Tap Talk

Bob Dunlevy of U.S. EPA's Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska) has been hosting and facilitating an asset management stakeholder group and conference call for 15 years. This week, Steve and Jennifer talk with Bob about building understanding of asset management in water utilities and how informal communities can be an essential tool for knowledge building.  Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to...

The Rural Communities Assistance Partnership ( RCAP ), WaterOperator.org's principal collaborative partner, has been providing technical assistance to America's rural communities for 50 years. Today, we chat with RCAP CEO Olga Morales-Pate about the challenges of ensuring the sustainability of rural communities, what it means to be a technical assistance provider, and why passion is the most impor...

The methods with which we teach and train water operators have evolved as the world changes around us, but one thing hasn't changed: It takes skill and effort on the parts of both the teacher and learner to ensure the most effective possible training. In this episode, we chat with Ramzi Mahmood of the Office of Water Programs at California State University, Sacramento, about what he's learned from...

In the time we've spent building and maintaining WaterOperator.org and its family of websites, the importance of building strong partnerships and teams has never been more apparent. In our Season Four premier episode, Tap Talk hosts Steve and Jennifer Wilson look back on the beginnings of WaterOperator.org, discuss the evolution and expansion of our programs, and the value of our partnerships in h...

Regionalization is not just one thing, but a spectrum of partnership opportunities for efficiency and economies of scale. In this episode we're chatting with RCAP's Laura Landes and Sarah Buck about the fundamentals of regionalization and why these conversations are so important to the sustainability of small and rural water systems. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full s...

As we approach 50 years of the Safe Drinking Water Act, public water systems and state regulators continue to face new and long-standing challenges. In our conversation with Alan Roberson, Executive Director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators, we discuss the most pressing issues as well as efforts to increase compliance and sustainability for the most disadvantaged communiti...

Pennsylvania has no statewide well construction code or other private well regulations, but this suburban Philadelphia county is one of a small number leading the way to greater public health protection in the state. In this episode we're chatting with Kyle Schmeck about the Montgomery County program and the lessons he has learned. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full sho...

In the second half of our conversation with Dr. Kelsey Pieper, we discuss alternate perspectives on real private well problems. The conversation reiterates the need for personalized solutions, raises various research questions, and shares opinions on the needed direction for public outreach. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show notes for this episode!  

Research engineers like Kelsey Pieper get to work at the interface between knowledge discovery and real world application. In this first of two conversations with Dr. Pieper we explore some of the challenges of improving access to safe water, particularly for private well users. This episode highlights how both social understanding and real data are needed to design equitable solutions. Visit drin...

When Saco, Maine calculated the true cost of not updating their wastewater plant to accommodate the impacts of climate change, local government officials took action to secure the needed funding. Our conversation with Emily-Cole Prescott and Howard Carter includes the importance of communication and outreach in gaining support for the project. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find...

Tribal communities share many of the water issues experienced by public water systems and private well users across the US, but they also have some unique challenges. In this episode we're chatting with Billy Hix, a licensed water operator and registered sanitarian who works for the Cherokee Nation. Our conversation highlights the innovative solutions the Tribe is using to address safe water acces...

Tammy Helms has been a certified water operator for 27 years because she refused to be told 'no.' Today she also manages Alaska DEC's technical assistance program. In this episode you'll not only hear Tammy's story but other examples of persistence and resilience when it comes to protecting public health in rural Alaska. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show notes for...

In this episode we're chatting with Frieda von Qualen from the Minnesota Department of Health. Our conversation features insights on running a successful outreach program, an upcoming Minnesota-focused private well forum, and the shift towards policy that Frieda's own work in the program has taken. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show notes for this episode!

In this episode we're chatting with Paul Bishop, president and CEO of Water Professionals International, about water and wastewater certification in a post-pandemic world. Our conversation includes ideas for the future as well as the shifts that will be needed to recruit new water professionals. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show notes for this episode!  

In this episode we're chatting with David Henrich, a water well contractor and industry advocate on the national stage. Our conversation includes Mr. Henrich's perspectives on customer knowledge, shifts in the industry and regulatory landscape, and the one thing that could make all the difference for public health. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show notes for this...

In this episode we're chatting with Molly Woloszyn, a Regional Drought Information Coordinator with NOAA's National Integrated Drought Information System. You'll learn more about current drought issues in the Midwest and across the US as well as how water and health professionals can network with experts in this area. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show notes for th...

In this episode we're chatting with Heather Himmelberger, a professional engineer and director of the Southwest Environmental Finance Center. Our conversation features the role of the EFC network, why water systems shouldn't be intimidated by asset management, and her mixed feelings about infrastructure spending. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show notes for this ep...

In this episode we're chatting with Dr. Jackie MacDonald Gibson about her work at the intersection of environmental health and public policy. We focus on the disparities that private well users in disadvantaged communities face, even when there is a public water system in close proximity. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show notes for this episode!

Does hosting a webinar feel like a chore? In this episode we're chatting with our own Katie Buckley about the steps we take to produce a successful webinar program with The Private Well Class. We cover advance planning, running the event, and recommended best practices for follow-up. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show notes for this episode!

In this episode we're talking with Margaret Martens of the Water Systems Council and the Water Well Trust about the need for education, support, and funding for private well users in the US. You'll learn about recent changes that expand access to that funding as well as the breadth of resources available for free. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show notes for this e...

How do we solve the most difficult water infrastructure problems? It requires a more nuanced approach to trust-building and a proactive perspective on the challenges still to come. In this episode we're chatting with CAPT David Harvey about what we can all learn about problem solving in rural communities from the Indian Health Service. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full...

Water is often only part of the healthcare conversation about children when there is a problem. Dr. Alan Woolf, as part of a larger network of pediatricians specializing in environmental health, hopes to change that. In this episode we discuss the simple and not-so-simple reasons that providers don't counsel patients on drinking water as well as potential next steps towards a consistent and proact...

Local efforts are part of a much bigger story. In this episode we continue our conversation with our friends and colleagues at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst. The conversation features challenges facing the water sector, in the US and around the world, and how this team's work is creating solutions. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show notes for this episo...

In this episode we're chatting with David Reckhow, Emily Kumpel, and Patrick Wittbold, colleagues and collaborators at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Their research, teaching, and service experiences related to small drinking water systems is the focus of our conversation, which will span two episodes. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show notes for this ep...

How can we help private well users if the data isn't accessible? In this episode we chat with Clare Pace about her work in California to understand issues related to private well data, safe water access, environmental justice, and outreach that's actually helpful. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show notes for this episode!