Talking Under Water

Episode 59: 2022 State of the Industry

In this month’s episode of Talking Under Water the hosts provide some highlights of news in the past month before going into a deep dive on the state of the water industry across all verticals: drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, residential, commercial and industrial water.

Episode 58: Smart Water Trends & Best Practices

In this month’s episode of Talking Under Water co-hosts Bob Crossen and Katie Johns dive into recent industry news, including the EPA’s PFAS CERCLA proposal, the Jackson, Mississipi Water Crisis and recent funding for both drought resiliency in the West and SRFs. Additionally, the hosts share an interview with Steve Drangsholt, account executive with Trinnex. Johns and Drangsholt spoke about smart water and how the digital transformation is impacting the water industry. They also dive into machine learning and digital twins, and Drangsholt shares how you can bring digital transformation to your workplace. Timestamps: Cold open | 0:00 Host intro and episode summary | 0:38 EPA’s proposal to add PFOS and PFOA | 1:25 Jackson, Mississippi, Water Crisis | 6:34 Funding for drought resiliency in the West | 7:15 SRF funding update | 8:08 Steve Drangsholt Introduction | 9:10 What is Trinnex? | 9:36 Current smart water trends | 11:10 Mitigating digital risks | 14:40 Impact of Increasingly Intense Weather | 17:09 Machine Learning & Digital Twins | 18:57 How digital twins can improve infrastructure | 26:29 Advice for implementing smart water practices | 28:41 Keeping the human element | 31:06 Interview ends | 32:47 Housekeeping | 33:02 Outro | 33:52

Episode 57: Rising Water Leaders

In this month’s episode of Talking Under Water co-hosts Bob Crossen and Katie Johns discuss a recent funding announcement for water storage and conveyance projects in the West and share a PFAs regulation update from Radhika Fox, assistant administrator for the EPA Office of Water. They also touch on SeaLab, a new tidal pool built on the Middle River that will be used by students at St. Mark’s Episcopal School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to teach them about global water and sustainability issues. And, this month’s interview is with Maura Jarvis, who is the assistant manager of the public outreach team for the Philadelphia Water Department and is the 2022 US Water Prize winner for Rising One Water Leader. Jarvis and Crossen talked about her career, why water is so important and what one water means to her. Timestamps: Cold open | 0:00 Host intro and episode summary | 0:38 Water storage and conveyance project funding | 1:15 Clean Water Act Anniversary | 3:07 Update on PFAS regulations for water and wastewater | 3:54 Maura Jarvis interview introduction | 6:42 Maura Jarvis’ career path and successes | 7:33 What One Water means to Maura | 11:45 Representation matters for One Water | 13:59 Interview ends | 17:15 Housekeeping | 17:53 Outro | 19:27

Episode 56: The Emerging Contaminants Puzzle

In this month’s episode of Talking Under Water co-hosts Bob Crossen and Katie Johns give an overview of the Jackson, Mississippi, Water Crisis and touch base on the latest proposal from the EPA, which relates to adding PFAS chemicals to Superfund. Additionally, this month’s interview is with Jeff Cornell, global PFAS practice lead for Black & Veatch. Crossen and Cornell talked about all things emerging contaminants, particularly as it relates to PFAS, but Cornell also shares an exhaustive list of just how many things are on his and the industry’s radar as it relates to water contamination. Timestamps: Cold Open | 0:00 Host Introductions | 0:25 Episode Summary | 0:36 Water Crisis in Jackson Mississippi | 1:10 EPA Proposes Adding PFOA, PFOS to Superfund | 3:43 Interview with Jeff Cornell begins | 6:43 Overview of emerging contaminants in water and wastewater | 6:54 The CERCLA designation is complex and vast | 19:55 Viewing emerging contaminants with a one water lens | 21:20 Exciting technologies to address emerging contaminants | 25:11 What’s the roadmap for addressing emerging contaminants | 30:13 Interview ends | 34:38 Housekeeping | 35:01 End | 35:36

Episode 55: Challenges & Trends in Small Systems

In this month’s episode of Talking Under Water co-hosts Bob Crossen and Katie Johns discuss the movement of EPA’s proposal for PFOA and PFOS to be listed as a hazardous substance under CERCLA and a $132 million investment in the national estuary program. The hosts also share an interview with Glenn Barnes, who is the director of Water Finance Assistance and works with numerous small utilities throughout the United States. Crossen and Barnes talked about the challenges facing small systems, how they are trying to adapt to the new normal, and how workforce concerns are nearing a tipping point. Cold open | 0:00 Host Intros | 0:32 Episode summary | 0:43 OMB finishes review of PFAS CERCLA proposal | 1:12 $132M investment for National Estuary Program | 4:08 Introducing Glenn Barnes | 6:00 Just how many small systesm are there in the U.S.? | 6:32 What small utilities are thinking about day to day | 9:11 Small town public workers wear too many hats | 11:38 How small utilities are looking at infrastructure funding | 14:30 Inflation and rising costs hit small utilities hardest | 17:42 Issues at the top of small systems’ minds | 20:13 The future of small systems in the U.S. | 22:18 Interview wrap up | 26:02 Housekeeping | 26:52