Community engagement and transparency are key to tackling lead service line replacement, emphasizes Dante Sawyer, Village Manager of Hazel Crest. Success starts with gaining the backing of local elected leaders and collaborating with engineering firms, county, and state agencies. Just as important is earning the trust of residents, whose homes…
Cook County’s innovative approach to lead service line replacement has achieved remarkable results, leveraging $27 in funding for every $1 invested. By offering wraparound support to municipalities navigating State Revolving Fund (SRF) applications under the bipartisan infrastructure law, the county ensures even resource-strapped communities can access transformative funding. Drew Williams-Clark…
With funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, Cook County made a bold decision to invest in community-focused programs, including tackling the lead service line crisis. Recognizing the scope of the challenge, the county not only began replacing lines but also launched efforts to provide technical assistance to municipalities, guiding…
💧 H2O INTRO 💧 Meet Jennifer Lee of San Francisco Public Utilities Commission What if Bay Area residents had to reduce water use by 25%? Jennifer Lee, Utility Specialist at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, is tackling this critical challenge head-on. With new regulations diverting water for vulnerable fish…
Cook County is tackling a major public health concern with Lead Care Cook County, a program providing free lead service line replacement for childcare providers in suburban areas. Beyond replacing lines, the program restores properties to their original condition and conducts follow-up water testing to ensure lead levels are reduced…
The presence of 200,000 lead service lines in Cook County, Illinois poses a serious public health threat, especially to young children who are highly vulnerable to the effects of lead exposure. Addressing this issue requires collaboration across more than 130 municipalities and overcoming the complexities of replacing outdated infrastructure. One…
The Clean Water Partnership in Prince George's County transformed the stormwater field by creating a mentor-protégé program and fostering economic development. This innovative approach expanded contractor capacity and prioritized community engagement, ensuring that local voices were heard and businesses were empowered. Jim Lyons of Prince George's County highlights how outreach,…
Prince George’s County is transforming environmental education with the Treat and Teach program, part of the Clean Water Partnership. Roland Jones of CIS shares how 58 schools now feature outdoor classrooms that engage over 40,000 students in lessons on resilience, stormwater management, and sustainability. This innovative approach empowers students to…
Empowering minority entrepreneurs is at the heart of the mentor protege program of the Clean Water Partnership in Prince George’s County. Now in its seventh cohort, the program has helped participants earn nearly $50 million while expanding into both horizontal and vertical construction. Roland Jones of CIS highlights how the…
💧 H2O Minute News ⏱️ Royal Gardner of Stetson University College of Law: His new book is Waters Of The Unites States: POTUS, SCOTUS, WOTUS, and the Politics of a National Resource and is published by Island Press. The book traces the history of the debate over Waters of the…
💧 H2O INTRO - Meet Esther Baptiste, MPA The water sector is navigating a "silver tsunami," with approximately 30% of its workforce set to retire in the next decade. To address this impending challenge, the Great Lakes Water Authority launched an innovative regional effort: Water Career Exploration Day. Esther Baptiste,…
How can public and private sectors team up to tackle complex water challenges? The Clean Water Partnership in Prince George’s County offers an inspiring answer. Roland Jones of CIS explains how this public-private partnership mitigates financial risks for the government while leveraging private sector expertise for efficient execution. By combining…
With aging infrastructure and intensifying climate challenges, scaling sustainable solutions is more critical than ever. CIS, under CEO Sanjiv Sinha, is leading the charge with a transformative approach to stormwater management and green infrastructure. In Prince George’s County, CIS has completed over 425 projects worth $310 million in the past…
CIS is transforming communities by keeping investments local. In Prince George’s County, 79% of the $310 million in water projects over the past decade have been carried out by small, minority-, and women-owned businesses. This approach has generated more than $600 million in economic impact, fostering a thriving ecosystem of…
Misconceptions about municipal water systems and their role in the Los Angeles wildfires are widespread. These systems, including fire hydrants, are designed to handle localized urban fires, not the massive, wind-driven wildfires that swept through the region. High winds, not water availability from a reservoir, were a critical factor preventing…
Tribal communities often face unique challenges in securing safe drinking water. Through the SAFER program, California's State Water Resources Control Board partnered with the Gwaitu Paiute Tribe to provide interim filtration systems and fund an operator's salary, ensuring access to clean water while a long-term well repair project was underway.…
The next phase of the SAFER program is taking on some of California’s most challenging water access issues, focusing on areas with dispersed rural communities and limited water resources. By prioritizing regional coordination, transparency, and robust community engagement, the program is addressing long-standing gaps in water equity. Adriana Renteria explains…
Amid the devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires, confusion and misinformation have surrounded the role of water resources. This episode clarifies key inaccuracies, highlighting how municipal water systems are designed to support localized firefighting efforts rather than large-scale wildfires fueled by extreme weather conditions. Kathryn Sorenson of Arizona State University’s…
How do you fix water systems in communities that can’t even apply for funding? California's SAFER program takes a groundbreaking approach by identifying at-risk water systems through annual needs assessments, then directly helping them create plans to meet safe drinking water standards. It’s not just funding—it’s a holistic, hands-on partnership…
What does it take to ensure every drop of water in California is safe and sustainable? The State Water Resources Control Board tackles this challenge by setting rigorous drinking water standards, protecting surface water rights, and enforcing quality measures statewide. Regional boards develop basin plans to manage local rivers, lakes,…
At the 2024 WaterSmart Innovations Conference in Las Vegas, waterloop founder Travis Loop shared key insights from his travels across the United States, documenting innovative water projects. He identified a number of commonalities that define sustainable solutions. A return to nature is a recurring theme, with projects like Louisiana’s $3…
Since launching in 2014, the Clean Water Partnership in Prince George’s County, Maryland has provided a blueprint on how the government and a company can work together to simultaneously tackle environmental challenges and achieve community and business development. In this episode, Roland Jones of CIS and Jim Lyons of Prince…
Adriana Renteria of the State Water Resources Control Board grew up questioning why water access and quality varied so widely within her family’s Central Valley communities. From relying on jugs at her Tia’s house to brushing her teeth with filtered water at her cousin’s, these disparities shaped her understanding of…
The water industry faces a critical challenge: over 30% of certified water and wastewater operators are set to retire in the coming years, leaving utilities nationwide grappling with a workforce gap. Andrew Moore, Director of Plant Operations at Lehigh County Authority, shares how their innovative Waterworks Internship Program is tackling…