{"podcast":{"title":"Scaling UP! H2O","slug":"scaling-up-h2o-7746","podcast_index_feed_id":7746,"rss_url":"https://scalingup.libsyn.com/rss","website_url":"http://scalinguph2o.com","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/b/0/0/f/b00f6cb167c1837a/ScalingUP-Logo-Color-2019-square.jpg","author":"R. Trace Blackmore, CWT, LEED AP: Water Treatment Enthusiast, Trainer and Consultant","episode_count":491,"summary":"The podcast where we scale up on knowledge so we don't scale up our systems. Find out why working in Industrial Water Treatment is the best job in the world. Hear industry experts share their knowledge and stories. Learn about technologies, methods, and career journeys. Join podcast host Trace Blackmore, former AWT President, LEED, and CWT every Friday for a new episode.","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/scaling-up-h2o-7746"},"episode":{"title":"470 Wastewater Enthusiast: Training the Next Generation Online","slug":"470-wastewater-enthusiast-training-the-next-generation-online","published_at":"2026-04-03T09:44:52+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/scaling-up-h2o-7746/470-wastewater-enthusiast-training-the-next-generation-online","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/scaling-up-h2o-7746","url":"https://scalinguph2o.com/2026/04/03/470-wastewater-operator-training-online/","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/scalingup/Scaling_Up_H2O_-_470_-_Shawn_Powell_v3.mp3?dest-id=797464","summary":"Shawn Powell has built a following by doing something wastewater operators have needed for a long time: making practical technical education easier to access. In Episode 470, he explains why that matters, how he built The Wastewater Enthusiast , and what the industry still gets wrong about training, certification, and knowledge transfer. From test prep to true understanding A major thread in this conversation is the gap between passing an exam and actually understanding plant operations. Shawn reflects on his own early experience with certification prep, where classes helped him recognize test questions but did not always help him understand what was happening inside a real activated sludge system. That gap became the foundation for his channel. He makes the case that operators need more than memorization. They need visuals, process context, and practical explanations that help concepts stick. For professionals responsible for training staff, succession planning, or improving plant performance, that distinction matters. What real operations look like on the ground Shawn also brings credibility from the plant floor. He describes his work as chief plant operator in Avila Beach, California, where a small facility still demands close attention because of its biological complexity, membrane bioreactor operation, and chemical dosing requirements. A story about foam erupting from an aeration basin becomes more than a war story. It shows how biology resists quick fixes and why operators have to think in time horizons measured in MCRT cycles, not minutes. The conversation also touches on shock loads, public misuse of sewer systems, and the daily balance between observation, testing, automation, and operator instinct. That practical perspective keeps the discussion grounded for…","meta_description":"Shawn Powell has built a following by doing something wastewater operators have needed for a long time: making practical technical education easier to acc…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":4238,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/scaling-up-h2o-7746/episodes/470-wastewater-enthusiast-training-the-next-generation-online/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/scaling-up-h2o-7746/470-wastewater-enthusiast-training-the-next-generation-online.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}