing inflow and infiltration.

    24 min
  • 6 Episodes

About

This is the Saving Our Sewers podcast, where we feature the practices, tools, technologies, and ideas that will save our sewers.

Information

  • Creator
    Kwin Peterson
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Saving Our Sewers (c) 2026
  • Show Website
    Saving Our Sewers