Management • Operations • Business Tips • 36 minutes

Water Treatment Industry Trends & Outlook in 2022

March 8, 2022

Episode Overview

Kathleen Burbidge and Eric Yeggy are passionate about water. And they’re glad to see their industry becoming even more future-minded and community-oriented.

Both are leading voices within the Water Quality Association, which represents more than 2,500 manufacturers, suppliers and dealers worldwide that focus on water treatment—residential, commercial, industrial and in small communities.

Burbidge and Yeggy are optimistic on several fronts about the future of their industry, including: Having a larger voice. Overcoming supply chain issues and labor shortages. And providing training and education for young professionals and women.

“There’s a real opportunity in the trades right now to harness the value of being at the table, having a larger voice together and being tuned in to the trends in the space,” says Burbidge, who is the WQA’s global regulatory & government affairs manager.

Burbidge is seeing more companies become intentional about bringing entry-level employees, trainers and leaders into larger industry events.

“They’re promoting professional certifications in their organization,” she says. “So, you really begin to observe those companies’ passion for water—and the passion for the company's mission gets run through their entire operation.”

Yeggy, the WGA’s technical affairs director, concurs.

Looking ahead into 2022, he’s got his eye on COVID and any future variants still being possible factors that will affect the supply chain and add to the labor shortage.

“Flexibility will be key to overcome supply chain issues and labor shortages,” he says. 

A focus on networking skills will be critical, Yeggy believes.

“If you're in the water treatment space, you want to come to the WQA Convention and Exposition to network with suppliers so you can develop a more robust supply chain,” he says. “If you’re not in the water treatment space, then there's a convention for your industry. The point is: Get to know what that is, go there and network so you have flexibility.”

To address labor shortages, Burbidge points to the WQA’s Leadership Engagement and Development (LEAD) program. Its intention is to forge deeper participation in the industry and to help build leadership skills.

LEAD has three advisory councils that focus on women, young professionals and inclusion for all members.

“These programs are fueled by our members, and it’s been exciting to see how it works,” Burbidge says. “Someone becomes a mentee, then comes back the next year and becomes a mentor. Then we see these people start to rise, and it demonstrates the full success and intention of the program.”

Kathleen Burbidge and Eric Yeggy recently joined ServiceTitan’s Jackie Aubel as part of Season 5 of the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast, which included their thoughts on:

  • A renewed mindset for water treatment professionals.

  • The successes of WQA’s LEAD mentoring program.

  • Science-based education and communication about water quality.

  • Recent community growth in the water treatment industry.

  • Attending the WQA’s Convention & Exposition 2022.

To hear more tales from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts.

Related Videos

About ServiceTitan

ServiceTitan is a comprehensive software solution built specifically to help home service companies streamline their operations, boost revenue, and substantially elevate the trajectory of their business.

Our comprehensive, cloud-based platform is used by thousands of electrical, HVAC, plumbing, garage door, and chimney sweep shops across the country—and has increased their revenue by an average of 25% in just their first year with us.

Ready to learn more about what ServiceTitan can do for your business?

More episodes

Business Tips • 43 minutes

The Eight-Figure Revenue Jump: The Need for Strong Leadership Teams

Healthy companies can hit a growth ceiling, but K&D Landscaping CEO Justin White found a w...

Operations • 42 minutes

How Proper KPI Tracking Can Transform a Business’s Profitability

Lincoln Walpole, Chief Business Officer of Any Hour Group, highlights the need for KPI tra...

Industry Trends • Operations • 39 minutes

Pantheon 2024: Efficiency in Your Business - New Technology and New Leadership

Pantheon 2024 delivered top trades advice, from recruiting tips by J. Blanton Plumbing's A...

About the Show

Toolbox for the Trades is a podcast where top service professionals share the tips, tricks, and tactics they use to succeed in their industry. Hosted by Jackie Aubel, this podcast is brought to you by ServiceTitan—the leading home and commercial field service software.

Episodes will feature stories and strategies to help contractors grow and scale their service business.

Get on the show!