Talking Under Water

In this episode of Talking Under Water, co-host Katie Johns spoke with Dr. Jeremy Hoffman, director of Impact Evaluation and Community Science at Groundwork USA, about water's role in climate resilience. Dr. Hoffman spoke about his research with Groundwork USA, including heat and flood data; touches on the importance of community engagement and shares what challengees the industry is facing when it comes to resiliency.  Show Notes:     Cooling urban heat islands with smart stormwater systems Resilience isn’t one-size-fits-all: Rethinking resilience for locally impactful solutions New report finds water infrastructure investment could add $3.9 trillion to U.S. GDP Transforming wastewater into renewable natural gas and advancing the circular water economy Groundwork USA Timestamps:    Intro | 00:08 Hoffman's climate science background | 01:06 Overview of Groundwork USA and its mission | 04:09 NOAA’s Urban Heat Island Mapping Campaigns | 05:06 Water’s central role in climate resilience | 08:47 Challenges of addressing climate change |16:42 How environmental conditions drive disparities in life expectancy across neighborhoods | 19:03 Defining climate resilience | 21:01 Closing thoughts | 23:55 Housekeeping | 25:26 Resources: WWD Q3 Trump Performance Poll WaterWorld Subscription StormCon Call for Abstracts About the Podcast       Talking Under Water, a production of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B, is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest(WWD), WaterWorld and Stormwater Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.       Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.        

In this episode of Talking Under Water, the hosts break down recent news happening in the water industry. First, they covers the impacts of Hurricane Melissa, which made historic landfall in Jamaica on October 28 as a Category 5 hurricane before moving through Cuba and the Bahamas, leaving widespread damage and power outages across the Caribbean. Then, they dive into the Trump administration’s decision to pause more than $11 billion in funding for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects amid the ongoing federal government shutdown. Finally, they details the blockbuster $63 billion all-stock merger between American Water and Essential Utilities—set to create one of the largest regulated water and wastewater providers in the U.S. Show Notes:     What to know about Hurricane Melissa Trump administration pauses $11B in Army Corps water projects amid budget standoff  Army Corps of Engineers Pausing $11B in Projects, White House Official Says  How the government shutdown affects water and wastewater utilities  NJ Governor proposes revisions to data center reporting bill to include water use study  American Water and Essential Utilities announce merger to form $40B water and wastewater utility Timestamps:    Cold open and intro | 0:00 Episode summary | 01:17 Hurricane Melissa impacts across the Caribbean | 01:33 Transition to next story |03:39 Pause in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project funding | 03:50 New Jersey governor revises data center reporting bill | 07:07 American Water and Essential Utilities announce $63B merger | 08:01 Housekeeping and announcements | 11:04 Resources:  WEFTEC coverage WaterWorld subscriptions StormCon call for papers About the Podcast       Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.       Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.       Editor's note: The episode summary and timestamps were written with the assistance of AI.  

In this episode of Talking Under Water, co-Host Katie Johns spoke with Ryan Barton, hydrologist for the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources Water Management Branch, and Jocelyn Lu Morinishi, principal engineer at Brown and Caldwell as both of them have been named the Outstanding Rising One Water Leaders for the 2025 US Water Prize awarded by the US Water alliance. The two share their career paths, what the One Water movement means to them, their career goals and much more. Show Notes:     US Water Prize Navajo Nation Water Rights Commission Timestamps:  Introduction | 0:00  Early career journeys | 01:00  Inspiration and shared roots | 05:45  Becoming Rising One Water Leaders | 06:45  Reflections on culture and community | 10:30  Looking ahead: career goals | 13:10  Mentorship and stewardship | 18:30  Water sector challenges and solutions | 19:30  Closing thoughts and resources | 27:00  Resources:  WWD State of the Industry Survey Wastewater Digest WEFTEC content WaterWorld State of the Industry Survey SWS webinar with the Center for Watershed Protection About the Podcast       Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.       Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.   Editor's note: The timestamps were written with the assistance of AI.

In this episode of Talking Under Water, the co-hosts discuss recent industry news including two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) PFAS legal actions. First, the agency motioned to partially vacate a court case in which American Water Works Association (AWWA) sued the agency for procedural missteps in how it developed the concentration limits that defined the Hazard Index. Second, EPA announced its intentions for the Comprehensive, Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as CERCLA or the Superfund. The hosts also cover Jessica Kramer’s confirmation as assistant administrator of the EPA’s Office of Water; the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s updates to its flood mapping tool; and post-Hurricane Helene recovery efforts a year after the storm.   Show Notes:     Legal challenges cloud future of PFAS regulation as EPA moves to vacate PFAS MCL EPA outlines next steps on PFOA and PFOS cleanup under CERCLA EPA funds water infrastructure resiliency in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene NOAA expands flood inundation mapping tool to cover 60% of the U.S. population Senate confirms Jessica Kramer to lead EPA Office of Water Timestamps:    Cold open & intro | 00:00 Episode overview | 00:22 Government shutdown update | 00:45 Jessica Kramer confirmed to EPA Office of Water | 01:42  PFAS legal actions | 04:33 EPA post-hurricane funding in North Carolina |08:09 NOAA flood inundation mapping tool expansion | 09:06 Housekeeping & announcements | 10:19 Closing | 11:3 Resources:  Tunnels & Tech eBook  WWD workplace culture webinar  Renew your WaterWorld subscription  SWS webinar with the Center for Watershed Protection  About the Podcast       Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.       Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.      

As climate uncertainty and cybersecurity threats escalate, the utility industry is bracing for a future it can’t fully control. Over the past year alone, we’ve seen catastrophic events that exposed the vulnerabilities of water systems across the country. Talking Under Water Podcast host and VP of EB2B’s Water Group Bob Crossen spoke with Blake Michal, Manager of Solution Management at Kamstrup North America, about the difference between reliability and resilience, and learn why utilities must prioritize one over the over. Show Notes Learn more about Kamstrup: https://www.kamstrup.com/en-us/water-solutions Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to episode and guest 00:27 – Utilities face growing operational threats 00:40 – Smart tech for reliability and resilience 01:15 – Preparing for inevitable disruptions 02:22 – Building flexible, resilient systems 03:02 – Graceful failure vs flawless performance 04:11 – Reliability vs resilience explained 06:22 – Why reliability must come first 07:18 – Reliable ultrasonic meters and networks 08:23 – Resilience during system failures 10:13 – Real-world hurricane response example 11:09 – Kamstrup’s failure-free performance mindset 12:19 – Less than 0.25% return rate 13:08 – Where utilities should begin 14:24 – Final message: invest in both 15:47 – Smart Water eHandbook promo 16:13 – Water reuse eHandbook promo 16:34 – Stormwater survey call-to-action 17:02 – Contact and social media info Resources World of Water: www.waterworld.com/world-of-water Hot Innovations in Wastewater Treatment eHandbook: https://www.wwdmag.com/ehandbooks/wastewater-treatment/whitepaper/55281395/wastewater-treatment Register for StormCon: www.stormcon.com About the Podcast       Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.

In this episode of Talking Under Water, co-Host Bob Crossen speaks with Jacquelin Mutter, One Water planning lead, and Trent Stober, utility management services director, both for HDR about using the A-I-R process to optimize One Water processes. Mutter and Sober discuss how A-I-R, which stands for Assess, Identify and Reimagine, can help utilities navigate their One Water approaches successfully. The two also discuss why the One Water approach is important to the industry and how A-I-R can benefit water utilities. Show Notes: Discover and Expand Multiple Benefits by Applying a One Water Perspective One water: Integrated water resource management is the future What is One Water? Timestamps: Intro | 00:00 Meet the guests: Jacqueline Mutter & Trent Stober of HDR |00:01:00 Challenges facing today’s utilities | 00:02:20 Defining One Water and making it actionable | 00:04:00 The AIR process: Assess, Identify, Reimagine | 00:05:00 Embedding equity and resilience into planning | 00:08:10 Benefits of One Water for utilities & communities | 00:09:40 Enhancing core services through a holistic approach | 00:12:15 Real-world challenges: data centers, industry, and partnerships | 00:14:30 Building smarter investments and business cases | 00:16:40 Workforce resilience & cross-training initiatives | 00:18:00 The growing role of communications in the water sector | 00:19:30 Closing reflections | 00:20:00 Outro & housekeeping (magazine, WEFTEC, webinars) | 00:21:35 Resources: WaterWorld September/October issue Stormwater Awareness Week Webinar Subscribe to WaterWorld Subscribe to Stormwater Solutions About the Podcast       Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water, a production of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B,  highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.       Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.   Editor's Note: The episode timestamps were written with the assistance of generative AI.

In this episode of Talking Under Water, the hosts discuss relevant industry news, including the approval given to the National Weather Service to hire 450 new employees; Wyoming Department of Transportation projects that intersect roads, bridgese and stormwater; updates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the Tijuana sewage crisis and a sediment control project; and finally, the importance of workplace safety in light of recent sombering events. Show Notes:     National Weather Service to hire 450 workers following cuts Wyoming Transportation Commission awards $33.1 million in contracts for DOT projects South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant completes 10 MGD expansion EPA, Ohio and Partners Highlight Sediment Cleanup Project Start in Cuyahoga Falls Authorities identify 3 workers who died due to toxic sewer gas in Trinity County  Three Houston-area men die from toxic gas exposure in Trinity County manhole incident  Two Workers Killed by Suspected Gas Exposure in Sewer Line Accident Near Mobile, Alabama  OSHA’s confined space regulations  Timestamps:    Cold Open | 00:00 Introductions & Subscription reminder |  00:00:38 Episode summary | 00:01:20 National Weather Service hiring 450 staff | 00:01:41 Wyoming DOT stormwater and infrastructure projects | 00:02:11 EPA Updates: Tijuana sewage crisis and Cuyahoga River sediment cleanup | 00:03:37 Texas trench tragedy & Workplace safety reflections | 00:06:50 Housekeeping  | 00:10:10 Resources:  Wastewater Digest YouTube  WaterWorld September/October issue SWS Stormwater Awareness Week Webinar  Stormwater Solutions September/October issue About the Podcast       Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water, a production of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B,  highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.       Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.   Editor's Note: The episode timestamps were written with the assistance of generative AI.    

In this episode of Talking Under Water, co-Host Katie Johns is talks with Professor John Colbourne, director of the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Environmental Research and Justice and Dr. Xiaojing Li, post- doctorate research fellow in precision and environmental health at University of Birmingham, to discuss their research using AI and water fleas to identify harmful substances in waterways. The two touch on their research results and how they can inform future regulations but also share how AI can be used elsewhere in the water industry.   Show Notes:     Daphnia as a Sentinel Species for Environmental Health Protection: A Perspective on Biomonitoring and Bioremediation of Chemical PollutionClick to copy article link Bioactivity Profiling of Chemical Mixtures for Hazard Characterization The Centre for Environmental Research and Justice (CERJ) Timestamps:    Episode introduction | 00:00:09  How AI helps analyze water quality |00:01:28 Using AI with chemical and biological datasets | 00:05:02 River selection for case study research | 00:06:58 Why water fleas (Daphnia) were chosen | 00:08:49 Unique biology and ecological role of Daphnia | 00:13:08  Research results: five patterns, 43 key chemicals | 00:15:36 Implications for regulation and toxicity testing | 00:19:13 AI, accountability, and environmental justice | 00:22:06 Other uses of AI in the water industry | 00:24:01 Collaboration between academia and industry | 00:25:37 Housekeeping and listener resources | 00:28:04 Resources:  WWD YouTube WaterWorld subscriptions SWS State of the Industry Survey About the Podcast       Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water, a production of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B,  highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.       Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.   Editor's Note: The timestamps were written with the assistance of generative AI.  

In this episode of Talking Under Water, co-hosts Katie Johns, Mandy Crispin, and Alex Cossin discuss recent industry news, including the Waterkeeper Alliance’s latest PFAS analysis, revealing that 98% of sampled U.S. waterways tested positive for PFAS contamination; recent business acquisitions; infrastructure upgrades by San Jose Water, including water main replacements and the use of AI in asset management, and Indiana American Water’s groundbreaking of a new $50 million treatment plant in Seymour, Indiana. Finally, the hosts dive into updates on State Revolving Funds (SRFs). The U.S. House of Representatives has proposed significant cuts to SRF programs, while the Senate favors maintaining current funding levels. With the September 30 budget deadline looming, the future of water infrastructure funding remains uncertain.  Show Notes:     98% of waterways found to have PFAS contamination Waterkeeper Alliance PFAS Report Phase II  StormTrap CEO discusses Faircloth Skimmer acquisition San Jose Water  Indiana American Water breaks ground on $50 million water treatment facility  National Association of Counties appropriations tracker  Timestamps:    Hosts introduce the episode | 00:00:50 PFAS found in 98% of tested waterways |00:01:14  StormTrap acquires Faircloth Skimmer |00:02:32 San Jose Water’s infrastructure upgrades |00:03:19 Seymour, Indiana’s new water treatment plant |00:05:41 Overview of the SRF program | 00:08:15 How appropriations and SRF funding are decided | 00:09:51 Budget cuts proposed by the House |00:11:10 Senate supports level SRF funding |00:11:54 Final funding outcome still uncertain |00:12:00 Housekeeping and industry updates |00:12:20 Resources:  Register for StormCon and use code WWD15 to get 15% off your attendee pass. WWD YouTube WaterWorld subscriptions About the Podcast       Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.       Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.    

In this episode of Talking Under Water, Bob Crossen speaks with Elora Arnette, associate director of Water Finance Assistance, about the multifaceted challenges facing small water utilities in 2025. They explore workforce shortages, including the growing number of soon-to-retire operators and the difficulty in replacing them, particularly in rural communities. Arnette discusses how many small utilities rely on multitalented local staff and even second-career workers, but stresses that this model is not sustainable long-term. The conversation also covers funding cuts to state revolving funds, the growing threat of extreme weather events, and the resource limitations that prevent proactive planning. Arnette highlights available support options, such as discounted training and emergency planning services, and calls for strategic rate reviews to maintain system viability. Show Notes:     EPA announces $49 million to aid rural, small, and tribal communities with wastewater challenges How resilience and rate-setting can improve Wastewater's D+ ASCE grade How value engineering is helping small systems secure big dollars Timestamps: Introduction to small system workforce issues | 0:00 Guest Elora Arnette joins the discussion | 1:13 Expected wave of workforce retirements | 2:20 Small systems rely on multi-role community hires | 3:31 Recruiting passionate locals is key but unsustainable | 4:00 Older workers entering industry as second career | 4:45 Families encouraging next generation into water careers | 6:38 Regulatory uncertainty creates operational whiplash | 7:10 Small systems can’t pivot like larger ones | 8:27 SRF budget cuts hurt small systems most | 9:07 Lack of rate revenue complicates project funding | 10:17 Extreme weather overwhelms small system preparedness | 12:06 Required planning exists but is often unused | 13:32 Northern systems more equipped for typical local events | 14:44 Lack of backup infrastructure hampers storm resilience | 15:24 Consistent theme: lack of resources everywhere | 16:07 Free and discounted support programs are available | 17:06 Rate reviews crucial for long-term viability | 18:25 Closing thoughts and future conversations | 19:28 Housekeeping and announcements for listeners | 20:00   Resources:  Use code WWD15 to get 15% off your attendee pass when you register at StormCon.com. Wastewater Digest YouTube channel WaterWorld Top Project nominations  About the Podcast       Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.       Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.     Editor's Note: The episode summary and timestamps were written with the assistance of generative AI.