November 2025 - David A. Davies
What do you find most fascinating / challenging about the water industry?
I am fascinated by the changing landscape and public attitudes towards acceptance of water treatment. When I first started, I actually had a local water utility that sent out letters to their customers claiming that we were lying to them about their water quality. As a result, a local newspaper called threatening to print an expose about us. After a telephone interview with the reporter, the article that was published ended up being complimentary.
What is your hobby and why?
I love music and film (you can look me up on IMDb or check out my YouTube channel!) as they are both universal creative languages that all humans can understand and share.
Have you had a mentor in the industry and what valuable lesson / catch phrase has that person passed to you.
I would have to say the late and great Bob Ruhstorfer. Even though we were competitors for most of our careers, I could always call him for sage advice. He had so much business experience, great technical knowledge and insights into human nature. He taught me an ability to focus on the essence of a problem, plan a strategy to solve it, and ignore the distractions. We worked together closely on the Houston back flow prevention plumbing code amendments. I miss him greatly.
Who would you like to have a drink with and chat? This person can be from history or current day.
