The Salty Water Podcast

The $Water Moonshot: XPRIZE Takes on Global Water Scarcity | Salty Water Podcast

What if the next major breakthrough in desalination comes from a global competition designed to spark a technological moonshot?In this episode of the Salty Water Podcast, host Eric Jankel sits down with Lauren Greenlee, Executive Vice President for Food, Water, and Waste at XPRIZE, to explore one of the most ambitious innovation challenges in the water industry today: the global race to reinvent desalination.

Backed by the Mohammed Bin Zayed Water Initiative, the XPRIZE Water Scarcity competition is challenging innovators around the world to create desalination technologies that are more reliable, affordable, energy-efficient, and sustainable at scale.The discussion explores:Why desalination still remains inaccessible to much of the worldThe hidden barriers preventing wider adoptionWhy incremental innovation may no longer be enoughThe history of major desalination breakthroughsHow XPRIZE structures technology moonshotsThe difference between Track A and Track B teamsWhy cost metrics in innovation competitions are so difficultThe future of membranes, materials, and system-level innovationWhether desalination is approaching another transformational leap forward

Eric also connects the competition to historic innovation prizes that changed industries forever, including the Orteig Prize that helped inspire Charles Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight and the original Ansari XPRIZE that helped launch the private space industry.

With hundreds of teams from dozens of countries competing, this episode offers a rare inside look at how global innovation ecosystems are being mobilized to tackle one of humanity’s biggest challenges: water scarcity.If you work in desalination, water reuse, infrastructure, climate technology, sustainability, industrial innovation, or water policy, this episode provides important insight into where the industry may be heading next.

🌊 About the Salty Water PodcastThe Salty Water Podcast explores the people, technologies, policies, and global trends shaping the future of desalination, water reuse, and water security.Hosted by Eric Jankel, the show features conversations with engineers, innovators, policymakers, researchers, investors, and industry leaders working at the forefront of global water challenges.🌐 Website: Salty Water Podcasthttps://SaltyWaterPodcast.com

📌 Topics covered in this episode:Desalination • XPRIZE • Water Scarcity • Water Innovation • Reverse Osmosis • Membrane Technology • Water Infrastructure • Sustainability • Climate Technology • Water Security • Energy Recovery • Global Water Crisis • Future of Water • Engineering Innovation • Moonshot Technology#SaltyWaterPodcast #Desalination #WaterScarcity #XPRIZE #WaterInnovation #ClimateTech #WaterSecurity #ReverseOsmosis #Sustainability #Engineering #WaterReuse #Infrastructure #FutureOfWater

Water is one of the most critical resources on the planet. But what happens when the water is so contaminated, so saline, so difficult to treat that most technologies simply can’t handle it?

In this episode of the Salty Water Podcast, host Eric Jankel sits down with Anurag Bajpayee, co-founder and CEO of Gradiant, one of the fastest-growing companies in the global water industry.

What started as research at MIT has turned into a company generating hundreds of millions in revenue, solving some of the toughest water challenges in the world, and growing at an extraordinary pace.

This conversation goes far beyond desalination. It explores how breakthrough technologies are developed, how they actually get commercialized in the real world, and what it takes to build a company that can scale without losing its culture.

If you are interested in water, infrastructure, innovation, or building something meaningful from the ground up, this episode of the Salty Water Podcast delivers insights you will not hear anywhere else.

0:00 Introduction to Gradiant and the water industry

The Salty Water Podcast explores the people, technologies, and ideas shaping the future of water. From desalination and reuse to infrastructure, policy, and innovation, each episode dives deep into the forces driving one of the most important industries in the world.

Hosted by Eric Jankel, the show features leaders who are solving real-world water challenges and building the systems that will define the future.

If you care about water, sustainability, infrastructure, or global innovation, the Salty Water Podcast is a must-listen.

Water is not just an environmental issue. It is an economic issue, a geopolitical issue, and a business opportunity.

Companies like Gradiant are proving that innovation in water is not only possible, but scalable, profitable, and essential.

This episode of the Salty Water Podcast gives you a front-row seat to how that transformation is happening.

New episodes of the Salty Water Podcast feature conversations with global leaders in water, desalination, reuse, and infrastructure.

Subscribe to stay ahead of the trends shaping the future of water.

water treatment, desalination, water reuse, produced water, MIT startups, Gradiant water company, Anurag Bajpayee, water technology innovation, industrial water treatment, infrastructure innovation, clean water technology, water business, water startups, environmental technology, scaling startups, deep tech commercialization, Permian Basin water, wastewater treatment

Salty Water Podcast | California Needs Desalination — So What’s Holding It Back?

California has 840 miles of coastline, a growing population of 40 million people, and increasing pressure on traditional water sources like the Colorado River.

So why isn’t seawater desalination scaling faster?

In this episode of the Salty Water Podcast, host Eric Jankel sits down with Mark Donovan, one of the leading experts in desalination and water reuse in North America, to break down what’s really happening behind the scenes in California’s water strategy.

Mark is a Principal at GHD, leads desalination and water reuse efforts across North America, and serves as Chairman of CalDesal. With more than 30 years in the industry, he brings a rare insider perspective on the technical, political, and regulatory realities shaping the future of water.

This conversation goes beyond headlines and digs into the real challenges, including regulatory barriers, public perception, environmental concerns, and the surprising truth about public support for desalination projects.

If you care about water infrastructure, climate resilience, or the future of cities, this is a must-watch episode.

00:00 Introduction and why desalination matters now

The Salty Water Podcast explores the people, projects, and technologies shaping the future of water. From desalination and reuse to infrastructure and policy, we bring you conversations with the leaders solving one of the world’s most critical challenges.

New episodes feature experts from across the global water industry, sharing insights you won’t hear anywhere else.

🌐 Website: https://SaltyWaterPodcast.com

If you found this episode valuable:

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In Part 2 of this conversation on the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel, Christopher Gasson, owner and publisher of Global Water Intelligence, returns to explore how artificial intelligence, infrastructure demand, and geopolitical conflict are reshaping the global water industry.

Building on Part 1, this episode goes deeper into the forces driving change across desalination, water reuse, and large-scale infrastructure projects. With more than two decades of experience tracking capital flows, policy decisions, and technology trends, Christopher provides a clear and grounded perspective on how the industry is evolving.

A major focus of this episode is the growing role of AI. While data centers themselves may not use as much water as expected, their need for speed, power, and rapid deployment is reshaping where infrastructure is built. In many cases, water is not a primary factor in site selection, which can create long-term challenges for utilities and regions already facing constraints.

The conversation also explores semiconductor manufacturing and the increasing demand for ultra-pure water. As chip complexity increases, so does the water intensity required to produce them. With tens of billions of dollars being invested in new facilities, often in water-constrained areas, this raises important questions about long-term sustainability.

Christopher also shares how AI is transforming the water industry itself. Through tools that analyze project pipelines, council meetings, and real-time data, new forms of intelligence are emerging that help investors, utilities, and operators better understand risk and opportunity.

Another key theme is the significant difference in project costs across regions. In some cases, water infrastructure projects in the United States can cost dramatically more than comparable projects elsewhere, even when using similar technology. Understanding these cost differences is critical for planning and investment decisions.

The episode concludes with a discussion on geopolitical risk, particularly in the Middle East. With reports of desalination plants being impacted by regional conflict, Christopher offers insight into what this means for long-term water strategy and global infrastructure planning.

This is Part 2 of a two-part episode. Be sure to listen to Part 1 for a deeper look at the hidden forces shaping the global water industry.

The Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel explores the people, projects, and ideas shaping the future of water, desalination, reuse, and infrastructure worldwide.

The Hidden Forces Behind the Global Water Industry | Salty Water Podcast (Part 1)

What’s really driving the global water industry behind the scenes?

In this episode of the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel, we sit down with Christopher Gasson, owner and publisher of Global Water Intelligence, to unpack the forces shaping water, desalination, and reuse around the world.

This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation.

Christopher brings more than two decades of experience tracking how capital, policy, and technology influence the most important water projects globally. In this first half, we explore how the industry actually works, what most people misunderstand about water infrastructure, and where the biggest shifts are happening today.

If you work in water, infrastructure, utilities, or investment, this episode gives you a clearer lens into how decisions are made and where the industry is heading.

00:00 Introduction to Christopher Gasson

How the global water industry actually functions behind the scenes

The role of capital, policy, and technology in major water projects

Why desalination and reuse are gaining momentum

Where the biggest opportunities and challenges exist today

How better intelligence drives better decisions in water

Christopher Gasson is the owner and publisher of Global Water Intelligence, the leading information platform on global water and desalination markets. Since acquiring GWI in 2002, he has built an ecosystem that includes Water Desalination Report, DesalData, and the Global Water Summit. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential voices in global water, finance, and infrastructure.

The Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel explores the people, projects, and ideas shaping the future of water, desalination, reuse, and infrastructure around the world.

Website: https://SaltyWaterPodcast.com

Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio

If you’re in the water industry or want to better understand where global infrastructure is heading, subscribe and follow the Salty Water Podcast.

New episodes drop every Friday.

#WaterIndustry #Desalination #WaterReuse #Infrastructure #GlobalWater #WaterInvestment #WaterPolicy #Podcast #WaterLeadership

Is America overlooking its most scalable water solution?

In this episode of the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel, we explore why industrial water reuse may be the most under-leveraged strategy for strengthening U.S. water resilience.

Industry in the United States uses nearly four times more water than municipalities. Yet most federal incentives focus on municipal reuse. What would happen if policy shifted to encourage industrial water recycling at scale?

Eric sits down with Jon Freedman, Global Head of Policy and Stakeholder Engagement at Veralto and President of the International Desalination and Reuse Association, to unpack the policy, economics, and innovation shaping the future of water.

This episode of the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel dives deep into federal water policy, industrial reuse incentives, desalination cost trends, climate resilience, and how Washington decisions impact the global water industry.

If you work in water, infrastructure, utilities, desalination, reuse, or environmental policy, this conversation matters.

Visit: https://SaltyWaterPodcast.com

00:00 – Introduction and Jon Freedman’s background

Industrial water reuse

The Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel spotlights leaders shaping the future of desalination, water reuse, policy, and infrastructure. Each episode delivers insight for water professionals, engineers, investors, regulators, and executives navigating the evolving water landscape.

New episodes drop on Fridays.

Subscribe for conversations on water policy, desalination, reuse technology, climate resilience, infrastructure finance, and global water leadership.

Visit https://SaltyWaterPodcast.com to explore episodes and connect on social media.

Is seawater just a source of drinking water… or is it one of the largest untapped mineral resources on Earth?

In this episode of the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel, internationally recognized desalination expert Nikolay Voutchkov explains why brine — long considered waste — may actually hold a trillion-dollar opportunity.

For decades, desalination plants have discharged concentrated brine back into the ocean. But what if that “waste” stream contains commercially valuable minerals like sodium chloride, magnesium, and even rubidium? What if desalination plants could become mining operations? And what if the economics have finally shifted enough to make it viable?

This episode explores the breakthrough technologies that may turn brine into a profitable resource — and why the timing may be perfect.

We discuss:

Membrane-based brine concentration

Energy reductions compared to thermal crystallization

Nature-inspired membrane innovation

The economics of salt markets in the Middle East

Global warming’s impact on solar salt production

Zero liquid discharge pressures

The future of renewables in desalination

And a provocative conversation about emerging energy concepts tied to seawater

If you work in desalination, water reuse, water policy, or infrastructure finance, this conversation will change how you think about brine.

00:00 – Welcome to the Salty Water Podcast

• Brine is not waste. It is a resource stream.

The Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel highlights leaders shaping the future of desalination, water reuse, and water infrastructure. Each episode dives deep into innovation, policy, financing, and emerging technologies that will define how the world secures fresh water.

New episodes drop on Fridays.

🌊 Learn more and find all episodes at:

If you’re in the desalination industry, water reuse, environmental engineering, or infrastructure investment, subscribe and join the conversation.

#Desalination #BrineMining #WaterInnovation #ReverseOsmosis #MembraneTechnology #WaterReuse #ZeroLiquidDischarge #SaltEconomics #WaterInfrastructure #SaltyWaterPodcast

What does it really take to build water independence?

In this episode of the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel, we sit down with Lisa Henthorn, a chemical engineer whose career spans Chevron, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, global desalination leadership at CH2M Hill, and executive roles in produced water and circular water innovation.

From early research and development to large-scale seawater desalination plants around the world, Lisa has helped shape the modern desalination industry. She has led global engineering teams, served in leadership roles within the International Desalination and Reuse Association, chaired the board of H2O Innovation, and pioneered new approaches to produced water reuse in oil and gas.

This conversation goes beyond technology. We explore the real drivers behind water security, the importance of public trust, and how innovation only succeeds when communities support it.

If you care about desalination, water reuse, water security, infrastructure, circular water systems, or the future of engineering leadership, this episode of the Salty Water Podcast is for you.

New episodes of the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel drop every Friday.

Visit https://SaltyWaterPodcast.com to find us on your favorite podcast platform.

00:00 – Rising to the challenge: The theme of Lisa’s career

• Technology alone does not create water independence. Public trust and political support are essential.

Water independence is not just about desalination plants. It is about:

Water security

The Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel highlights the leaders shaping the future of water. This episode is a masterclass in how one career can influence an entire industry.

The Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel spotlights industry leaders in desalination, water reuse, infrastructure, and global water strategy. Through long-form podcasting conversations, we explore careers, innovation, and the technologies shaping the future of water.

If you are an engineer, policymaker, water executive, or infrastructure professional, this podcast was created for you.

New episodes drop every Friday.

Subscribe on YouTube.

Visit: https://SaltyWaterPodcast.com

What does it take to double the value of a water company in less than four years?

In this episode of the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel, Eric sits down with Henry Charrabé, CEO of Seven Seas Water, to unpack one of the most compelling growth and value creation stories in the global water sector.

When Henry stepped into the CEO role, Seven Seas Water was valued at approximately $500 million. In under four years, the company more than doubled in value and was acquired by EQT for over $1 billion. This conversation explores how that happened, why the strategy worked, and what it signals about the future of water and wastewater infrastructure.

Rather than focusing only on technology, this episode dives deep into leadership, delivery models, and capital strategy. Henry explains why Water as a Service has become a powerful alternative to traditional EPC and build-own-operate approaches, particularly for decentralized water and wastewater systems serving fast-growing communities.

The discussion covers how long-term operating agreements align incentives between operators, investors, and customers, and why decentralized infrastructure can reduce energy use, manage risk, and scale more effectively than large centralized plants. Eric and Henry also compare leadership under private equity ownership versus public markets, including how incentives shift, how planning horizons change, and why clarity around exit strategy matters.

The conversation explores key growth markets including Texas, the Caribbean, and Latin America, and why fast-growing regions require new approaches to water supply and wastewater treatment. Henry shares insights on Texas water policy, infrastructure funding gaps, municipal utility districts, and why Water as a Service models are particularly well suited for both municipal and industrial clients.

Listeners will also hear Henry’s perspective on the future of desalination and wastewater treatment, including energy efficiency, regulatory considerations, and the expanding role of industrial Water as a Service. The episode concludes with a look ahead at what’s next for Seven Seas Water under EQT ownership and the leadership lessons that apply across the broader infrastructure sector.

This episode of the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel is essential listening for water professionals, utility leaders, engineers, infrastructure investors, and policymakers interested in how smart business models and leadership decisions can unlock rapid, sustainable growth in critical infrastructure.

Visit ⁠https://SaltyWaterPodcast.com⁠ for socials.

Episode timestamps: 

00:00 Welcome and why this growth story matters

01:45 Seven Seas Water origins and early desalination roots

03:30 Becoming CEO and resetting strategy

06:00 Private equity ownership vs public markets

08:30 Water as a Service explained

11:15 Decentralized water and wastewater systems

14:20 Texas, Caribbean, and global growth markets

17:10 Future outlook under EQT

19:30 Final thoughts and wrap-up

About the Salty Water Podcast

The Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel explores the technologies, policies, business models, and leadership shaping the future of water. Through long-form podcast conversations with industry leaders, the show examines desalination, wastewater treatment, infrastructure investment, and innovation across global water markets.

Podcasting allows these complex topics to be explored in depth, with context and nuance that short-form content cannot provide.

🎧 Subscribe to the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel 🌍 Visit ⁠https://SaltyWaterPodcast.com⁠ Desalination business, wastewater infrastructure, decentralized water systems, private equity water investment, Texas water infrastructure, infrastructure finance, water industry leadership, water podcast, desalination podcast, wastewater podcast

Lessons from 40 Years Inside Desalination and Membrane Technology

Desalination is often misunderstood. It is called too expensive, too energy intensive, or unrealistic at scale. But much of what people believe about desalination technology is outdated, incomplete, or based on early failures rather than decades of real-world progress.

In this episode of the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel, Eric sits down with John Tonner, Executive Director of the American Membrane Technology Association and an XPRIZE Water Scarcity Judge, for a wide-ranging, career-spanning conversation about what people still get wrong about desalination technology and why those misconceptions persist.

With more than 40 years in the industry, John Tonner has worked across thermal desalination, seawater reverse osmosis, energy recovery systems, international water consulting, and large-scale project development. His career spans early, risky desalination plants, the evolution of membrane technology, major breakthroughs in energy recovery, and today’s global push to address water scarcity through innovation and smarter delivery models.

This episode goes beyond theory. It explores what actually worked, what failed, and what lessons engineers, policymakers, utilities, and the public still need to understand about desalination technology today.

If you care about water security, infrastructure, energy use, public health, or the future of clean drinking water, this episode of the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel offers rare, experience-driven insight you will not find in academic papers alone.

(Approximate, topic-based)

00:00 – Welcome to the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel

Why desalination’s reputation does not match its real-world performance

How early technical and operational mistakes shaped public perception

The role of membrane technology in water reuse and potable supply

Why energy costs are often misunderstood in desalination discussions

What needs to change in project delivery, regulation, and communication

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Parents, communities, and policymakers often ask how water quality affects health, long-term sustainability, and family well-being. Conversations about water access intersect with broader public concerns about infrastructure reliability, environmental safety, and future resilience, topics increasingly discussed alongside issues like sleep, health outcomes, and public trust in science.

The Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel is a long-form podcast focused on desalination, water reuse, infrastructure, and the people shaping the future of water. Each episode brings real-world experience and honest conversations to the forefront of global water challenges.

The Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel is available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

🎙️ Subscribe to the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel for in-depth conversations about water, technology, and innovation