VALVE MAGAZINE Summer 2024

PERSPECTIVES

A Thank You to Valves

I recently heard a radio story that the “Potomac River Tunnel Project” run by DC Water had broken ground. DC Water provides both clean water and sewer services to Washington, DC. Once nished the tunnel will reduce the number of gallons of sewer discharged directly into the Potomac River by from the current million gallons of discharge that happen now.

After getting over the disgust factor of knowing that in , the capitol of the United States still directly discharges sewer water into a river, I was once again proud to be a part of the valve industry.

There are so many other examples like this of how industrial valves and related products have helped to better the environment, increased safety, or provided valuable medicine, energy and other needs that bene t us all. The VMA Sta Team recently had our mid-year planning meeting, and one of the items discussed was the importance of promoting our industry’s contributions to society — and this one certainly hits close to home — to our elected o cials.

Our industry’s products are an integral part of the infrastructure.

We also discussed plans for the rest of and into — including the VMA/ VRC Annual Meeting, a new

PFAS Conference & Member Exclusive Workshop, and what tools, information and analysis, educa tion and services our members may need to help support their business e orts. Some of this discussion centered around government a airs and the impact of the election or recent Supreme Court rules on regulations, sustainability and energy transition, and workforce challenges. Some of the discus sion was on providing more market trend information for emerging and traditional markets. Some was around how to best facilitate the networking and benchmarking and relationship building that happens during VMA committee meetings and at VMA events. And some of the discussion surrounded how to better communicate all that VMA o ers to members and those who would bene t from joining. Throughout our planning discussion, it was obvious that there is both so much VMA can do to help our members thrive, and that there is so much the industry and our members have to be proud of. I am grateful for both a great sta team at VMA, and each member company. And while I am still searching for how many valves will be used in the miles of tunnel, I know there will be more than a few! And I know that every time I drive into VMA’s o ce and view the Potomac River, I will smile knowing that our indus try’s products are an integral part of the infrastructure to clean up the Potomac River — a river I walk by and boat in, but don’t swim in...yet.

Heather Rhoderick, CAE President

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SUMMER 2024

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