Water Values Podcast

Snehal Desai, Xylem’s Senior Vice President and Chief Growth and Innovation Officer, joins us for a phenomenal discussion about PFAS. Snehal addresses the EPA’s recently promulgated PFAS rule and dives into present treatment options, including several PFAS treatment success stories, and where PFAS treatment technology is headed. In this session, you’ll learn about: Sne’s extensive experience and varied roles in the water industry How a clear signal from regulators on PFAS helps industry participants The lead-in time for PFAS rules The purpose of the 3 year monitoring timeline The period of time in which utilities need to get solutions in place How PFAS rule implementation mirrors other environmental rule roll-outs The solutions currently available to treat PFAS How “mobile” solutions are developing The three categories of technological development Sne sees coming in PFAS remediation Why PFAS remediation needs to be tailored to the characteristics of the water being treated Examples of PFAS remediation (& the importance of talking about remediation!) Sne’s take on the biggest challenges of PFAS rule compliance Snehal’s insights into treating wastewater effluent streams for PFAS remediation Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include: Snehal’s LinkedIn profile Xylem’s website Thank You! Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate and review The Water Values Podcast on iTunes and Stitcher if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!

Water rock star Alaina Harkness, Executive Director of Current and CEO/Principal Investigator of Great Lakes ReNew, provides a phenomenal look at water’s place in economic development, building regional partnerships, and so much more. Plus, Reese Tisdale discusses hydrogen in this month’s Bluefield on Tap segment. In this session, you’ll learn about: Alaina’s background in foundation work and economic development Current’s mission and why it was formed How Alaina scaled Current up What Alaina means by ‘Blue Economy’ How Alaina linked water and economic development Why Alaina thinks now is the time to accelerate investment in the water sector, especially in the Great Lakes How water has morphed from an afterthought to a driver in economic development How the Great Lakes ReNEW came together to create regional partnerships How R&D, Commercialization, and Work Force elements came together to form the basis of the regional partnerships How the Great Lakes ReNEW’s workforce development initiative is coming together What’s in store for Great Lakes ReNEW How the cooperative grant structure from the National Science Foundation works Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include: Alaina’s Linkedin Profile Current’s website Great Lakes ReNEW’s website Thank You! Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate and review The Water Values Podcast on iTunes and Stitcher if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!

Growing up, I always sensed that my father was deeply involved in a significant legal case, although my understanding of it was limited as I was less than 5 years old at the time. It wasn’t until much later in life, when I attended an American Bar Association Water Law Conference, that I truly grasped the importance of the Boldt Decision. Now, as this pivotal ruling marks its 50th anniversary, I felt compelled to capture my father’s thoughts on the case. In this session, you’ll learn about: The background on the Boldt Decision (United States v. Washington, 384 F.Supp. 312 (W.D. Wash. Feb. 12, 1974) Why the Indian Tribes brought suit The parties involved in the Boldt lawsuit The bodies of water affected by the Boldt Decision How and why different agencies of the State took different positions on the lawsuit Words matter: why the language “usual and accustomed grounds and stations” from the 1850’s era treaty was so important How the court determined the Indian Tribes were engaged in commercial fishing at the time of the treaty Why Native Americans testified on both sides of the case (for the State and for the Tribes) How the United States argued that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service could assist the Indian Tribes in regulating fishing Why Judge Boldt determined that the State could not regulate Indian fishing The appellate process for the Boldt Decision The effects on commercial fishing of the Boldt Decision How the media covered the Boldt Decision Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include: University of Washington Law School’s webpage on the Boldt Decision Historylink website article on the Boldt Decision The Backlash to Boldt: Article on the National Museum of the American Indian website Thank You! Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate and review The Water Values Podcast on iTunes and Stitcher if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!

WWF’s Allen Townsend provides an illuminating discussion on Science Based Targets and corporate water stewardship. Allen explains current guidance status, the entities involved, and where science based targets for nature and corporate water stewardship are headed. Plus, Reese Tisdale updates us on IIJA funding status during this month’s Bluefield on Tap segment. In this session, you’ll learn about: Allen’s background and the book that galvanized his decision to focus on the water sector Allen’s work on the World Wildlife Fund’s Freshwater and Food Team What the Science Based Target Network (SBTN) is What the Freshwater Hub is WWF’s Corporate Water Stewardship Program SBTN’s 5-step framework for attaining science based targets for nature Using targets as a compass Where SBTN is in the process of piloting the program and revising guidance Why being an early adopter for companies is important How watershed basin-based approaches to water stewardship yield enhanced results How to get involved in corporate water stewardship Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include: Allen’s LinkedIn page World Wildlife Fund’s website Science Based Target Networks Freshwater Hub website Thank You! Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate and review The Water Values Podcast on iTunes and Stitcher if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!

Ten years ago, Matthew Klein was the first ever guest of The Water Values Podcast. Matt, now CEO and Chief Futurist at Aqualaurus Group, returns to discuss the discipline of strategic foresight and how it can benefit the water industry. In this session, you’ll learn about: Matt’s water journey over the past 10 years How and why Matt decided to become a water futurist through the discipline of strategic foresight Why Matt started the Water Foresight Podcast Why the water industry needs strategic foresight How water foresight helps anticipate, frame, and shape the probable futures Matt’s hypothesis on water culture The main benefits of a utility adopting a foresight mindset How utility vendors can benefit from water foresight The lenses through which strategic foresight anticipates, frames, and shapes the future Examples of using water foresight to anticipate forthcoming changes Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include: Matthew’s LinkedIn page Water Foresight podcast Buzzsprout website Aqualaurus Thank You! Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate and review The Water Values Podcast on iTunes and Stitcher if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!

Today’s podcast episode features Greg Pierce, Professor of Urban Planning at UCLA, Research and Co-Executive Director at UCLA’s Luskin Center for Innovation, Director of UCLA’s Water Resource Lab, and Director of UCLA’s Human Right Water Lab. During this conversation, Greg addresses water equity issues affecting mobile home parks, emphasizing the importance for anyone concerned about small systems to also prioritize the issues faced by these communities, i.e., mobile home park water systems. Plus, Reese Tisdale makes an appearance to discuss Eversource’s decision to divest Aquarion on this month’s Bluefield on Tap segment. In this session, you’ll learn about: Greg’s unique journey to the water industry and WASH research focused on the United States How Greg defines mobile home parks and how mobile home parks compare and contrast with manufactured housing Why mobile home parks are an important barometer for measuring WASH issues How mobile home parks typically receive and manage water services The challenges mobile home park water systems face in complying with Safe Drinking Water Act regulations The technical, managerial, and financial challenges faced by mobile home park water systems Why it’s difficult to gather data on how much mobile home park residents pay for water services Why neighboring water systems often decline to provide water services to mobile home parks How water equity issues in mobile home parks are emblematic of broader inequity issues facing mobile home parks including general infrastructure, heat, fire, ramifications of climate change, stigma, and more What “premise plumbing” means for mobile home parks and why it’s a problem Potential solutions and policy initiatives to improve water equity in mobile home parks Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include: Greg’s LinkedIn page Greg’s email address Greg’s X handle UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation’s website NIST website Thank You! Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate and review The Water Values Podcast on iTunes and Stitcher if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!

Dave’s law partner at Dentons, Kyle Miller, is a cybersecurity and data privacy lawyer who provides a tremendous discussion on a wide range of cybersecurity issues for water utilities. Water utilities (and all critical infrastructure providers) will find Kyle’s in-depth knowledge and experience on cybersecurity and data privacy issues well worth the time investment. In this session, you’ll learn about: Kyle’s background in cybersecurity and information technology before becoming a data privacy and cybersecurity lawyer Recent cybersecurity incidents involving water utilities Traditional profit-based cyber attacks and the rise of politically motivated attacks The reasons why utilities have difficulty with cybersecurity Why some utilities have a false sense of security over cybersecurity The cybersecurity vulnerabilities present in utilities Why the integration of information systems and operations systems presents a risk The regulation that wasn’t in 2023 (U.S. EPAs withdrawn regulation) The legal requirements of the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act that utilities need to be aware of Why utilities need to know the applicable regulations in advance (because you won’t have time to look them up during an incident) Two important members of the acronym soup of cybersecurity: CISA: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency NIST: National Institute for Standards and Technology Kyle’s terrific “leave behind” message for water utilities on cybersecurity Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include: Kyle’s LinkedIn page Kyle’s bio on Dentons’ website CISA website NIST website Thank You! Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate and review The Water Values Podcast on iTunes and Stitcher if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!

Eastern Municipal Water District (Eastern) General Manager, Joe Mouawad, provides a fantastic discussion of Eastern’s Purified Groundwater Replenishment Program and its attendant benefits, as well as a discussion about water usage and water efficiency in Eastern’s service area. In this session, you’ll learn about: Joe’s background in water and path to Eastern’s General Manager position Eastern’s water resource portfolio Eastern’s brackish groundwater desalination program Eastern’s customer growth and how Eastern has creatively reused water Eastern’s Purified Groundwater Replenishment Program The groundwater infiltration and aquifer recharge process and cycle The climate extremes driving Eastern’s water resource portfolio diversification The federal and state support for the groundwater purification project How the aquifer recharge supports groundwater resources throughout the entire basin How the Water Master administers and improves the basin’s groundwater resources The groundwater replacement program’s impact on subsidence and energy usage Water efficiency measures adopted by Eastern Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include: Joe Mouawad LinkedIn profile Eastern Municipal Water District’s Website Thank You! Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate and review The Water Values Podcast on iTunes and Stitcher if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!

Art Umble, Director of the Stantec Institute for Applied Science, Technology & Policy, provides a fascinating discussion identifying the key megatrends impacting water and exploring the issues driving those megatrends. In this session, you’ll learn about: Art’s distinguished background in water The work undertaken by the Institute for Applied Science, Technology and Policy The knowledge gaps we need to fill in order to develop a strategy to address water stress Key water megatrends: (1) Water Stress; (2) Global Urbanization; (3) Transboundary Water; (4) Agricultural Productivity Water stress as a global, national, and regional issue The three S’s of water stress: scarcity, socio-economics, and security Water stress is usually discussed in scarcity terms, but socio-economics factors (i.e., infrastructure adequacy) also plays a significant role The global urbanization challenge and the concentration of water demand How population growth will affect water stress Agriculture water sources – “blue water” and “green water” and what they are How evapotranspiration affects green water Unsustainable irrigation and the reasons behind it Art’s thoughts on how we address water stress Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include: Art’s LinkedIn page The Stantec Institute for Applied Science, Technology & Policy’s website TWV #227: A Refreshing Vision for Water with Metropolitan’s Adel Hagekhalil Thank You! Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate, review and subscribe to The Water Values Podcast on Apple Podcasts if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!

Seth Johnstone, the Client Engagement Leader for Water Utility Digital Solutions at 1898 & Co., provides a fresh perspective on digital transformation at water utilities. Seth crushes this interview, and no matter how much you think you know about digital transformation, you will learn from taking a listen to Seth. Plus, Reese Tisdale kicks off another year of Bluefield on Tap with a Top 5 issues list. See if your issues list matches Reese’s list. In this session, you’ll learn about: Seth’s unique background in water What an underwater archaeologist does Seth’s thoughts on technology and workforce replacement Seth’s awesome take on the essential function of technology for a utility Why Seth believes most of what a utility does from an asset perspective is location-based What the “laser guided shovel” is Cybersecurity issues for utilities The IT and OT cybersecurity issues and how to marry them together Why utilities need to prepare for and respond to hyperlocal issues Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include: Seth’s LinkedIn page 1898 & Co.’s website Thank You! Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate, review and subscribe to The Water Values Podcast on Apple Podcasts if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!