Talking Under Water

One Water, Many Worlds: Insights from a global fellowship

In this episode of Talking Under Water as Kaitlin Spiridellis shares insights from her year-long global fellowship exploring water challenges and solutions across five continents. From Europe’s luxury water market and Vienna’s century-old gravity-fed system to sanitation campaigns in Indonesia, equity efforts for First Nations in Australia, and innovative partnerships in Africa, this episode uncovers surprising patterns in water stress and highlights emerging technologies shaping the future of “One Water” management. Kaitlin also reflects on the emotional impact of her journey and her optimism for global collaboration in building resilient, equitable water systems. 
Show Notes: 
World of water landing page
The Water Chronicles: A Journey to Understand the World’s Water Disparities
Timestamps:
Cold open - 0:00
Host introduction and episode summary - 0:53
Europe segment - 2:04
Australia - 15:04
Africa - 19:00
Global themes &  future outlook- 22:44
Personal reflection - 33:00
Housekeeping - 36:55
About the Podcast      
Talking Under Water, a production of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B, is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest(WWD), WaterWorld and Stormwater Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.      
Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.  
 

FEMA administrator resignation, WOTUS rules, PFAS reporting & DOE investments

In this episode of Talking Under Water the hosts discuss recent industry news, including the resignation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) acting administrator, David Richardson; a newly proposed rule of Waters of the United States from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corp; the EPA proposing to revise PFAS reporting under the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Water Infrastructure Modernization Act; and investments from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) into resource recovery research and some patent-pending research for Purdue University surrounding PFAS chemicals. 
Show Notes:    
Search for the PFAS reporting rule change under docket #EPA-HQ-OPPT-2020-0549 here.
View a prepublication version of the PFAS reporting rule change proposal here.
Water Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2025 aims at expanding intelligent water infrastructure
FEMA acting chief resigns amid disaster response concerns
EPA, Army propose new WOTUS definition aimed at clarity and regulatory certainty
Purdue researchers develop rapid PFAS screening and replacement method
DOE invests $25 million to recover critical minerals from U.S. wastewater
Timestamps:   
Cold open - 0:00
Host introductio nand episode summary - 0:52
FEMA Administrator resigns - 1:38
EPA releases proposed WOTUS rule - 2:15
EPA proposes TSCA PFAS reporting updates - 3:44
Water Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2025 - 6:21
Purdue research on PFAS chemical alternatives - 7:56
DOE invests $25 million into wastewater resource recovery - 9:02
Housekeeping - 10:16
Resources: 
WWD webinars
WaterWorld November/December digital edition
SWS digital update
About the Podcast      
Talking Under Water, a production of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B, is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest(WWD), WaterWorld and Stormwater Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.      
Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.  

The Cost of Quality: Rethinking Water Meter ROI

The water meter is the cash register for a water utility. For those how have worked win the water business for any amount of time, they've likely heard that adage. But how does a water system choose the right meter for the utility? Should utilities pick the cheap option because they cash-strapped? What is the difference if they are willing to pay for higher quality?
In this sponsored interview with Kamstrup, Jake Piccioni, solution manager for Kamstrup, talks about the company’s “culture of quality” to ensure their customers have the very best meters in their systems. Learn how high quality meters can lead to long-term savings with total cost of ownership, and that’s even before considering the benefits that newer modern meters offer utilities in terms of accuracy, pressure and other measured parameters. 
Show Notes
Learn more about Kamstrup: https://www.kamstrup.com/en-us/water-solutions
Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction to episode and guest
01:10 – What challenges do utilities face when lower quality meters are used? How can that increase the total cost of ownership?
03:29 – What about the Kamstrup designs sets these meters apart? 
06:24 – What about the materials? What are your meters made of?
08:00 – Given this scrutiny Kamstrup places on the design and materials, how then does that cultural of quality translate to manufacturing of the meters? What rigors do these meters go through for QA and QC? 
10:54 – What are the dangers of having poor or inaccurate data for a utility? What can utilities realize when they have good data?
14:16 – Outro
About the Podcast  
Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.

Water’s role in climate resilience

In this episode of Talking Under Water, co-host Katie Johns spoke with Dr. Jeremy Hoffman, director of Impact Evaluation and Community Science at Groundwork USA, about water's role in climate resilience. Dr. Hoffman spoke about his research with Groundwork USA, including heat and flood data; touches on the importance of community engagement and shares what challengees the industry is facing when it comes to resiliency. 
Show Notes:    
Cooling urban heat islands with smart stormwater systems
Resilience isn’t one-size-fits-all: Rethinking resilience for locally impactful solutions
New report finds water infrastructure investment could add $3.9 trillion to U.S. GDP
Transforming wastewater into renewable natural gas and advancing the circular water economy
Groundwork USA
Timestamps:   
Intro | 00:08
Hoffman's climate science background | 01:06
Overview of Groundwork USA and its mission | 04:09
NOAA’s Urban Heat Island Mapping Campaigns | 05:06
Water’s central role in climate resilience | 08:47
Challenges of addressing climate change |16:42
How environmental conditions drive disparities in life expectancy across neighborhoods | 19:03
Defining climate resilience | 21:01
Closing thoughts | 23:55
Housekeeping | 25:26
Resources:
WWD Q3 Trump Performance Poll
WaterWorld Subscription
StormCon Call for Abstracts
About the Podcast      
Talking Under Water, a production of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B, is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest(WWD), WaterWorld and Stormwater Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.      
Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.  
 
 
 

Hurricane Melissa, USACE funding pause & American Water and Essential Utilities Merger

In this episode of Talking Under Water, the hosts break down recent news happening in the water industry. First, they covers the impacts of Hurricane Melissa, which made historic landfall in Jamaica on October 28 as a Category 5 hurricane before moving through Cuba and the Bahamas, leaving widespread damage and power outages across the Caribbean. Then, they dive into the Trump administration’s decision to pause more than $11 billion in funding for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects amid the ongoing federal government shutdown. Finally, they details the blockbuster $63 billion all-stock merger between American Water and Essential Utilities—set to create one of the largest regulated water and wastewater providers in the U.S.
Show Notes:    
What to know about Hurricane Melissa
Trump administration pauses $11B in Army Corps water projects amid budget standoff 
Army Corps of Engineers Pausing $11B in Projects, White House Official Says 
How the government shutdown affects water and wastewater utilities 
NJ Governor proposes revisions to data center reporting bill to include water use study 
American Water and Essential Utilities announce merger to form $40B water and wastewater utility
Timestamps:   
Cold open and intro | 0:00
Episode summary | 01:17
Hurricane Melissa impacts across the Caribbean | 01:33
Transition to next story |03:39
Pause in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project funding | 03:50
New Jersey governor revises data center reporting bill | 07:07
American Water and Essential Utilities announce $63B merger | 08:01
Housekeeping and announcements | 11:04
Resources: 
WEFTEC coverage
WaterWorld subscriptions
StormCon call for papers
About the Podcast      
Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.      
Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.  
 
 
Editor's note: The episode summary and timestamps were written with the assistance of AI.
 

The Future of Water: Meet the 2025 Rising One Water Leaders

In this episode of Talking Under Water, co-Host Katie Johns spoke with Ryan Barton, hydrologist for the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources Water Management Branch, and Jocelyn Lu Morinishi, principal engineer at Brown and Caldwell as both of them have been named the Outstanding Rising One Water Leaders for the 2025 US Water Prize awarded by the US Water alliance. The two share their career paths, what the One Water movement means to them, their career goals and much more.
Show Notes:    
US Water Prize
Navajo Nation Water Rights Commission
Timestamps: 
Introduction | 0:00 
Early career journeys | 01:00 
Inspiration and shared roots | 05:45 
Becoming Rising One Water Leaders | 06:45 
Reflections on culture and community | 10:30 
Looking ahead: career goals | 13:10 
Mentorship and stewardship | 18:30 
Water sector challenges and solutions | 19:30 
Closing thoughts and resources | 27:00 
Resources: 
WWD State of the Industry Survey
Wastewater Digest WEFTEC content
WaterWorld State of the Industry Survey
SWS webinar with the Center for Watershed Protection
About the Podcast      
Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.      
Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.  
Editor's note: The timestamps were written with the assistance of AI.

PFAS legal action, Jessica Kramer’s EPA appointment & updates to NOAA’s flood mapping tool

In this episode of Talking Under Water, the co-hosts discuss recent industry news including two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) PFAS legal actions. First, the agency motioned to partially vacate a court case in which American Water Works Association (AWWA) sued the agency for procedural missteps in how it developed the concentration limits that defined the Hazard Index. Second, EPA announced its intentions for the Comprehensive, Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as CERCLA or the Superfund. The hosts also cover Jessica Kramer’s confirmation as assistant administrator of the EPA’s Office of Water; the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s updates to its flood mapping tool; and post-Hurricane Helene recovery efforts a year after the storm.  
Show Notes:    
Legal challenges cloud future of PFAS regulation as EPA moves to vacate PFAS MCL
EPA outlines next steps on PFOA and PFOS cleanup under CERCLA
EPA funds water infrastructure resiliency in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene
NOAA expands flood inundation mapping tool to cover 60% of the U.S. population
Senate confirms Jessica Kramer to lead EPA Office of Water
Timestamps:   
Cold open & intro | 00:00
Episode overview | 00:22
Government shutdown update | 00:45
Jessica Kramer confirmed to EPA Office of Water | 01:42 
PFAS legal actions | 04:33
EPA post-hurricane funding in North Carolina |08:09
NOAA flood inundation mapping tool expansion | 09:06
Housekeeping & announcements | 10:19
Closing | 11:3
Resources: 
Tunnels & Tech eBook 
WWD workplace culture webinar 
Renew your WaterWorld subscription 
SWS webinar with the Center for Watershed Protection 
About the Podcast      
Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.      
Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.  
 
 

Graceful Failure vs. Flawless Operations: Understanding an AMI System's True Fortitude

As climate uncertainty and cybersecurity threats escalate, the utility industry is bracing for a future it can’t fully control. Over the past year alone, we’ve seen catastrophic events that exposed the vulnerabilities of water systems across the country. Talking Under Water Podcast host and VP of EB2B’s Water Group Bob Crossen spoke with Blake Michal, Manager of Solution Management at Kamstrup North America, about the difference between reliability and resilience, and learn why utilities must prioritize one over the over.
Show Notes
Learn more about Kamstrup: https://www.kamstrup.com/en-us/water-solutions
Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction to episode and guest
00:27 – Utilities face growing operational threats
00:40 – Smart tech for reliability and resilience
01:15 – Preparing for inevitable disruptions
02:22 – Building flexible, resilient systems
03:02 – Graceful failure vs flawless performance
04:11 – Reliability vs resilience explained
06:22 – Why reliability must come first
07:18 – Reliable ultrasonic meters and networks
08:23 – Resilience during system failures
10:13 – Real-world hurricane response example
11:09 – Kamstrup’s failure-free performance mindset
12:19 – Less than 0.25% return rate
13:08 – Where utilities should begin
14:24 – Final message: invest in both
15:47 – Smart Water eHandbook promo
16:13 – Water reuse eHandbook promo
16:34 – Stormwater survey call-to-action
17:02 – Contact and social media info
Resources
World of Water: www.waterworld.com/world-of-water
Hot Innovations in Wastewater Treatment eHandbook: https://www.wwdmag.com/ehandbooks/wastewater-treatment/whitepaper/55281395/wastewater-treatment
Register for StormCon: www.stormcon.com
About the Podcast      
Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.

Finding holistic One Water success with the A-I-R process

In this episode of Talking Under Water, co-Host Bob Crossen speaks with Jacquelin Mutter, One Water planning lead, and Trent Stober, utility management services director, both for HDR about using the A-I-R process to optimize One Water processes. Mutter and Sober discuss how A-I-R, which stands for Assess, Identify and Reimagine, can help utilities navigate their One Water approaches successfully. The two also discuss why the One Water approach is important to the industry and how A-I-R can benefit water utilities.
Show Notes:
Discover and Expand Multiple Benefits by Applying a One Water Perspective
One water: Integrated water resource management is the future
What is One Water?
Timestamps:
Intro | 00:00
Meet the guests: Jacqueline Mutter & Trent Stober of HDR |00:01:00
Challenges facing today’s utilities | 00:02:20
Defining One Water and making it actionable | 00:04:00
The AIR process: Assess, Identify, Reimagine | 00:05:00
Embedding equity and resilience into planning | 00:08:10
Benefits of One Water for utilities & communities | 00:09:40
Enhancing core services through a holistic approach | 00:12:15
Real-world challenges: data centers, industry, and partnerships | 00:14:30
Building smarter investments and business cases | 00:16:40
Workforce resilience & cross-training initiatives | 00:18:00
The growing role of communications in the water sector | 00:19:30
Closing reflections | 00:20:00
Outro & housekeeping (magazine, WEFTEC, webinars) | 00:21:35
Resources:
WaterWorld September/October issue
Stormwater Awareness Week Webinar
Subscribe to WaterWorld
Subscribe to Stormwater Solutions
About the Podcast      
Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water, a production of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B,  highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.      
Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.  
Editor's Note: The episode timestamps were written with the assistance of generative AI.

NSW hiring, WY DOT projects, Tijuana sewage updates & workplace safety

In this episode of Talking Under Water, the hosts discuss relevant industry news, including the approval given to the National Weather Service to hire 450 new employees; Wyoming Department of Transportation projects that intersect roads, bridgese and stormwater; updates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the Tijuana sewage crisis and a sediment control project; and finally, the importance of workplace safety in light of recent sombering events.
Show Notes:    
National Weather Service to hire 450 workers following cuts
Wyoming Transportation Commission awards $33.1 million in contracts for DOT projects
South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant completes 10 MGD expansion
EPA, Ohio and Partners Highlight Sediment Cleanup Project Start in Cuyahoga Falls
Authorities identify 3 workers who died due to toxic sewer gas in Trinity County 
Three Houston-area men die from toxic gas exposure in Trinity County manhole incident 
Two Workers Killed by Suspected Gas Exposure in Sewer Line Accident Near Mobile, Alabama 
OSHA’s confined space regulations 
Timestamps:   
Cold Open | 00:00
Introductions & Subscription reminder |  00:00:38
Episode summary | 00:01:20
National Weather Service hiring 450 staff | 00:01:41
Wyoming DOT stormwater and infrastructure projects | 00:02:11
EPA Updates: Tijuana sewage crisis and Cuyahoga River sediment cleanup | 00:03:37
Texas trench tragedy & Workplace safety reflections | 00:06:50
Housekeeping  | 00:10:10
Resources: 
Wastewater Digest YouTube 
WaterWorld September/October issue
SWS Stormwater Awareness Week Webinar 
Stormwater Solutions September/October issue
About the Podcast      
Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water, a production of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B,  highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.      
Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.  
Editor's Note: The episode timestamps were written with the assistance of generative AI.