In this inaugural episode of the Future for Water podcast, Dave Wallace is joined by Claire Zambuni, founder of Future for Water, and Chris Szweda, environmental scientist and citizen scientist, to explore how a grassroots idea has evolved into a growing national movement.

From an impromptu river festival in the Pyrenees to the UK River Summit and now the River Summit & Festival in Henley-on-Thames, this conversation traces the origin story, the momentum, and the deeper purpose behind bringing people together to rethink our relationship with water.

Along the way, they unpack the role of citizen science, the power of collaboration, and why creating open, “safe” spaces for honest conversation may be the most important ingredient in driving real change.

What You’ll Hear

• The origin story of Future for Water and the River Summit
• Why water conversations have historically been fragmented — and how that’s changing
• The rise of citizen science and its role in holding systems to account
• Inside the Testing the Waters Consortium and its growing impact
• How data, technology, and even AI are changing how we understand river health
• Why Henley-on-Thames has become a focal point for this movement
• The launch of the Future for Water Impact Awards
• What happens when you bring activists, scientists, regulators, and communities into the same room 

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