Cleaning water depends on nonstop power behind the scenes — and every pump, motor, and ditch in a wastewater plant has to run 24/7 to keep communities safe. The real challenge? Managing massive, constant energy demand while still delivering reliable treatment. Dave Zimmerman of Dodge Industrial explains how smarter mechanical…
Along California’s coast, protecting groundwater from seawater means knowing exactly what’s happening beneath the surface. Denver Grant of the Soquel Creek Water District explains how the team uses 84 coastal monitoring wells to track groundwater quality and watch for signs of seawater intrusion. By sampling for chlorides, total dissolved solids,…
Along California’s coast, saltwater intrusion can permanently contaminate groundwater—creeping inland as basins are pumped faster than they recharge. Melanie Mow Schumacher of Soquel Creek Water District explains how the community built a solution: sending treated wastewater four miles to an advanced purification facility, then another four miles to seawater-intrusion prevention…
Wastewater treatment plants rely on nonstop mechanical power to keep water moving, oxygen flowing, and critical equipment turning—and the systems behind that power are the focus of this episode. Dave Zimmerman of Dodge Industrial breaks down how gearboxes, bearings, motors, and couplings form the “powertrain” that drives nearly every major…
In the Salinas Valley, polluted agricultural drainage doesn’t have to flow straight into the river. Alison Imamura of Monterey One Water explains how the utility captures tile-drain runoff from thousands of acres—right before it reaches the Salinas River—and brings it into their recycling system. To make that possible, the team…
Water laws in the U.S. simply don’t reflect the true value of water — not to our health, our economy, our culture, or our communities. That’s the challenge Alexandra Campbell Ferrari is determined to fix. Through the Center for Water Security & Cooperation, Alexandra works with state legislators and utilities…
Pebble Beach was an early adopter of irrigating entire golf courses with recycled water—not just fairways, but tees and greens as well. Nick Becker of the Pebble Beach Community Services District explains how the district confronted salt buildup in the soils and invested in advanced treatment so the system could…
Around the world, artists and communities are proving that storytelling can spark climate action. As a Watson Fellow, Amy Spencer Harff of Imagine Earth Collective spent a year learning how creativity can shift mindsets, empower local leaders, and lead to real solutions. Her biggest takeaway: even in a hard moment,…
California’s Central Coast is turning recycled water into a lifeline for rivers, golf courses, farms, and coastal communities—showing how reuse can work far beyond the big cities. In this episode, Nick Becker of Pebble Beach Community Services District, Allison Imamura of Monterey One Water, and Melanie Mow Schumacher of Soquel…
Every state in America is grappling with the same urgent mission: ensuring clean, safe, and affordable water for their communities. That’s where Ben Grumbles and the Environmental Council of the States are focused. As the national nonprofit that brings together all 50 state environmental secretaries, ECOS helps leaders educate, collaborate,…
Most Americans turn on a tap without a second thought — but in Navajo Nation, one in three families still live without running water. For generations, households have hauled every gallon they drink, cook with, and bathe in. But a quiet transformation is underway. Nonprofit DigDeep is bringing clean, reliable,…
In a time when diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are being rolled back across government and other sectors, Crystal Davis of the National Parks Conservation Association says the responsibility to protect equitable access to nature now falls even more on advocates and nonprofit leaders. She stresses that too many communities…
Communities are quietly upgrading one of the most overlooked parts of infrastructure: manholes. New composite materials and corrosion-resistant stainless steel are helping municipalities dramatically extend the life of their sewer structures—avoiding costly replacements and improving system reliability. As Kerry Koressel of IPEX explains, these upgrades are part of a broader…
Splashes in a sewer trigger chain reactions that utilities battle every day. Hydrogen sulfide begins in the slime layer of sewer pipes — but when fast-moving flow splashes or drops, that disturbance releases the gas into the air, where it becomes odorous, corrosive, and dangerous. Understanding this splash-activated chemistry is…
Hydrogen sulfide is the invisible gas quietly eating away at sewer systems—driving odor complaints aboveground and concrete failure below. In this episode of Inside Infrastructure, Kerry Koressel of IPEX explains how H₂S forms inside collection systems, why splashing and drops inside manholes turn it into a corrosive, dangerous gas, and…
Meaningful community engagement starts with one simple step: listening. Crystal Davis of the National Parks Conservation Association says that real collaboration requires more than meetings and checkboxes — it demands accountability, non-extractive partnerships, and centering lived experience from the very beginning. Her message is clear: communities know what they need,…
Water isn’t just a natural resource in the Midwest—it’s the connector between education, health, opportunity, and community identity. Crystal Davis of the National Parks Conservation Association explains why water is a powerful unifier across the Great Lakes and why understanding each community’s unique relationship to it is essential for building…
Breakthroughs in water reuse won’t just come from bigger plants — they’ll come from smarter ones. Roshanak Aflaki of CDM Smith explains how digital tools, AI-driven operations, and predictive maintenance will help operators run systems more efficiently while improving safety and reliability. She also highlights major advances on the horizon…
Communities across the Midwest are navigating a complex mix of water challenges—from affordability to agricultural pollution to protecting iconic national parks—and the policies shaping those outcomes. In this episode, Crystal Davis, Senior Midwest Regional Director for the National Parks Conservation Association, discusses how regional advocacy, coalition building, and community-driven organizing…
Across the U.S., stormwater regulations form a confusing patchwork that slows innovation and complicates compliance for communities and companies alike. In this episode from WEFTEC, Jay Holtz of Oldcastle Infrastructure explains how this fragmented system has evolved — and why it’s time for change. He outlines the challenges posed by…
Imagine using algae to clean wastewater and also grow fertilizer, boost crop yields, and even power airplanes. That’s the breakthrough behind Gross-Wen Technologies, where algae replaces chemicals—removing nitrogen and phosphorus while creating a valuable biomass for turf, agriculture, and even sustainable aviation fuel. Martin Gross explains how this circular approach…
California’s next leap in water recycling is all about precision, efficiency, and smarter treatment. Greg Wetterau of CDM Smith explains how engineers are pushing beyond traditional indirect potable reuse—testing new approaches that make direct potable reuse safer, more reliable, and far more affordable. From the Metropolitan Water District of Southern…
Odor control and overflow prevention are critical yet often overlooked challenges for wastewater utilities — especially as urban areas expand and climate impacts intensify. In this episode of Inside Infrastructure, Ryan Powers of the Wager Company explains how a family company that started in marine ventilation is now helping communities…
Public trust nearly derailed one of California’s most important water recycling projects — but it also transformed how the state approaches reuse. Traci Minamide of CDM Smith explains how the East Valley project became a flashpoint in the early 2000s, when “toilet-to-tap” politics stalled progress for two decades. Today, that…