The Water Zone

Guest Greg Chick, an irrigation engineer, and Festus Langat, a teacher and project leader in Kenya, share how they partnered with Global Water Works to bring rain harvesting systems to rural Kenyan villages. These gravity-fed systems, now installed in five locations, provide clean water and save residents hours of travel each day. Festus leads local volunteers in maintaining the systems, while Greg discusses their next project—composting toilets—and offers listeners a free digital copy of his book via his website.

Podcast Recorded on July 24, 2025

This episode of The Water Zone features activist and endurance athlete Leo Gripari (filmmaker, co-founder of That Gorilla Brand),  David Finn (CEO of Globe House Streaming) and Nubia DuVall Wilson (President of Starfury Productions) who joined forces to distribute the award-winning documentary MAJI. The film follows Leo as he takes on five extreme physical challenges across four continents to raise 150,000 Euros for clean water projects in Uganda, while spotlighting the global water crisis, political tensions in regions like Nepal and Jordan, and efforts to preserve sacred springs in Arizona’s Grand Canyon. That Gorilla Brand has raised over half a million Euros for all their conservation projects. The guests share powerful insights on the making of the film, its global impact and the urgency of protecting our most precious resource.

Podcast Recorded on May 22, 2025

This special episode marks The Water Zone’s 10-year anniversary and 500th broadcast, featuring current and former co-hosts Rob Starr, Mike Baron, Chris Davey, Inge Bisconer, Paul McFadden, and Chris Austin. Surprise guest Rick Olson, Chairman and CEO of The Toro Company, joins to share his thoughts on the show’s impact.

The team reflects on favorite guests, key topics like water efficiency, drought, and irrigation tech, and expresses gratitude for the award winning show's outstanding public outreach.

Podcast Recorded on July 17, 2025

Sandra Giarde, executive director of the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA), shares the organization’s origins dating back to 1952 and its mission to support members in creating lasting, high-quality landscapes. She highlights CLCA’s code of ethics focused on professionalism and customer satisfaction, and details their advocacy work on water regulations, legislative issues, and equipment use such as lawn mowers and leaf blowers. Sandra also discusses CLCA’s specialized workshops, dual water certification program, and events that inform members and educators about proposed legislation and its potential impact on the industry.

Podcast Recorded on July 10, 2025

In the latest episode of The Water Zone, Mary Conley-Eggert and Frank Slovenec, co-directors of Global Water Works (GWW), discuss how their nonprofit platform connects technology, case studies, and community expertise to accelerate smart water solutions worldwide. They highlight rainwater harvesting as an overlooked but powerful approach and share how GWW has helped implement major collection and purification systems across Africa. The conversation also explores “orphan lakes,” with GWW estimating that 40% of U.S. lakes are impaired or neglected. To address this, they’re leading a pilot program in Illinois that uses real-time data to track the status of 12 lakes.

Podcast recorded on June 26, 2025

In this episode, we welcome Tim Quinn, water policy strategist for Ocean Well, to discuss a revolutionary new approach to ocean desalination.  Tim explains how Ocean Well’s innovative underwater “pod” system harnesses natural hydrostatic pressure at depths of 400 meters to power reverse osmosis—cutting energy use by up to 40% compared to traditional land-based systems. The process is entirely chemical-free and avoids harmful brine outfalls, using a specially designed circulation system to protect marine ecosystems. With the ability to scale to millions of gallons per day, Ocean Well’s technology offers an environmentally responsible solution for delivering high-quality freshwater directly from the deep ocean. Don’t miss this fascinating look at the future of sustainable water sourcing.

Podcast Recorded on June 12, 2025

Guests Mike Hightower, director of the New Mexico Produced Water Consortium, and Jonas Armstrong, director of New Mexico’s Environmental Water Protection Division, discuss the state’s innovative produced water project, which treats contaminated groundwater from oil fracking and converts it into clean, usable water. Jonas explains his team’s role in sampling, analysis, and updating Source Water Assessments to identify and mitigate contamination risks, while Mike outlines the fracking process and highlights partnerships working to turn produced water into a community resource. They also explore current treatment technologies—such as carbon filtration—and the challenges of filter disposal, emphasizing the need for continued innovation in sustainable water management.

Podcast Recorded on June 5, 2025

Gisele Schoniger, organic gardening educator for Kellogg Garden Products shares fascinating insights into how organic soils and plant foods are manufactured, highlighting Kellogg’s commitment to sustainable and environmentally responsible practices. She discusses the company’s OMRI Listed products and explains how to select the right soil and amendments for various garden types—including small spaces, edibles, raised beds, and landscape gardens. Gisele emphasizes the importance of keeping soil alive with nutrients and beneficial organisms, as well as applying and distributing water correctly to maximize garden health.

Podcast Recorded on May 29, 2025

Dr. Melissa Matlock, Director of Programs at the California Water Efficiency Partnership (CalWEP), shares insights into her leadership initiatives including the creation of CalWEP’s flagship Peer to Peer Program, which brings water professionals together to exchange real-world strategies and innovations. She introduces the Implementation Hub & Resources, a centralized platform offering tools and templates to help agencies implement the California Conservation Framework. Melissa also highlights her new Charting the Course for Compliance Series, designed to simplify complex regulatory requirements, and discusses CalWEP’s Data Streaming Efforts, which aim to reduce reporting burdens and improve data system coordination for water purveyors across the state.

Podcast Recorded on May 8, 2025

Guest Steve Creech, President of the Wyland Foundation, shares how the organization—founded by famed marine artist Wyland—has grown its impact through education, community outreach, and partnerships promoting environmental sustainability. Steve highlights key programs like the Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, which engages thousands of water agencies and their customers in pledging to save water, with prizes ranging from smart irrigation controllers to a $50,000 electric vehicle. He also discusses the Wyland Art Challenge for K-12 students, a new watershed study curriculum supporting STEM learning, and the foundation’s 80-foot mobile water museum featuring a theater, mini watershed, rainforest, and interactive exhibits that travel across the U.S. to inspire the public to protect our planet’s most vital resource.

Podcast Recorded on May 1, 2025