McGill, Michael

In 2017, Mike McGill founded WaterPIO, a national public communications firm dedicated to affordably helping water and wastewater utilities of all sizes improve their overall and project-specific customer, media, and crisis communications. PFAS and Lead and Copper Rule public communications are core businesses, and WaterPIO is currently works with water and wastewater providers serving communities in 16 states. Before starting WaterPIO and LeadCopperRule.com, McGill directed Customer Service and Communication operations for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, Loudoun Water, and the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority. McGill holds a Dual Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Political Science from Syracuse University. He began his career as a political and media news producer in CNNs Washington Bureau, and as the News Planning Editor for the CBS affiliate in Washington, DC.

Titles from this speaker

Description: Communicating Biosolids: How to Boost Public Support by Working With the Press &...

Communicating Biosolids: How to Boost Public Support by Working With the Press & Social Media

Abstract

Well-executed biosolids programs are essential for a utility's future, yet many utilities do not focus on communicating these programs because of a variety of challenges we all know about - 'the ick factor' - and ones we haven't fully grasped yet, like the discoveries of PFAS in our biosolids.
This presentation will lay out the path to take to gain positive attention and support for utility biosolids programs by moving the central focus to consumer-related issues.
We will focus on how proactive communication helps utilities improve their outcomes on difficult topics then detail ways to discuss and present biosolids programs so that they earn the respect and support from the press and the public and can take on any future discoveries of emerging contaminants like PFAS.
Utilities often times have difficult media and customer relationships, especially on social media, when it comes to topics that aren't easy to explain, like biosolids programs. They tend to bunker and only put out the bare minimum when it comes to the press and the public.
As a result, when biosolids make the news, the reaction isn't informed, it's knee-jerk. If there isn't any understanding of the importance of biosolids because the utility hasn't made its importance know, then the programs are at risk from knee-jerk reactions. This presentation will talk about how to communicate biosolids programs from start to finish, focusing on their importance to not just the utility but our daily lives. It will present messaging to use that goes beyond what we've been using for years; it will focus on the consumer stories where the benefits to every customer's bottom line will help make the sale.
We will talk about the tactics to use to gain better public understanding and support, whether a utility is just getting started with a new or upgraded program or just wants to change its COMMS approach about its current one. We'll talk about the news and social media briefings and other public outreach efforts that were put together to increase understanding of biosolids programs as vital to the community's future.
We will show to conduct the communications efforts with an eye toward rapidly developing challenges, like the discoveries of PFAS and other emerging contaminants in our drinking water and our biosolids.
We will also detail how having a crisis communication plan in place for a utility's biosolids program can save it from being eliminated when controversial questions occur.
We have a great deal of experience messaging about the existence of PFAS in biosolids during a variety of media interviews and public meetings in front of packed city council chambers and school gyms.

As PFAS discoveries become more prevalent across the country, water and wastewater utilities, industry organizations, state regulators, and the EPA are struggling with how to properly handle the findings in drinking water, wastewater discharges, and biosolids. With UCMR 5 testing starting in 2023, PFAS findings are making news before many states are ready to communicate what the findings mean to our citizens. This presentation details how to handle PFAS discoveries with the press and the public.

SpeakerMcGill, Michael

Presentation time

16:25:00

16:40:00

Session time

15:30:00

17:00:00

TopicFundamental Level, Biosolids and Residuals, Public Communication and Outreach, Utility Management and Leadership

Author(s)

McGill, Michael

Author(s)Mike McGill1</sup

Author affiliation(s)WaterPIO, Hampstead, NC1

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2022

DOI10.2175/193864718825158728

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count16

Description: Crisis Communications in The Instant Information Age: How to Handle Sewer Spills...

Crisis Communications in The Instant Information Age: How to Handle Sewer Spills with the Press and the Public

Abstract

WEFTEC, the largest water event of its kind in North America, offers water quality professionals the best in water quality education and training. With almost 200 technical sessions, workshops, mobile sessions, local facility tours and 1,000+ exhibitors, it is the premier water conference! The WEFTEC technical program is selected through a rigorous, peer-review process, ensuring that attendees experience the highest-quality education. WEFTEC speakers are experts and innovators, leading the way in water quality. The following paper was presented at WEFTEC 2020.

SpeakerMcGill, Michael

Presentation time

11:45:00

12:00:00

Session time

11:30:00

12:30:00

SessionPublic Outreach: Tools to Tell a Great Story to Your Customers and Stakeholders

Session number6E

TopicPublic Communication and Outreach, Utility Management and Leadership

Author(s)

M. McGill

Author(s)M. McGill1;

Author affiliation(s)WaterPIO, NC1

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2020

DOI10.2175/193864718825157379

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count19

Putting a Pin in a PFAS Panic: Crisis Communications with the Press and the Public

Abstract

As PFAS discoveries become more and more prevalent across the country, water utilities, industry organizations, state regulators, and the EPA are struggling with how to properly handle the new findings in drinking water, wastewater discharges, and biosolids. While there is a lot we don't know about health and environmental impacts from the vast majority of these chemicals, advances in water testing are vastly outpacing the regulatory process. As a result, PFAS is making news before even some states are ready to communicate what the findings mean to our citizens. Consumer Reports just put in its "Guide to Safe Drinking Water" advocacy for a new, assumption-based drinking water "standard" of 1 ppt. The push for this "standard" makes it more certain that, when discoveries are made, panic can set in and a lack of experience and planning can create an environment for errors that can harm a city or utility's entire reputation - and its biosolids programs - at risk for years to come. WaterPIO has served as an independent source of information on how to handle PFAS discoveries, helping multiple utilities, elected officials, activists, reporters, editors, and customers in paid and unpaid capacities. Because of our experience, we serve on several utility PFAS action teams and get called in to help state water and wastewater organizations with their PFAS messaging when discoveries are made. In February 2020, the State of Georgia shut down Summerville, GA's water supply and biosolids program after finding the drinking water was above the EPA's "lifetime health advisory" for PFAS. All of the city's restaurants were closed and the State's Vet stated that pets should not drink the water. Water was trucked in, and pictures of the lines were sent out across the country. Georgia Rural Water brought us in to stand up and explain the matter for city officials who had to face a public that, thanks to the state, felt the lives were at risk if they drank the water. We arrived at their offices on a Monday morning, met with the Mayor and staff, and walked through our response, which was focused on providing perspective on what an EPA lifetime health advisory meant and who actually needed to watch their water intake. We stood in front of the city council and the public for over an hour and answered questions for an hour more. A reporter put our presentation live on Facebook. We did NOT minimize the public's concerns; we simply provided respectful perspective. We then addressed negative press questions that night and throughout the next day with the same information and perspective approach. As a result of the press and public effort, combined with Georgia Rural Water's state work, the ban on restaurants was lifted and the public was told that pets could drink the water Wednesday morning, just 48 hours after our arrival. The presentation will go over the methods and messages we used to restore a level of confidence in the city's drinking water that enabled it to operate again. We will talk candidly about the difficult moments, and there were several, especially with the press. Regarding the Consumer Reports story, we at WaterPIO pushed back on the new 1 ppt "standard" when it was first announced in 2019. Our response to Dr. Linda Birnbaum after her announcement required the NIEHS to put out a clarifying statement that admitted the flaws in her new "standard." Because of this previous work, we were able to quickly respond to the story and point out the glaring weaknesses in the Consumer Reports story, which we shared with our clients and the industry as a whole. We will also share them during our presentation how we dissected the Consumer Reports story. We pointed out:
- How the authors did not speak to a single water/wastewater professional for their coverage.
- How 1 ppt is a non-detect that could lead every utility to be accused of having PFAS in its services if it doesn’t.
- How, in situations where more than 1 ppt is found, it is likely impossible to meet a 1ppt standard because of the difficult to remove all PFAS from water.
- How if 1 ppt should be the new "standard", then its PFAS's ubiquity in our consumer products must be addressed first, with immediate consumer product bans on water/stain resistant clothing, carpet, furniture, pots and pans, dental floss, and even cake mix. The Environmental Working Group - which pushed for 1 ppt in the Consumer Reports piece, doesn't dare target a wide range of consumer goods; they know that is the fastest way to lose the argument. So, they come after us in water and wastewater. Therefore, we need to get out front and communicate about now, before a crisis hits, or news coverage tars our work. The presentation will discuss the proactive groundwork that can be carried out before a PFAS discovery is made so the public reaction will be more understanding, especially about the fact our industry is not blame for the fact that PFAS is in our water, wastewater, and biosolids.

Because WaterPIO’s experience communicating PFAS discoveries, we are pulled into crisis situations by state and regional water organizations to help members who are in trouble. In February 2020, Georgia Rural Water called us in to help the city of Summerville. The state had shut down its water supply after finding it was above the EPA's "lifetime health advisory" for PFAS. While GRWA worked with state regulators, WaterPIO handled the press and public outcries, explaining the situation to residents who felt their lives were at risk if they drank the water. As a result of the efforts to be outlined in our presentation, the Do Not Use order was lifted just 48 hours after WaterPIO’s arrival on scene.

SpeakerMcGill, Michael

Presentation time

16:40:00

16:52:00

Session time

16:00:00

17:00:00

SessionWhat A Public Works Director Needs to Know About Emerging Contaminants and PFAS

Session number314

TopicFacility Operations and Maintenance, Microconstituents, Policy and Regulation, Public Communication and Outreach

Author(s)

Michael McGill