Water Foresight Podcast

Leadership.  Everyone talks about it.  Customers and regulators demand it.  Water utilities need it.  Non-profits preach it.  What is leadership?  Can we define and measure it?  Or, do we know it when we see it?  Does it come down to traits, skills, or theories?  Dr. Peter Scheuermann joins the Water Foresight Podcast to begin a series on the future of leadership and water.  Dr. Scheuermann addres...

The idea of the "Circular Economy" has been the subject of recent debate.  What about a "Circular Water Economy"?  Jim Lauria, Vice-President of Sales & Marketing of Mazzei Injector Company, helps us understand the rise of the Circular Water Economy.  Is this a new legal requirement or a operational paradigm?  What is its relationship to the agricultural sector?  What are t...

"You're a fascist!" This seems to be the claim lobbed by various people on different sides of a contested issue.  We may be divided, but do we truly understand the term "fascism"?  Dr. Gene Veith helps us understand fascism.  What is fascism?  A worldview?  Is it bad?  What is the origin of fascism?  Didn't the conclusion of World War II serve as the end of fascism? ...

What is the metaverse?  Is it reality or, as some have stated, "embedded reality"?  What does that mean and how will the metaverse intersect with the future of water?  Lior Romanowsky of Spartans.tech joins the podcast to provide a framework for understanding the future of the metaverse.  What are the business applications offered through the metaverse?  What is the relationship of the m...

Does the future of water envision drinking water systems as toxic waste facilities?  Andrew Brought, an environmental lawyer with Spencer Fane LLP, helps the podcast see various futures of water through the recent case-- California River Watch vs. City of Vacaville --decided by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.  Did the City of Vacaville "transport" hazardous waste by collecting, treatin...

Can signals of change from the discipline of criminal justice offer insights into the future of water?  Dr. Tom Romero joins the Water Foresight Podcast to discuss racial impact statements in connection with the future of water.  What can racial challenges (and solutions) within the criminal justice system tell us about changes in the future of water?  Environmental impact statements are familiar...

Is it true that no good deed goes unpunished?  Dr. Kenneth Gould joins the Water Foresight Podcast to address the emerging issue of resilience gentrification.  What is resilience gentrification?  Is this simply a bad thing or is it the unintended consequence of trying to do the right thing with water?  What does it mean to align our economic frameworks with our ecological frameworks?  Will there b...

According to the latest AWWA Journal, customer satisfaction is a big deal to customers of water utilities and their opinions about the service they receive.  Dr. Andrew Heath, Managing Director of Utilities Intelligence for J.D. Power & Associates, joins the Water Foresight Podcast to discuss J.D. Power's latest customer satisfaction results and the future of customer satisfaction within...

Dr. Kimberly Daniels and Tim Morgan join the Water Foresight Podcast to discuss Flooding and Future Scenarios.  It's hurricane season and the Podcast is interested in learning about the future of flooding.  Daniels and Morgan examined future scenarios of flooding in Houston, Texas, through the lenses of health, poverty, and equity.  What are the tools and methodologies available to examine fu...

Peter Colohan, Director of the Internet of Water Initiative at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, joins the Water Foresight Podcast to provide his vision for the future of the Internet of Water.  What is the Internet of Water (IoW)?  What are the IoW Principles?  What is "FAIR"?  What is the relationship between the IoW and privacy?  Is there a relationship between the IoW and the Int...

What is the future of the paradigm of Environmental Justice in relationship to the future of all things water?  Dr. David Pellow of the University of California, Santa Barbara, joins the Water Foresight Podcast to guide us on this journey.  What is "Environmental Justice"?  What do the terms "justice" and "fairness" mean?  Who decides?  What if the process is "fa...

Brett Aho "nudges" the Water Foresight Podcast into discussing surveillance capitalism and its relationship to the future of water.  What is "surveillance capitalism"?  What are the opportunities and risks of "behavior modification"?  How are China and the European Union addressing surveillance capitalism?  What is China's social credit system (SCS) framework?  I...

Kody George joins the Water Foresight Podcast to address the Future of Space Water.  What?  Isn't water only relevant on Earth?  Kody offer his insights on "space water," the legal mechanisms addressing its use, and observations on future governance mechanisms?  If we have Riverkeepers on Earth, do we need Moonkeepers for the Moon?  Who owns the Moon, Mars, or other celestial bodies...

What will be the necessary skills, abilities, and knowledge necessary for the future leaders and followers within the world of water?  Dr. Chris Mayer of the United States Military Academy (a/k/a West Point) joins the Water Foresight Podcast to discuss the future of higher education and how it is changing and will shape the future of various roles and responsibilities within the world of water.  T...

How does the pending Maryland Comprehensive Conservation Finance Act (SB 348) influence the future of water?  Dr. Tim Male of the Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) joins the Water Foresight Podcast to offer his thoughts on SB 348.  What is SB 348?  How does this bill support or connect to the recent federal infrastructure bill?  What can SB 348 do for water?  How does SB 348 change DWS...

The Water Foresight Podcast wants to know whether water will be a vehicle for conflict or peace.  Booky Oren, the former Executive Chairman of Mekorot (Israel's national water company) and current CEO of Booky Oren Global Water Technologies, joins the Podcast to offer his insights.  What is Israel's historic relationship with water?  How has this relationship shaped Israel's current...

Season 2 of the Water Foresight Podcast launches with Commissioner Mary-Anna Holden, Commissioner with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Commissioner Holden offers her (personal) observations about the future of economic regulation. How has economic regulation changed over the past 10-20 years? Is there a future for innovative ratemaking mechanisms? What will the future of the state/EPA re...

The Water Foresight Podcast returns with John Robinson of Mazarine Ventures. We discuss, "The Future of Business Models and Water." John is shy and "keeps his cards close to the vest" but he eventually opens up about his thoughts on how innovative business models must shape the future of water.  Are the business models focused on water utilities or other actors within the marke...

Dr. Andy Hines of the University of Houston joins the Water Foresight Podcast to discuss "After Capitalism: What is the Future of Water?"  Has the podcast lost its mind?  What does "after capitalism" mean?  Is capitalism over?  What are the myths, assumptions, and beliefs of capitalism?  What are "values shifts" and how do they impact the future of capitalism?  Why ar...

The Rev. Mitchell Hescox, CEO of the Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN), joins the Water Foresight Podcast to discuss, "Will the Christian World Influence the Future of Water"? What is the significance of the creation of humans in relationship to water? What is the significance of the language of "subdue" and "dominion" in relationship to water? What is "cre...

Ari Raivetz, CEO of Transcend Software, joins the Water Foresight Podcast to discuss the future of water innovations in relationship to economic and environmental regulators. Is digital transformation a myth or reality for the water sector?  Has COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of innovative technologies?  Will regulators help or hinder the adoption of innovations?  What are the strategies for bu...

Shirley Ben-Dak, Vice-President of Strategy & Innovation for SWAN, joins the Water Foresight Podcast to offer her reflections on "Is Water Smart in 2040?" Shirley addresses the elastic term "smart water" and provides key insights into whether and in what form water may be "smart" in 2040.  Also, we discussed the potential unintended consequences of continuing adva...

George Hawkins, the Founder & CEO of Moonshot Missions, joins the Water Foresight Podcast to discuss his vision for "Water Infrastructure in 2040: Business as Usual or Transformation?" There is no spoiler alert when it comes to George's well-known intellect, enthusiasm, and optimism--he supports the "transformation scenario" of the future of water infrastructure. So, w...

Dr. Eric Siegel joins the Water Foresight Podcast to discuss "The Multiple Lenses of Predictive Analytics."  What is the difference between "big data," "artificial intelligence," "machine learning," and "predictive analytics"? How will predictive analytics change (and change society) over the next 10 years? Will the application of predictive analyt...

Dr. Christiana Zenner, Associate Professor of Theology, Science & Ethics at Fordham University and author of "Just Water," joins the Water Foresight Podcast to discuss "What Kind of Thing is Water in 2040"?  What are the value paradigms of fresh waters?  Do social norms about water change over time?  Why should we care about "water ethics"?  What are Dr. Zenner&ap...