Talking Under Water

In this episode Talking Under Water editors from other industry publications discuss how water serves as the invisible backbone of modern infrastructure, industry and technology, and what could happen if that resource suddenly disappeared. Featuring perspectives from across the Endeavor Business Media network, the conversation explores the critical role water plays in cooling data centers, supporting commercial buildings, and enabling manufacturing operations. Data Center Frontier Editor-in-Chief Matt Vincent explains how water helps manage the enormous heat loads generated by AI and cloud computing infrastructure, and why water availability is becoming a major consideration for both operators and communities. Building Design+Construction Managing Editor Quinn Purcell highlights the dependence of hospitals, schools, multifamily housing, and other facilities on water for everything from sanitation to HVAC cooling systems. IndustryWeek Editor-in-Chief Tom Wilk details how manufacturing relies on water as a raw ingredient, a cleaning agent, a cooling medium, and a key component of production quality and safety. Together, these perspectives reinforce the message behind Imagine a Day Without Water: water is far more than a utility. Whether powering digital services, maintaining comfortable buildings, or keeping factories running, its absence would create immediate and far-reaching consequences for businesses, communities, and everyday life. Show notes Submit your Day Without Water story by emailing a voice memo to [email protected]. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 00:52 – AI growth puts water and cooling in the spotlight 02:05 – Data centers, AI infrastructure, and the cost of losing cooling water 05:26 – How commercial buildings depend on water beyond the obvious uses 07:44 – What happens when buildings face a day without water 08:49 – Manufacturing's dependence on water for production, sanitation, and cooling 11:31 – Housekeeping 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 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 [email protected] engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.

In this episode Talking Under Water co-hosts discuss key takeaways from WEFTEC 2026, including the growing influence of artificial intelligence in the water sector, cybersecurity preparedness, utility financing, potable reuse, and the innovative technologies generating buzz on the show floor. Recorded live from WEFTEC, Mandy Crispin and Bob Crossen reflect on the conference theme of innovation and curiosity, highlighting an inspiring keynote presentation focused on reframing challenges and embracing new ways of thinking. Much of the conversation centers on artificial intelligence, which emerged as one of the dominant topics of the event. The hosts discuss practical AI use cases, workforce concerns, governance strategies, and the importance of keeping humans and subject matter experts at the center of decision-making. They also explore how AI is shaping conversations around data centers, water demand, and utility operations. Beyond AI, the episode covers lessons from sessions on utility bond ratings and financing, including strategies for maintaining strong financial health and accessing federal funding opportunities. Mandy shares updates from EPA sessions on cybersecurity, water workforce grants, and a new pilot initiative using AI-driven security testing. The hosts also spotlight emerging technologies, including a novel wastewater pump design and creative public outreach efforts supporting potable reuse projects. The episode concludes with a discussion on AI-generated public records requests and what they could mean for utilities moving forward. Show notes WEFTEC 2026 Show Coverage Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 00:45 – WEFTEC keynote highlights: innovation, curiosity, and rethinking workplace challenges 05:02 – AI takes center stage at WEFTEC: opportunities, risks, and utility adoption 09:46 – Data centers, water demand, and the need for transparency in AI infrastructure 15:01 – Utility financing lessons: bond ratings, rate strategies, and WIFIA funding opportunities 20:06 – EPA update: cybersecurity, workforce grants, and Project Watershed 250 24:49 – New technologies and innovations from the show floor, including pumps and potable reuse outreach 34:25 – Housekeeping 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 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 [email protected] engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.

In this episode Talking Under Water host Mandy Crispin discusses the upcoming water reuse regulatory guide, an effort led by the Water Reuse Association to help states develop or modernize water reuse regulations. Joined by Bruno Pigott, executive director of the association, and Tricia Kilgore of Beaufort Jasper Water and Sewer Authority, the conversation explores why the guide was created and how it can help states navigate the often complex process of adopting reuse regulations. The guests explain that water reuse regulations vary widely across the United States, creating challenges for communities looking to expand reuse programs. Drawing from lessons learned during rulemaking efforts across multiple states, the guide provides flexible pathways that can be adapted to existing legal and regulatory frameworks rather than prescribing a one-size-fits-all approach. Kilgore shares South Carolina's experience pursuing expanded reuse opportunities and discusses how treated effluent should be viewed as a valuable resource rather than a waste product. The discussion also examines the importance of identifying local drivers for reuse, engaging regulators and stakeholders early, addressing fragmented regulatory authority, and building public understanding throughout the process. The episode concludes with lessons from the guide's development involving more than 200 stakeholders, highlighting collaboration, public health protection, and long-term planning as essential ingredients for advancing water reuse projects and regulations nationwide. Show notes WateReuse Symposium 2027 Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 03:33 – Why the State Water Reuse Regulatory Guide was created 05:22 – Four regulatory pathways and how states can use the guide 06:56 – South Carolina's reuse challenges and treating effluent as a resource 11:09 – Starting with the “why” and engaging stakeholders early 12:24 – Major roadblocks to water reuse regulations and how to overcome them 16:31 – Building consensus through collaboration and public engagement 20:36 – Housekeeping 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 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 [email protected] engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.

In this episode, Talking Under Water co-host Bob Crossen discusses advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), data management, utility modernization, stakeholder buy-in, and the future of smart water utilities with Kamstrup Solutions Engineer Jake Waidmann. The conversation explores how utilities exist across a wide spectrum of metering technology adoption, from manual meter reading to next-generation AMI systems, and why technology decisions should be driven by operational challenges rather than by features alone. Jake explains how utilities can identify the right data to collect, use metering information to reduce non-revenue water, improve leak detection, and justify investments through measurable return on investment. The discussion also examines the growing volume of utility data and the importance of retaining, organizing, and applying that information to support rate studies, conservation initiatives, and long-term planning. Jake highlights the need to involve a broad range of stakeholders, including operators, customer service teams, managers, executives, consultants, and governing boards, when implementing new technologies. He emphasizes that successful adoption depends on building trust in both the data and the systems generating it. Looking ahead, Jake shares his vision for the smart water utility of 2030, centered on three key pillars: proactive operations, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement. Together, these principles can help utilities maximize system performance, improve customer service, and make more informed infrastructure investments. Show notes Kamstrup Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 02:00 – Meeting utilities where they are on the AMR-to-AMI journey 05:02 – Why solving problems matters more than collecting more data 08:15 – Managing, storing, and using utility data effectively 13:40 – Building trust and managing organizational change during AMI adoption 19:18 – Gaining buy-in from operators, managers, executives, and boards 23:47 – The future of smart water utilities: proactive, data-driven, continuous improvement 28:48 – Housekeeping 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 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 [email protected] engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.

In this episode of Talking Under Water, Mandy Crispin, head of content for WaterWorld, shares how local news outlets in four Colorado River Basin states, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and Utah, are framing Nevada's lawsuit against the federal government over Colorado River management. Sarah Kominek, head of content for Stormwater Solutions covers flash flooding at the Grand Canyon and in Utah, a corruption investigation into flood control projects in the Philippines, and a stormwater project breaking ground in Pittsburgh. Alex Cossin, associate editor for the Water Group follows with cybersecurity developments in the water sector, including new EPA funding, a federal pilot program in Texas, and a joint agency warning on PLC vulnerabilities. The episode closes with Alex and Sarah recapping StormCon 2026 in Minneapolis. Show notes Nevada Sues Federal Government Over Colorado River Water Cuts Arizona's water future: Colorado River cuts The Colorado River: Lawfare and economic uncertainty Utah and the future of the Colorado River (webinar) Stormwater Solutions: Southwest monsoon fuels flash floods, road and utility damage in Arizona, Utah Stormwater Solutions: Record flooding exposes gaps in Philippines' flood control system amid fraud investigation Stormwater Solutions: Pittsburgh breaks ground on $6.8M stormwater project Wastewater Digest: Federal agencies warn of active cyber threat to Siemens PLCs Timestamps 0:00 – Introduction 0:59 – How news outlets are covering the Colorado river lawsuit 15:36 – Flooding news and stormwater project funding 18:05 – Cybersecurity for water utilities 19:58 – StormCon highlights 24:55 – Housekeeping 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 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 [email protected] engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.