As I write this, it is six days before Christmas. Everyone is scrambling to finish their work so they can unplug and enjoy the holidays with family and friends. It is a much-deserved break for all of us, and ironically, by the time you all read this, we will be back on the daily grind. Rushing into deadlines, finishing project designs, pushing sales. The beginning of a new year is always exciting. It is a time of opportunity and new beginnings. A time for a fresh start.
When we embark on that fresh start, though, it is important to take lessons we have learned in the past year with us. This specific magazine issue is full of insight and lessons from 2023. On page 8, you can read our 2023 State of the Industry Report. It features the results from our 2023 State of the Industry survey as well as voices from three industry associations — the International Erosion Control Association, Stormwater Equipment Manufacturers’ Association and National Municipal Stormwater Alliance. The results and association representatives touch on industry trends, challenges and more. While there are many regulations, workforce and funding questions hanging in the balance, the overall attitude seems to be that the stormwater industry is poised for innovation and change.
For more state of the industry coverage, visit our new web promotions on page 5 and follow the link for our podcast episode on the water market overall. In the episode, myself, along with fellow Talking Under Water co-hosts Bob Crossen and Mandy Crispin, talk about the state of the water, wastewater and stormwater sectors. Further into this issue, we take it back to the basics with an article including tips to ensure a flood protection system is right for your structure. Learn more on page 18. Tangential to flood control, you can also read about a decade-long project in Boulder County, Colorado, that began to improve the vulnerability of the area’s watersheds. Read more on page 14. To round out the features, on page 20, the article explores the environmental benefits of green infrastructure that can create healthier communities.
This is just the beginning of this year, and I am excited to see what 2024 has in store for the stormwater industry. I hope 2024 starts off on a positive note for all of you. Happy New Year!
Katie Johns
Katie Johns, editor-in-chief of Stormwater Solutions, graduated from the University of Missouri in 2016 with a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. Johns joined the Stormwater Solutions team in September 2019. Johns also helps plan the annual StormCon conference and co-hosts the Talking Under Water podcast. Prior to entering the B2B industry, she worked as a newspaper reporter and editor in Sarasota, Florida, and a magazine assistant editor in the Chicago suburbs. She can be reached at [email protected].
