a nonprofit media outlet for water solutions
waterloop: exploring solutions

Episodes

waterloop #133: A Mindset Of Public Service
Feb. 21, 2022

waterloop #133: A Mindset Of Public Service

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,

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waterloop #132: Projects For The Plastic Ocean
Feb. 14, 2022

waterloop #132: Projects For The Plastic Ocean

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,

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waterloop #131: The Resilience Of Navajo Nation (A Pass The Mic Episode)
Feb. 7, 2022

waterloop #131: The Resilience Of Navajo Nation (A Pass The Mic Episo…

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 a...

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waterloop #130: Cleveland's Water Rocks
Feb. 1, 2022

waterloop #130: Cleveland's Water Rocks

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,

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waterloop #129: Toledo's Turnaround From Toxic Algae
Jan. 24, 2022

waterloop #129: Toledo's Turnaround From Toxic Algae

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 …

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waterloop #128: Inside Illinois' Lead Legislation (A Pass The Mic Episode)
Jan. 18, 2022

waterloop #128: Inside Illinois' Lead Legislation (A Pass The Mic Epi…

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 …

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waterloop #127: A Battleship Lives With Water
Jan. 10, 2022

waterloop #127: A Battleship Lives With Water

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 …

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waterloop #126: Getting Schooled On Freshwater
Jan. 4, 2022

waterloop #126: Getting Schooled On Freshwater

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,

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waterloop #125: State Of The Beach, 2021 Edition
Dec. 15, 2021

waterloop #125: State Of The Beach, 2021 Edition

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 le...

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waterloop #124: An Atlas For Local Solutions
Dec. 6, 2021

waterloop #124: An Atlas For Local Solutions

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,

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waterloop #123: Flipping Front Yards In NOLA
Dec. 1, 2021

waterloop #123: Flipping Front Yards In NOLA

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 …

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waterloop #122: Going Green In New Orleans
Nov. 28, 2021

waterloop #122: Going Green In New Orleans

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 infrastructu...

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waterloop #121: Lifting Up Lives With Infrastructure
Nov. 22, 2021

waterloop #121: Lifting Up Lives With Infrastructure

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.

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waterloop #120: Tracking The Tides With Tech
Nov. 16, 2021

waterloop #120: Tracking The Tides With Tech

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,

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waterloop #119: Resilience Is More Than A Buzzword
Nov. 9, 2021

waterloop #119: Resilience Is More Than A Buzzword

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 resilienc...

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waterloop #118: Estimation Of Evapotranspiration
Oct. 26, 2021

waterloop #118: Estimation Of Evapotranspiration

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,

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waterloop #117: The Playbook For Proactive Comms With Mike McGill
Oct. 12, 2021

waterloop #117: The Playbook For Proactive Comms With Mike McGill

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.

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waterloop #116: A Prize Fight Against Lead
Oct. 5, 2021

waterloop #116: A Prize Fight Against Lead

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,

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waterloop #115: Time for WASH in America with George McGraw
Sept. 28, 2021

waterloop #115: Time for WASH in America with George McGraw

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,

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waterloop #114: The Opportunity On Water with Nicole Lampe
Sept. 21, 2021

waterloop #114: The Opportunity On Water with Nicole Lampe

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,

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waterloop #113: A Voice For Green Latinos With Mariana Del Valle Prieto Cervantes
Sept. 14, 2021

waterloop #113: A Voice For Green Latinos With Mariana Del Valle Prie…

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.

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waterloop #112: Inside the Waters of the U.S. with Ken Kopocis and Dave Ross
Sept. 7, 2021

waterloop #112: Inside the Waters of the U.S. with Ken Kopocis and Da…

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 …

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waterloop #111: The Future of Beer With Climate Change With Katie Wallace
Aug. 23, 2021

waterloop #111: The Future of Beer With Climate Change With Katie Wal…

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,

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waterloop #110: A Force Multiplier for the Great Lakes with David Rankin
Aug. 16, 2021

waterloop #110: A Force Multiplier for the Great Lakes with David Ran…

As the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem, the Great Lakes benefit from massive financial investment in restoration and protection activities each year. Yet one unique entity acts as a force multiplier, not by contributing the most dollars,

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