Technology Is Awesome

By Thad Plumley

When I worked as a reporter at the beginning of my professional career, my interviews consisted of me
scribbling furiously on a notepad, rushing back to the newspaper office, and then attempting to translate the scribbles.

I’ll admit it was tough at times. I’m convinced a team of archaeologists led by Indiana Jones himself could have come in, looked at the strange marks, and been stumped, convinced they had discovered a lost language.

I’m happy to report the communications field has come a long way. Interviews are recorded now, files are uploaded, and translated text is at a reporter’s fingertips in seconds.

Technology is awesome.

It is evolving everywhere right now as the world is amid a technical explosion. Just think about what you can do with your phone. That little device that fits in the palm of your hand is a machine with more computing power than the Apollo 11 rocket that powered man to a landing on the moon for the first time.

Still every year there is another big announcement with a tech CEO pacing a stage shouting about the latest and greatest version with even more incredible features.

The groundwater industry is no different. Sure, it’s cliché for groundwater professionals to say things haven’t changed much since their father or grandfather started their family business but seriously, come on. The rigs, the pumps, the bits, the features with safety in mind—they’re incredibly different. They’re also important advancements in technology.

And more are coming. Water Well Journal covered seven advancements that stood out at Groundwater Week 2024 in its February 2025 issue. The list featured drilling rigs, a drill bit, a casing handling system, a mud pump, and more.

Similarly, there was an article in WWJ ’s July 2025 issue titled “Seven Must-See Advancements in the Geothermal Market.” Like earlier, this article highlighted innovations that are changing the way people work in our field every day. To mention just a few, it discussed a slick loop loader, a cutting-edge coil tubing drilling rig, drill rod with a double-start thread design, rod-handling systems, and more all designed with efficiency at the jobsite in mind.

As you know, time is money in geo, so these aren’t cute bells and whistles. These are important steps that help businesses reach their goals while serving their customers.

Trust me when I say both articles weren’t capped at seven items because that’s all we could find. Honestly, that’s all the space would allow. If you don’t believe me, head to Groundwater Week 2025, December 9-11 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and walk the aisles of the Exhibit Hall. You’ll be floored.

If you go, a word of advice: Make sure you have good walking shoes and a bottle of water. The Exhibit Hall is sold out with 291 exhibitors covering 80,900 square feet of booth space. That’s a lot of cool stuff.

Groundwater Week is co-locating with the Irrigation Association’s Irrigation Show, which means the IA hall is beside Groundwater Week’s hall that’s free for you to visit as well. That’s double the exhibitors and double the cool stuff. Better make it two bottles of water.

One of my tasks before Groundwater Week every year is to put together the show program. As I have been reading through it the word “new” has been used often. There are a lot of products that will be making their industry debut in New Orleans.

I can’t wait. I hope you’re excited too. After all, one item you spot could change your business forever.

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Thad Plumley is the editor of WWJ and the director of publications for the National Ground Water Association. He can be reached at tplumley@ngwa.org, or (800) 551-7379, ext. 1594.