503 Pinks and Blues: Beyond Industrial Water Week 2026

 Industrial Water Week 2026 has ended, and Trace Blackmore, CWT, challenges listeners to carry its focus on learning and mentorship into the rest of the year. This Pinks and Blues episode combines reflections on IWW26 and the AWT convention with listener questions about AI and professional development. 

Give continued learning a place on your calendar 

Trace proposes a specific challenge: choose one of Industrial Water Week's five focus areas and schedule 30 minutes to improve your understanding. Those areas are pretreatment, boilers, cooling, wastewater, and careers. 

He suggests reading an article, watching a training video, revisiting an earlier podcast, or walking an account with fresh eyes. He also encourages listeners to consider someone they could mentor, a question to ask a mentor, or a process to improve. 

Build on the relationships behind the industry 

Looking back at the AWT convention in Oklahoma City, Trace recounts listeners saying the podcast motivated them to pursue the Certified Water Technologist designation or reconsider leaving the industry. He describes the Scaling UP! H2O magic button as a way to start conversations with other attendees. 

He also recalls Mark Lewis sharing the spotlight during his award recognition. That gesture allowed Tom Brandvold to present Trace's earlier award to him in person. 

Use AI while continuing to develop your expertise 

Answering questions prompted by Episode 492, Trace recommends AI for routine data gathering and study aids built from information the user knows is correct. His experiences with incorrect blending instructions reinforce his recommendation to verify technical answers. 

For service reports, he suggests using AI to improve the wording of factual notes about completed work, including probe calibration, cleaning, and pump priming. Each report should still describe that particular visit. 

For employers, Trace recommends deciding which platforms to use, reviewing settings, training employees, and documenting acceptable use. He also suggests seeking knowledgeable help when developing an AI policy. 

Choose a learning path that fits your next step 

Trace shares his educational journey, including earning his GED and MBA and currently pursuing a doctorate in business administration. He explains why the flexibility of online learning suited him. 

He also previews AWT technical training announced for November 11–14, 2026, in Frisco, Texas. He describes concurrent options including fundamentals and applications, program design and operations, water treatment and advanced water treatment, ASSE 12080, and wastewater. 

Choose one skill to strengthen and give that commitment a specific place in your working week. 

Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge! 

Timestamps 

All times are approximate. Chapter markers are rounded to the nearest 10 seconds.

02:20 — Trace connects Industrial Water Week 2026 with the continuing education and mentorship the industry needs throughout the year.

08:40 — A 30-minute learning challenge turns the celebration into a specific commitment to professional development.

09:20 — Reflections on the AWT convention show how professional conversations can reinforce career motivation and mentorship.

15:10 — The Scaling UP! H2O magic button offers convention attendees a simple way to start conversations and build relationships.

19:40 — Trace contrasts manual tank measurements with a Pyxis radar device to illustrate how tools can simplify routine work.

21:50 — The origin of Pinks and Blues leads into a discussion of career impact, mentoring, and measuring customer water savings.

24:00 — James McDonald's inspiration for Detective H2O explains how storytelling became a vehicle for water treatment education.

28:40 — Listener questions examine how new water treaters can use AI while continuing to learn the fundamentals.

30:20 — Trace's chemical-blending examples illustrate why AI-generated instructions require technical verification.

31:30 — Flashcards, practice tests, and vocabulary exercises offer ways to study using information you already trust.

32:10 — AI can improve service-report wording when the input accurately describes work completed during that visit.

34:40 — Trace explains why water treaters should establish how an AI answer was verified before acting on it.

35:50 — Trace shares why he believes AI will support water treaters while practical expertise remains essential.

37:10 — Platform selection, data controls, employee training, and written policy establish expectations for workplace AI use.

40:40 — Trace's educational journey encourages professionals whose learning paths have followed a less conventional route.

46:40 — A preview of AWT's November technical training helps listeners consider their next opportunity for structured learning.

48:40 — Trace compares concurrent training tracks by experience level and professional goals to help attendees choose a course.

51:40 — The closing challenge encourages continued learning and support for the technicians who will shape the industry's future.

Connect with Scaling UP! H2O

Submit a show idea: Submit a Show Idea

LinkedIn: in/traceblackmore/

YouTube: @ScalingUpH2O

Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses

The Rising Tide Mastermind

AWT Technical Training Seminars

492 AI for Water Treaters: A Thought Partner, Not a Replacement with Trace Blackmore 

496 Growing Through Change in Water Treatment with Mark Lewis, Part 2 

493 Preparing for AWT 2026: Leadership, Change, and CWT Growth with Matt Coffindaffer, Part 1 

494 Preparing for AWT 2026: Leadership, Change, and CWT Growth with Matt Coffindaffer, Part 2 

498 Industrial Water Week 2026: Pretreatment Monday 

499 Industrial Water Week 2026: Boiler Tuesday 

500 Industrial Water Week 2026: Cooling Wednesday 

501 Industrial Water Week 2026: Wastewater Thursday 

502 Industrial Water Week 2026: Careers Friday 

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