Watts has announced the recipients of its annual Backflow Hero Award. Recipients were selected by the Watts backflow leadership team from nominations received through its website. The Backflow Hero Award recognizes those who have made a significant impact in the field of backflow prevention and individuals that embody the following qualities:
Passion for Protecting Drinking Water: Demonstrates an unwavering commitment to safeguarding drinking water from the dangers of backflow.
Innovative and Creative Thinking: Generates fresh, inventive ideas around backflow prevention.
Commitment to Education: Actively seeks and provides continuing education about the importance and methods of backflow prevention.
Enforcement of Best Practices: Upholds and promotes the highest standards and best practices in backflow prevention.
The 2026 Backflow Hero Award recipients are:
Kathy Riley – Compliance Specialist, Charlotte Water
With decades of experience in backflow compliance, cross-connection control, and customer service, Kathy Riley is a respected advocate for public drinking water protection. Her technical knowledge, collaborative leadership, and commitment to education have made her a trusted resource for utilities, industry partners, and backflow professionals across the country.
Kathy has shown exceptional leadership in response to North Carolina legislation SL2024-49, which reduced backflow preventer installation requirements and extended testing intervals. Recognizing the potential impact on drinking water safety, she engaged directly with legislators, presented to the North Carolina Rural Water Association, and helped organize stakeholders around education and advocacy efforts. As she prepares to serve as president of the American Backflow Prevention Association, her passion for protecting public health reflects the kind of leadership that inspires others to act and moves the industry forward.
Mike Brune – Sr. Solutions Engineer, RepMasters
Affectionately known as Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region’s “backflow guru,” Mike Brune has spent the last four decades building a towering legacy as an educator, technical resource, and advocate for backflow prevention and cross-connection control. At a time when many local jurisdictions, utilities, and waterworks organizations were still building their understanding of backflow prevention, Mike was instrumental in developing cross-connection control programs throughout the region.
A founding member of ABPA, former ASSE instructor, and one of the primary authors of the Colorado Cross-Connection Control Manual, Mike has led thousands of seminars and empowered professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to help keep potable water systems safe. Even in semi-retirement, he continues to support backflow training efforts and remains an invaluable resource for the next generation of professionals, with a lasting impact seen in the programs he helped build, the professionals he has trained, and the industry knowledge he continues to share.
Pete Bertagna – Engineering Manager, Watts (Ret.)
Pete Bertagna retired from Watts in 2026. During his more than 36 years with the company, he was a driving force behind the success of Watts’ backflow product portfolio. Pete helped advance product innovation, certification, manufacturability, and performance across the portfolio. He is the holder of three patents, including two related to backflow prevention assemblies and one tied to the development of the exclusive ArmorTek coating system.
Pete has served as a trusted technical representative to leading industry organizations and is widely recognized as a subject matter expert whose leadership, industry relationships, and commitment to continuous improvement have played a lasting role in delivering reliable, compliant, and innovative solutions for customers worldwide.
To learn more, visit watts.com/our-story/backflow-hero-award.
