March 2026 - Tony Surles

What do you find most fascinating / challenging about the water industry?
What I find most fascinating about the water industry is how invisible the impact is. Most people never think about their water until something goes wrong, but it affects everything — health, plumbing systems, appliances, and even quality of life. As a plumbing and water treatment professional in West Texas, I get to see firsthand how water chemistry, scale, and pressure issues shape entire homes and businesses.

The most challenging part is education. Many customers don’t realize the long-term damage untreated water can cause, especially in hard water regions like ours. Bridging the gap between technical water science and real-world solutions in a way that homeowners understand is both the challenge and the responsibility. When done right, water treatment isn’t just a product — it’s preventative protection for the entire plumbing system.

What is your hobby and why?
Outside of work, I enjoy PC gaming, especially medieval and high-fantasy RPGs. For me, it’s a way to decompress after physically demanding days in the field. Running a service business requires constant problem-solving and decision-making, so having a creative outlet that allows me to step into a different world helps me reset mentally and come back sharper for my customers and my family.

Have you had a mentor in the industry and what valuable lesson / catch phrase has that person passed to you?
I’ve been influenced by several professionals in the plumbing and water treatment space, but one consistent lesson that has stayed with me is: “Do it right the first time.”

Early on, I learned that shortcuts in plumbing and water treatment always show up later — usually as bigger problems for the customer. That mindset shaped how I run my company today. Integrity in the details, proper installation practices, and standing behind your work matter more than speed or being the cheapest option. In this industry, your reputation is built job by job.

Who would you like to have a drink with and chat? This person can be from history or current day.
I would choose to sit down with King Solomon. His wisdom on leadership, stewardship, and integrity still applies today, even in a modern service business. Running a company requires constant judgment calls — balancing growth, service, and doing right by people — and I believe a conversation centered on wisdom and discernment would be invaluable.