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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 role of water services in the well-being of a community. Since relocating to Kentucky and continuing to work in the…

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Nov. 15, 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, which leaves extensive areas in between without precise predictions and real-world tracking of tides. That vital…

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Nov. 8, 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 resilience becomes a critical goal, according to the Pacific Institute’s Jason Morrison, President, and…

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Nov. 1, 2021

Hydraloop Uses Water Twice

waterloop is sponsored by Hydraloop, the innovative water recycling system for homes and businesses. Use water twice with Hydraloop. Learn more at https://www.hydraloop.com/

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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, communities, and other water stakeholders to track evapotranspiration. Enter OpenET,…

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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. Now the winning strategy is to embrace proactive communications, build productive relationships with the media, and…

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Oct. 5, 2021

waterloop #116: A Prize Fight Against Lead

An estimated 9 to 12 million lead service lines remain in the ground in the U.S., with water flowing through them into people’s homes. While funding is critical to winning the fight against lead pipes, the challenge is much more complex. Solutions are needed for locating lead lines, creating informative…

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Sept. 27, 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, and in urban neighborhoods. In this episode George McGraw, Founder and CEO of DigDeep, says…

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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, crumbling water infrastructure, high-profile crises such as Flint, and the impacts…

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Sept. 14, 2021

waterloop #113: A Voice For Green Latinos With Mariana Del Valle Prieto Cervantes

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. Historically large environmental organizations haven’t represented the Latino community and that has led…

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Sept. 7, 2021

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

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 Supreme Court rulings, lobbying and litigation by stakeholders, and rulemakings…

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Aug. 23, 2021

waterloop #111: The Future of Beer With Climate Change

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, as explained in this episode with Katie Wallace, Director of Social and…

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Aug. 16, 2021

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

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, but by targeting funds to emerging and innovative ideas that can yield exponential returns…

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Aug. 1, 2021

waterloop #109: Beverage Competitors As Water Collaborators with Nick Martin and Andre Fourie

Water management has long been an essential part of operations for beverage companies, but in an increasingly water-stressed world the industry is focused on finding ways to reduce risk, help at the community level, and benefit the bottom line. This includes a constant drive to improve water efficiency at facilities…

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July 26, 2021

waterloop #108: Navigating the Flood with Erica DePalma and Caroline Koch

Intense rainfall driven by climate change, impervious surfaces like concrete and asphalt, and aging water infrastructure are part of the formula causing communities across the country to face increased flooding and stormwater runoff. Many municipalities need assistance with planning, management, and funding. Navigate the Flood is a new step-by-step guide…

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July 15, 2021

waterloop #107: Living Up To The Digital Hype With Jamail Carter

There have been lofty expectations for how sensors, remote monitoring, data, and the Internet of Things would impact the operation of water infrastructure. In many ways the digital tools are beginning to live up to the hype and allowing water managers to have unprecedented and important control of systems, as…

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July 13, 2021

waterloop #106: Dry Times For California Farms With Heather Cooley and Ruth Dahlquist-Willard

As farms in California face another extreme drought this summer, the hope is that lessons learned and policies and tools developed from the last drought can help with water management this time. During drought farms significantly increase use of groundwater and now California is focusing on monitoring, management, and recharge…

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July 6, 2021

waterloop #105: Art As The Messenger With Tiffany Ledesma and Maura Jarvis

Philadelphia has embraced the use of arts and culture - from murals and music to superheroes - as a way to communicate with the community about water. The effort has especially focused on educating African-American, Latino, and low-income neighborhoods about the safety of drinking tap water. The use of art…

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June 27, 2021

waterloop #104: Grass In Vegas Won't Stay in Vegas

With climate change drying up the West and water levels in Lake Mead dropping to the lowest levels since Hoover Dam was built in the 1930s, the time is right for the oasis in the desert known as Las Vegas to take a big step toward reducing water consumption. Recently…

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June 23, 2021

waterloop #103: Computing Where the Water Goes with Scott Hagen

Advancements in technology and computers have allowed scientists to develop a detailed look at the coastal land margin, the dynamic area where the land and ocean interface. The high resolution models are used to better understand the coastal environment and predict where the water goes during storm surge and floods.…

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June 13, 2021

waterloop #102: Picking Up The Pace On Beach Testing with Rachel Noble

When water quality is tested at the beach to determine safety for swimming it typically takes 24 hours for results, which isn’t useful for protecting public health in real-time. But a rapid method of testing can provide information about bacteria levels at the beach in just an hour or two,…

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June 8, 2021

waterloop #101: The Brain and Behavior Change with Katie Williamson and Philipe Bujold

Many environmental problems stem from behavior problems. So over the past decade the environmental field has intensified its use of psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral science to understand how people’s brains operate and how to design programs to change behavior. The trend is explored in this episode with Katie Williamson, Senior…

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June 2, 2021

waterloop #100: Blue Mind, Zen Mind with Wallace J Nichols and Jaimal Yogis

During the past year of challenges and upheaval in society, many people turned to nature and water in particular for exercise, adventure, escape, and healing. The unique ability for water to elevate well-being - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually - is discussed in this episode with Wallace J Nichols, author…

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May 24, 2021

waterloop #99: Sensing the Coast with Phil Bresnahan

With the ocean and coastal waters under a variety of stressors including pollution and climate change it is vital to gather more scientific data. Rapid advancements in technology have led to a proliferation of sensors for studying the coast and made these tools operable and affordable for a wider group.…

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