The Water Zone

Ed Mathieu, president of ODI‑Solutions, discusses Aquabus, an innovative magnetic water technology delivering measurable efficiency and cost‑saving benefits. Ed explains how Aquabus significantly reduces water use by altering the molecular structure of water, allowing it to penetrate soil more quickly while minimizing runoff and waste. Backed by independent university studies, the technology helps...

Steve Moore, CEO of Moore Water Management, presents a Master Class on selecting and maximizing smart irrigation systems. Steve explains how irrigation components are chosen based on landscape design and how elements like pipe sizing, pressure, and irrigation type—drip, spray, or rotor—must work together as a complete system. He dives into advanced smart controller management, outlining the enviro...

Guest Gabe Brown, principal of Understanding Ag, LLC, shares his expertise in regenerative agriculture and the work his consulting group does with farmers and ranchers around the world. Gabe defines the core principles of regenerative agriculture, emphasizing that soil‑building practices must be adapted to geography, crop type, and individual farm context. He explains how regenerative agriculture...

Cydian Kauffman, founder of Pure Water–Northwest, explores his mission-driven approach to demystifying clean water. Cydian shares how his business cuts through industry confusion to deliver real, science‑backed water solutions, while also tackling fringe topics like structured and hydrogenated water to separate fact from fiction. He discusses how Pure Water–Northwest designs custom solutions for c...

Chris Davey, a retired leader from The Toro Company’s Precision Irrigation Division, reflects on a career dedicated to the landscape and irrigation industry. A proud graduate of Cal Poly Pomona and the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University, Chris shares how his curiosity in irrigation hydraulics shaped a journey spanning product management and senior leadership roles. He al...

Tyler Fields, Sr. Director of Water Solutions at Valmont Industries, a global leader in infrastructure and agricultural irrigation products shares insights from his role as a newly appointed member of the Irrigation Association’s Board of Directors, explaining how his technical background and industry experience will help support the organization’s long-term success. As an agricultural engineer, h...

Paulette McGhie, programs manager at ResNet, and Michel Matthews, program engagement specialist, discuss how ResNet standards differ from other energy efficiency programs and how those standards are developed and updated. They explain the important role ResNet standards play in the mortgage industry, including how a ResNet‑certified home may qualify buyers for special mortgage financing tied to ne...

Alex Grant, CEO of Magrathea Metals, discusses a breakthrough approach to producing carbon‑neutral magnesium metal from seawater and brines. He outlines the major global challenges facing magnesium production, noting that Russia and China currently dominate supply, creating economic and national security risks for the United States. Grant shares how Magrathea Metals is partnering with the U.S. mil...

Mike Hightower, PhD, director of the New Mexico Produced Water Research Consortium, and Kyle Murray, PhD, principal scientist at GeoConsulting LLC, explore the growing opportunity to recover critical minerals from produced water in oil and gas operations. They explain how characterizing produced water allows researchers to identify valuable elements such as lithium, magnesium, iodine, bromide, and...

Doug Bennett, conservation manager for the Washington County Water Conservancy District in St. George, Utah, discusses the region’s most pressing conservation and sustainability challenges. He explains how the district is implementing buy‑back programming to improve drought resilience and stretch limited water supplies amid severe future availability forecasts. Doug highlights projections showing...

Shilpa Alva, CEO of Surge for Water, shares how her organization invests in underserved global communities by delivering safe water, hygiene, and menstrual health solutions to help break cycles of poverty. She highlights that Surge for Water is a women‑led movement rooted in equity, respect, and stewardship ensuring historically excluded groups are prioritized and that local wisdom guides every pr...

Peter Fiske, Executive Director of the National Alliance for Water Innovation at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, explores the future of water production and reuse. He highlights major advancements in desalination, filtration, and resource recovery technologies that are reshaping how industries treat and repurpose water. Fiske also discusses emerging methods for extracting magnesium and rare...

The Water Zone host Rob Starr provides and in depth discussion about the impactful work of Orange County Coast Keepers, a non-profit dedicated to protecting fresh and saltwater ecosystems. Rob shares the organization’s history and its connection to over 300 “Keeper” programs worldwide, each operating independently. He highlights Coast Keepers’ hands-on efforts in public outreach, education, marine...

Arizona homeowner John Bartlett, shares his concerns about pressing water issues impacting communities nationwide. The discussion covers the legal definition of water rights as interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court and explores whether the government can alter senior water rights, including current litigation trends. Bartlett and the hosts also examined the global PFAS crisis—known as “forever che...

Moses West, President of AWG Contracting and the Moses West Foundation, shares his journey into Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG). Drawing on his military experience and engineering background, Moses developed a groundbreaking water harvesting system to provide clean, abundant water for troops in the field—a prototype that earned military approval and orders. Today, his company delivers scalable...

Scott Revell, manager of Roza Irrigation District, and Larry Mattson, director of the Office of Columbia River, discuss the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan. They highlight historically low reservoir storage and streamflows after three consecutive drought years, prompting strict water diversion restrictions to protect fish and senior water rights. They explain key drought factors, current supply level...

Donna DiFrancesco, conservation coordinator for the City of Mesa, AZ, who shares how Mesa won the Wyland’s National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation. Donna highlights the city’s innovative programs—like water management for commercial customers and HOAs, residential grass-to-landscape drip conversions, tree bonus incentives, and water education for schools—that empower residents and busine...

In this episode, Tia Fleming, executive director of the California Water Efficiency Partnership, explains California Bill 1572 and its impact on water conservation. The bill restricts the use of potable water for irrigating non-functional turf, but exempts residential yards, parks, cemeteries, golf courses, and sports fields. Tia defines non-functional turf, outlines compliance deadlines, and disc...

Ryan Meres, Paulette McGhie, and Michael Matthews from RESNET explore the significance of the HERS H2O rating system, which evaluates a home's water efficiency alongside its energy performance. They explain the types of homes eligible for certification and share statistics on adoption in California and other states. The discussion highlights how the HERS H2O rating aligns with the EPA’s WaterSense...

In this episode, we speak with Mauricio Guardado, general manager of United Water Conservation District, about their fight for fairness in water policy. A recent federal court ruling allows the government to take most of a community’s water without compensation, citing species protection—even when the science doesn’t support it. United Water is pushing back, demanding that environmental decisions...

Homeowner and new listener Alan Lee, from Ohio joins he show seeking advice for his new home's irrigation system after years of apartment living. Hosts Rob and Chris guide him through landscape basics like design costs, DIY installation, and irrigation controller options. They also cover turf selection, watering schedules, winterization techniques, and troubleshooting common system issues like zon...

Dr. Kyle Murray of principal scientist at Murray GeoConsulting, discusses how brine—an oil and gas byproduct—contains nearly every element in the periodic table, including critical minerals like lithium, rubidium, and platinum. These elements are vital for industries such as energy, computing, and transportation. He explained that recovering and selling these minerals could help oil and gas compan...

Anthony Giudice introduces AquaFlow’s innovative valve technology designed to optimize water flow and reduce costs across residential, commercial, and industrial applications. The product uses a 3-in-1 system that compresses trapped air and gas in water lines before it reaches the meter—preventing users from being charged for air volume. He explains that air enters water systems through municipal...

Kendall DeJonge, a USDA Research Agricultural Engineer, discusses his team's award-winning work on standardizing evapotranspiration (ET) software for water resource management. While ET methods have long been documented, Kendall highlights the lack of unified, publicly available code—until now. His team overcame major challenges to create collaborative tools using Python, chosen for its readabilit...

Derek Heeren, PhD, Professor and Irrigation Engineer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, shares insights into his award-winning work in irrigation education. Honored with the 2025 Irrigation Association’s Excellence in Education Award, Heeren discusses his leadership in developing coursework, certificate programs, and a graduate specialization in agricultural water management. He also highlight...