waterloop

Before Hurricane Katrina, the work to protect and restore Louisiana’s coast was fragmented among various government agencies with limited budgets and little coordination. The devastation of the storm and continued catastrophic loss of land and wetlands spurred the formation of a central agency to coordinate all activities and funds as the state recommitted to saving the coast. The efforts of that...

Utah is one of the driest states in the U.S. and the strain on water resources is growing as its population booms and climate change fuels aridification across the American West. But instead of aggressively advancing water conservation as other states are doing, Utah is brazenly rejecting that approach and pursuing costly infrastructure projects like pipelines, a situation covered by Mark Olalde,...

The water industry functions better when the workforce has a diverse blend of backgrounds and perspectives. This includes having individuals that bring experience in public administration and a mindset of service to others. In this episode, Amanda Jones, Founder of Womxn in Water, discusses how her journey in government and focus on helping people were beneficial at the water department in Marana,...

The amount of plastic - trillions of pieces and millions of tons - in the ocean is one of the planet’s most daunting environmental challenges. But many people are undeterred and drawn to projects to address the pollution, some even traveling thousands of miles across the ocean to study the problem and starting organizations dedicated to solutions. That’s the personal journey discussed in this epis...

The water challenges are serious for Navajo Nation, including one in three families lacking running water, impacts of climate change straining the land, and legacy pollution tainting some sources. But a spirit of resilience and leadership from within are steadily leading Navajo Nation toward a more sustainable water future. A focus on solutions instead of obstacles is also key, as discussed in thi...

Five decades ago, Cleveland was infamous for major water problems, including the Cuyahoga River catching on fire and Lake Erie being proclaimed dead. But the challenges attracted attention, resources, businesses, and problem-solvers. 50 years later, the city is an epicenter for water innovation and technology, as discussed in this episode by Bryan Stubbs, President and Executive Director of the Cl...

In 2014, a toxic algae bloom in Lake Erie forced the shutdown of Toledo’s drinking water system, cutting off the vital service for 400,000 people. In the years since, the City of Toledo responded by forging partnerships to monitor conditions in the lake, investing in upgrades to infrastructure and water treatment, and communicating in a transparent and comprehensive manner with the public. The les...

Illinois is the state with the most lead service lines for drinking water in the country, estimated to be between 700,000 and 1.4 million, with a large number of those found in Chicago. But in 2021, the efforts of a diverse coalition of stakeholders led to passage of landmark legislation that made Illinois one of only two states to require replacement of all lead service lines. An inside look at t...

Wilmington, North Carolina is home to the USS North Carolina, a retired World War II battleship that is open as a museum that draws over a quarter of a million visitors each year and serves as a memorial to the North Carolinians who died in the war. But now this special piece of American history faces an unlikely challenge - water. That’s because blue sky flooding, made increasingly frequent by se...

The Great Lakes are the largest freshwater ecosystem in the world, containing over 20 percent of Earth’s surface freshwater. This makes the Great Lakes an incredibly unique and critical place for water research, including in the areas of invasive species, microplastics, emerging contaminants, and climate change. The opportunities to learn and devise solutions for water challenges is discussed in t...

Healthy and resilient coastlines depend on action by states to properly manage development and prepare for climate change. While the Surfrider Foundation’s 2021 State of the Beach report found only two-thirds of states performing at poor to adequate levels, nine states did improve their scores from last year. The highest scoring states had strong policies for coastal building setbacks, restriction...

Local government officials and staff responsible for water management often have limited resources and must avoid risk, putting them on the constant search for proven solutions that work for their peers. Enter The Atlas, an online community where they can browse case studies, follow topics, and crowdsource ideas and advice, as discussed in this episode with Ellory Monks, Co-Founder of The Atlas. E...

Over time many property owners in New Orleans have replaced green spaces in favor of concrete and other impervious surfaces in order to gain more parking and reduce yard maintenance. The amount of hard surfaces contributed to serious flooding problems across the city. Now a program incentivizes homeowners to replace the pavement with grass and other permeable materials to allow rain to soak into t...

Managing water in New Orleans is a challenge because of the city’s unique hydrology, system of pipes and pumps, and intense rainfall events. Instead of relying only on traditional gray infrastructure, the city is embracing the use of green infrastructure to contain water, reduce flooding, transform public spaces, and beautify neighborhoods. The approach is discussed in this episode with Meagan Wil...

Growing up and working in water in Puerto Rico, Yajaira Morphonios saw people who didn’t have access to clean drinking water and she gained a unique understanding of the essential nature of water services to the well-being of a community. Since relocating to Kentucky and continuing to work in the water industry, she holds onto her Puerto Rico experiences and believes utilities and infrastructure p...

Coastal communities need accurate, reliable, and accessible information on tides, particularly as they confront rising sea levels and need to adapt to flooding events. But federal gauges are spread out on the U.S. coastline, which leaves extensive areas in between without precise predictions and real-world tracking of tides. That vital information gap can be closed using low-cost sensors, as discu...

Resilience is one of the words frequently heard in discussions about water resources. But what does it actually mean? It’s important to have a common understanding of resilience, particularly as climate change accelerates water challenges and resilience becomes a critical goal, according to the Pacific Institute’s Jason Morrison, President, and Heather Cooley, Director of Research. In this episode...

While precipitation like rain and snow get all the attention, the amount of evapotranspiration - water transferred from land and planets to the atmosphere - is also critical to water management. But there hasn’t been an effective tool for farmers, communities, and other water stakeholders to track evapotranspiration. Enter OpenET, a powerful platform that provides easily accessible satellite-based...

Historically the water industry preferred to be reactive in communications, especially in dealing with the media. That approach left utilities to play defense and often end up on the losing side of public relations. Now the winning strategy is to embrace proactive communications, build productive relationships with the media, and connect with customers, as discussed in this episode with Mike McGil...

An estimated 2.2 million people in America lack clean water and proper sanitation. These individuals are found all across the country - in indigenous communities, California’s Central Valley, the U.S.-Mexico border, Appalachia, the Deep South, and in urban neighborhoods. In this episode George McGraw, Founder and CEO of DigDeep, says it’s time for an international-style WASH sector to form in the...

An estimated 2.2 million people in America lack clean water and proper sanitation. These individuals are found all across the country - in indigenous communities, California’s Central Valley, the U.S.-Mexico border, Appalachia, the Deep South, and in urban neighborhoods. In this episode George McGraw, Founder and CEO of DigDeep, says it’s time for an international-style WASH sector to form in the...

For decades, advocates and activists have worked relentlessly to elevate water issues and drive policy changes and government funding. Now it seems water has risen to be a top priority, in large part because of those years of advocacy, crumbling water infrastructure, high-profile crises such as Flint, and the impacts of climate change like drought, flooding, and storms. The opportunity on water ha...

Polling shows that large majorities of Latinos feel that outdoor activities involving water are a way of life, that protecting water is vital to their culture and the economy, and that the government should combat water pollution. Historically large environmental organizations haven’t represented the Latino community and that has led to the rise of groups like GreenLatinos that give them a voice,...

The scope of waters covered by the federal Clean Water Act - called Waters of the U.S. - is one of the most complex, controversial, and contentious issues in environmental policy. Waters of the U.S. has been the focus of Supreme Court rulings, lobbying and litigation by stakeholders, and rulemakings by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Obama and Trump administrations. The history...

Brewers are seeing the impacts of climate change on essential ingredients for beer. Unusual temperatures and precipitation are damaging crops like barley and hops while water resources are stressed by drought or polluted by algae blooms and wildfires, as explained in this episode with Katie Wallace, Director of Social and Environmental Impact at New Belgium Brewing. This led New Belgium to brew To...