Water Values Podcast

By Dave McGimpseyBusiness

Water Values Podcast episodes

March 04, 2025 Innovation in Water Well Drilling with Jack Clark
Veteran water well driller Jack Clark explains his innovative approach to the water well drilling industry and the practical aspects of water well drilling. Plus, Reese Tisdale discusses a potential blockbuster transaction for the water industry in our Bluefield on Tap segment. In this session, you’ll learn about: Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include: Thank You! Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate, review and subscribe to The Water Values Podcast on Apple Podcasts if you haven’t done so…
41 min
February 04, 2025 Water Conflict with Dr. Frank Galgano and Dr. David Stuckenberg
Two experts on water conflict, Dr. Frank Galgano and Dr. David Stuckenberg, discuss the basics of water-related disputes, provide historical examples of water playing a role in armed conflict, and address current hot spots and the geopolitical implications of water conflict. Plus, Reese Tisdale discusses the details of the long-awaited Eversource spin-off of Aquarion and what it might mean for the water sector. In this session, you’ll learn about: Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include: Thank You! Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the…
47 min
January 07, 2025Why Privately Held English Water Utilities Are Struggling (and Nationalization Isn’t the Answer) with Branko Terzic
Recently, there has been talk in England about nationalizing England’s private water utilities. Former Wisconsin PSC Commissioner and FERC Commissioner, Branko Terzic, makes the case that England’s water utilities are not struggling because they are private, but rather because of a regulatory failure. Plus, Branko delves into how and why the U.S. system of utility regulation developed and much more.
In this session, you’ll learn about:
Branko’s background as a utility engineer, appraiser, consultant, regulator and executive
How and why England privatized its water utilities
Economist Stephen C. Littlechild’s role in English water privatization
Why England’s water rates skyrocketed after privatization but electric, gas and telephone utilities all fell
Why the United States has a predominantly publicly owned system of water utilities (in contrast to predominantly privately owned electric, gas and telephone utilities)
Why English regulation of water utilities has struggled
Why high leveraging and capital structure of English water utilities created problems
How poor regulation created capital structure problems and low water quality problems
Typical capital structure of U.S. utilities
Why most U.S. utilities capital structure typically has 40-50% equity despite debt being the cheaper capital
Why interest rates for debt and equity capital increase as debt’s share of the capital structure increases
What ringfencing is
Branko’s thoughts on fixing the English regulatory scheme
An overview of how water concessions work
A brief history of Enron’s foray into private water
Why market fragmentation is holding U.S. water systems back
Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include:
Branko’s LinkedIn profile
Branko’s website
Thank You!
Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate, review and subscribe to The Water Values Podcast on Apple Podcasts if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!
39 min
December 17, 2024 The Year in Water 2024 with Reese Tisdale
Reese Tisdale of Bluefield Research offers up his grades on Bluefield’s predictions for the water sector in 2024 and identifies some of the unanticipated water issues that made headlines in 2024. Reese also peeks around the corner for what lies ahead for water in 2025. In this session, you’ll learn about: Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include: Thank You! Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate, review and subscribe to The Water Values Podcast on Apple Podcasts if you…
39 min
December 03, 2024Algae-Based Wastewater Treatment with Martin Gross
Martin Gross, the CEO of Gross-Wen Technologies, provides a phenomenal look at algae-based wastewater treatment, its benefits and its eco-friendly byproducts.
In this session, you’ll learn about:
Martin’s dual-Ph.D. background
How Martin determined that algae was ideal for wastewater treatment
The basics of algal wastewater treatment
The difference between algae treatment and bacterial treatment
The climate benefits of algal water treatment
The lower energy consumption of algal wastewater treatment compared to bacterial treatment
The beneficial algae byproducts produced after harvesting
The resilience of algae systems
Why and how algae blooms are harmful
How algae harvesting in algae treatments systems helps avoid algae blooms
Algae treatment system footprints
How algae treatment systems “bolt on” to conventional treatment systems to help achieve nitrogen and phosphorous removal
The types and sizes of systems that are ideal for algal wastewater treatment
How algae treatment works in industrial settings, including food and beverage producers, and municipal wastewater treatment
Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include:
Martin’s LinkedIn profile
Gross-Wen Technologies’ website
Thank You!
Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate, review and subscribe to The Water Values Podcast on Apple Podcasts if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!
33 min
November 19, 2024The Importance of Earnestly Valuing Water with Alex Shannon
Alex Shannon, Senior Vice President and West Region Business Line Leader, provides a phenomenal interview focusing on valuing water, spending water infrastructure funds efficiently, and analyzing the issues from multiple perspectives: economics, OneWater, local politics, and more. Tune in for some of Alex’s great insights.
In this session, you’ll learn about:
Alex’s transformation from economist to the water economist
How Alex’s economics background meshes well with the water sector
The benefits of dynamic economic modeling of capital improvement plans (CIPs) and master plans for water utilities
How to maintain a dynamic CIP and master plan
Alex’s thoughts on how artificial intelligence (AI) will affect dynamic CIPs and master plans
The three major variable inputs for dynamic CIPs and master plans
OneWater and the value proposition for water
Why water quality is top of mind for Alex
How water quality and OneWater approaches differ from large systems to small systems
Alex’s thoughts on overcoming local politics to creatively solve water issues
Where Alex has seen IIJA and IRA funds going to water infrastructure issues
How Alex has seen water utilities overcome affordability challenges
Alex’s thoughts on what’s in the future for water utility infrastructure
Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include:
Alex’s LinkedIn profile
WSP’s water supply & distribution web page
Thank You!
Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate, review and subscribe to The Water Values Podcast on Apple Podcasts if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!
40 min
November 05, 2024The LCRI – What You Need to Know with 120Water’s Isaac Pellerin
Isaac Pellerin, Vice President of Marketing at 120Water, dives into the data on lead service line (LSL) inventories and explains what you need to know about the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI). Plus, Reese Tisdale provides an update on the flow of funds coming out of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in this month’s Bluefield on Tap segment.
In this session, you’ll learn about:
Isaac’s unique road to the water sector
How 120Water’s business model has evolved from its initial inception
The current state of utility LSL inventories based on the approximately 8,000 utilities submitting via the 120Water software platform
The unknown percentage and lead percentage in the LSL inventories
The difference between LSL percentages between urban and rural utilities
The LCRI and its 5 focus areas
Isaac’s thoughts on assisting rural utilities achieve LCRI compliance
What the 10-year LSL replacement deadline really means
The significance of lowering the lead action level and the change in tap sampling requirements
What Isaac thinks utilities should be aware of about the LCRI
What “potholing” is
What should be on utilities’ to-do list for LCRI compliance
Why it’s important to eliminate as many unknowns as possible in the next LSL inventories due in 2027
Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include:
Isaac’s LinkedIn profile
120Water’s website
Registration for 120Water’s webinar on LCRI Compliance
Thank You!
Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate, review and subscribe to The Water Values Podcast on Apple Podcasts if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!
45 min
October 15, 2024Industrial Water Applications and Reuse with Gradiant Co-Founder and COO Prakash Govindan
Prakash Govindan, COO and Co-Founder of Gradiant, provides a phenomenal look at industrial water applications and reuse. Prakash describes a multitude of issues and uses relating to water in industrial settings. He does a great job putting water in context of business needs and political decision-making.
In this session, you’ll learn about:
Prakash’s upbringing in the Chennai, India, and how it shaped his appreciation of water
How Prakash earned his Ph.D. and became unemployable, so had to start a company
How Prakash worked on and invented zero liquid discharge technologies at MIT
How in Prakash’s words, Gradiant is a water company that solves societal problems
How Gradiant facilitates lithium extraction and production, and PFAS destruction
Gradiant’s involvement in industrial water reuse
Prakash’s unique perspective on the intersection between water, geopolitics, and national security in the context of the semiconductor industry
How water-intensive industries can flip a water rich area to water-stressed (see: Taiwan, where Prakash explains uses 60% of its water in the semiconductor industry)
Water reuse in industrial applications and manufacturing processes
Differences in developing water reuse solutions for greenfield and brownfield projects
How Prakash tries to futureproof water solutions
Why water is not a piece of the puzzle, it is the puzzle
Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include:
Prakash’s LinkedIn profile
Gradiant’s website
Thank You!
Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate, review and subscribe to The Water Values Podcast on Apple Podcasts if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!
35 min
October 01, 2024Water Use in Mining with INTERA’s Patrick Williamson
Patrick Williamson, a Principal Hydrogeochemist with INTERA, provides a phenomenal discussion on the interrelationship between water and mining. Patrick deftly addresses a range of water issues present in mining. Plus, Reese Tisdale addresses the Rethinking Water conference and the role of private capital in the water sector in this month’s Bluefield on Tap segment.
In this session, you’ll learn about:
Patrick’s fascinating background as an “oil brat”, exposure to geology as a result, and how that led him to environmental geochemistry and the water sector
Why mining is important for modern life – “If it can’t be grown, it needs to be mined”
Why mining is water intensive
How water is used in mining
What mine tailings are and why tailings ponds are used
Dewatering in mines
The difference between contact water and non-contact water and their treatment needs
How water intensity of mining depends on the relationship among climate, commodity, and location
The tension between water for mining, water for agriculture, and water for human populations
The broad spectrum of water risks facing the mining sector
ESG implications for the mining sector
Why water cannot be viewed as a consumable input anymore
The biggest water transformations in mining over the last 20 years
Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include:
Patrick’s LinkedIn profile
INTERA’s website
Thank You!
Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate, review and subscribe to The Water Values Podcast on Apple Podcasts if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!
45 min
September 17, 2024A Big Investment to Make Water Simple with Josh Cantone and Patrick Keaney
Josh Cantone, Managing Director of Suez Digital Solutions North America/CEO of Optimatics and Patrick Keaney, CEO of Subeca, provide a fascinating look at the Series A investment into Subeca, a tech company aiming to bring simple and cost-effective solutions to water utilities of all sizes. Josh and Patrick not only describe the motivation behind the investment but delve into the technology and the factors that make it an easy, secure and cost-effective solution for even the smallest utilities.
In this session, you’ll learn about:
Josh’s background in Australia and Australian stormwater infrastructure projects
Patrick’s background in environmental engineering and how he moved from Big Tech to start-up CEO
Why Subeca is a tech company, not a metering company
How Subeca specializes in IoT solutions that focus on the water industry
Why Suez/Optimatics wanted to strategically target the smart metering market
Why Suez decided to make a Series A investment in Subeca
Patrick’s thoughts on the smart meter market
How Subeca’s smart meter register technology allows for simplistic and easy implementation on Amazon’s cybersecurity Sidewalk platform
The unique aspects of Subeca’s Series A investment and the participating investors
How Subeca provides simple and affordable smart meter solutions to smaller and mid-size utilities
Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include:
Josh’s LinkedIn profile
Patrick’s LinkedIn profile
Subeca’s website
Article on the Series A investment in Subeca
Thank You!
Thanks to each of you for listening and spreading the word about The Water Values Podcast! Keep the emails coming and please rate, review and subscribe to The Water Values Podcast on Apple Podcasts if you haven’t done so already. And don’t forget to tell your friends about the podcast and whatever you do, don’t forget to join The Water Values mailing list!
43 min

About Water Values Podcast

From the publisher's feed

The Water Values Podcast series is presented in collaboration with Bluefield Research. This podcast series explores water issues from a variety of perspectives with the goal of uncovering the true…