The most powerful thing water leaders can bring to work might be the one thing they’ve been taught to leave behind. At Catalyst 2025, Britton Smith — artist, facilitator, and frontman of Britton and the Sting — led a session that challenged professionals to confront the “mask” they wear at…
Solutions to some of the world’s biggest water challenges are taking shape through collaboration at the local level. At a World Water Day gathering at the Reservoir Center in Washington, D.C., leaders from across industry, advocacy, and government highlighted how convening the right people—across sectors and perspectives—is accelerating progress on…
The very report designed to build trust in tap water may be doing the opposite. Kathryn Sorensen of the Water Health Advisory Council points to a growing body of research showing that EPA-mandated Consumer Confidence Reports—sent annually to millions of Americans—can actually lower confidence in drinking water safety. The issue…
Winnipeg sits in one of the most unforgiving flood landscapes in North America—formed in the basin of ancient glacial Lake Agassiz, where the land is so flat that water doesn’t drain, it spreads. That reality turns spring into a test. Rain and snowmelt move slowly across the landscape, pooling and…
We’re spending billions chasing microscopic contaminants… while the biggest threats to public health may be far more basic. Janet Anderson of the Water Health Advisory Council lays out a critical shift in how we think about drinking water risk: not all risks are equal—and treating them that way can lead…
A group of top water experts is challenging one of the core assumptions behind U.S. drinking water policy—that chasing ever-smaller traces of contaminants is the best way to protect public health—and instead calling for a fundamental shift toward fixing pipes, strengthening systems, and prioritizing the risks that actually matter most.…
Innovation in water isn’t just about the next breakthrough technology—it’s about changing the system around it. Newsha Ajami of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory says the Aspen National Water Strategy challenges a common assumption: that innovation means new gadgets or tools. In reality, some of the biggest opportunities lie in policy,…
My spring break trip included an unexpected tour of a disaster zone. I was in the North Carolina mountains and it was stunning to see it like this a year and a half after Hurricane Helene. A hurricane hits Florida… and still ends up dumping up to 20 inches of…
For utilities replacing lead pipes, the work starts with knowing exactly what’s in the ground. In this segment, Yolanda McCollom of Ridgewood Water explains how a smaller system is tackling that challenge by building something essential: a single, reliable source of truth. Ridgewood serves about 20,000–22,000 service lines, with roughly…
A new federal incentive could accelerate one of the most practical solutions to water scarcity: reuse. Bruno Pigott of the WateReuse Association points to a proposed 30% tax credit for industries that install water reuse systems—a policy designed to make conservation financially viable at scale. The logic is straightforward. Industries—from…
Inside this brewery, water isn’t just used—it’s captured, treated, and put back to work. At Stone Brewing in Escondido, California, water efficiency, conservation, and reuse are built into the operation. The facility runs an on-site treatment and reclamation system—recovering close to 70% of its wastewater and putting it back to…
Abandoned cranberry bogs are becoming unlikely engines of ecological recovery in New England. Daniel Hayden of Restore America's Estuaries describes a growing effort to transform retired cranberry farms into functioning wetlands—reconnecting them to nearby estuaries, restoring natural water flow, and replanting native vegetation. These projects are not just land conversions—they’re…
Getting into homes has become one of the biggest hurdles in removing lead pipes. In this segment, Alex Wells of the Passaic Valley Water Commission explains how New Jersey’s lead service line replacement effort is confronting a practical reality: utilities can’t replace what they can’t access. In cities like Paterson,…
11 million gallons. 500 species. And almost zero water wasted. Inside the Georgia Aquarium, one of the largest aquatic facilities in the world, more than 99% of water is recycled and reused—a system designed to conserve millions of gallons every year. Advanced filtration technology from Xylem keeps massive exhibits like…
Use federal water funding to unlock state and local investment—that’s the shift at the center of the Aspen National Water Strategy. Martin Doyle of Duke University says the proposal is straightforward but underutilized: structure federal dollars to leverage and sequence spending across all levels of government. Instead of fragmented funding…
Oyster shells from restaurants are being turned into a tool for coastal restoration. Daniel Hayden of Restore America's Estuaries highlights a growing Gulf Coast initiative that partners with restaurants and hotels to recycle discarded oyster shells and return them to the water as reef material. These programs—active in places like…
Eight of the ten largest U.S. cities sit on estuaries—making the health of these waterways a frontline economic and infrastructure issue. Daniel Hayden of Restore America's Estuaries explains that these coastal zones—where rivers meet the ocean—help protect ports, support commerce, and buffer communities from environmental stress. They’re also critical to…
Truth travels better than spin — especially when the pressure is on. At Catalyst 2025, Mayor Cavalier Johnson of Milwaukee, offered a simple but powerful approach to handling media scrutiny: be prepared, anticipate the tough questions, and above all — tell the truth. In an era of constant headlines and…
The water in America’s cities begins far from the skyline. Martin Doyle of Duke University points to a core insight in the Aspen National Water Strategy: urban water security depends on the health of rural landscapes. The aquifers, rivers, and headwater streams that supply cities are rooted in rural communities—places…
Insurance companies are starting to redraw the map of where it’s safe—and affordable—to live. Newsha Ajami of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory says that reality shaped a key pillar of the Aspen National Water Strategy: communities are already facing limits on loans and insurance because of too much water or too…
Estuaries—places where rivers meet the ocean—are some of the most important ecosystems in the United States, supporting coastal economies, protecting communities, and serving as nurseries for much of the nation’s seafood. In this episode, Daniel Hayden, CEO of Restore America's Estuaries, explains why these places—from Chesapeake Bay to Puget Sound…
𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚’𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐞𝐫𝐚—𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞. A new report from the American Water Works Association, 𝘉𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘌𝘳𝘢, finds that the challenge is no longer just aging pipes. Utilities across the U.S. are facing a wave of compounding costs—from regulation…
Two lines and a mess of squiggles in the middle—that’s what was drawn on a whiteboard as a new vision for water governance in the Aspen National Water Strategy. Martin Doyle of Duke University says that simple sketch captured a big idea: set clear boundaries and goals, but allow flexibility…
Behind every lead pipe replacement is something you can’t see: data. In this segment, Kristin Epstein of CDM Smith reframes how to think about lead service line replacement. Despite the engineering involved, she makes it clear — these projects are fundamentally about logistics, data management, and customer coordination. Each service…