waterloop

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this issue requires collaboration across more than 130 municipalities and overcoming the complexities of replacing outdated infrastructure.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 key initiative is the Lead Care program, which prioritizes removing lead lines at childcare facilities.

Caroline Pakenham of Elevate, alongside Cook County officials Dominic Tocci and Drew Williams-Clark, provides insights into the program’s structure, its funding through the American Rescue Plan Act, and its support for home-based childcare providers and smaller municipalities. Dante Sawyer, Village Manager of Hazel Crest, highlights the importance of community engagement and the economic benefits, including job creation. Barbara Nelson, a childcare provider, shares a personal perspective on the transformative impact of having lead removed from her facility.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet.

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 Kyl Center for Water Policy and Chad Seidel of Corona Environmental Consulting explore the limitations of current infrastructure and the evolving challenges posed by urban-wildland interface fires.

Drawing on examples from Colorado and Arizona, they discuss the cascading impacts of wildfires, including how burned watersheds affect water quality and force expensive upgrades to treatment systems.

They also share innovative strategies, from enhancing system resilience to improving emergency response, that can better prepare communities for the next wildfire. These insights underscore the urgent need for a proactive and collaborative approach to addressing the increasing risks of wildfire in a changing climate.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet.

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 billion Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion reconnecting the Mississippi River to its floodplains, restoring wetlands, and reducing erosion. Equally impactful are people-centered approaches, such as Milwaukee’s lead pipe replacement program, which prioritizes workforce diversity and uplifts local communities.

Loop also highlighted the importance of multi-benefit solutions, like Tucson’s wetlands restoration, which improves water quality, revives the Santa Cruz River, and creates habitats for wildlife while offering recreation opportunities. Another crucial observation was the focus on return on investment, exemplified by East St. Louis’ Horseshoe Lake, where a $2 million flood mitigation project prevented $10–15 million in damage during a major flood.

Finally, climate resilience underpins many efforts, such as Memphis’ Tom Lee Park, a green space that doubles as flood protection for the Mississippi River while serving as a vibrant community hub. Loop’s observations highlighted the power of breaking down silos and embracing collaboration across sectors to secure water sustainability for future generations.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet.

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 George’s County discuss how this groundbreaking community-based public-private partnership has implemented extensive green infrastructure while ensuring 80 percent of the $340 million spent stays in the county. The initiative includes a mentor-protégé program that has trained and empowered 60 firms.

Projects like the Treat and Teach program at schools combine environmental education with practical infrastructure upgrades, reaching over 40,000 students. By prioritizing local businesses, workforce development, and community outreach, the Clean Water Partnership sets a national example of how the public and private sectors can collaborate.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet.

About one million Californians face persistent challenges accessing safe, affordable drinking water, particularly in rural and disadvantaged communities.

California’s SAFER program, led by the State Water Resources Control Board, takes a holistic and proactive approach to address these inequities, providing funding, technical assistance, and regulatory tools to ensure clean water for all.

In this episode, Adriana Renteria, Director of the Office of Public Engagement, Equity, and Tribal Affairs, shares insights into her journey from a childhood shaped by water inequities to her leadership in driving solutions.

She discusses the SAFER program’s unique model, which prioritizes failing water systems through needs assessments, funds community engagement, and enforces solutions like water system consolidation.

Adriana highlights the role of tribal partnerships, including innovative collaborations to fill gaps in federal funding and resources. She also emphasizes the importance of rebuilding trust and transparency with communities historically left out of water decision-making.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet. This episode is part of the Color of Water series, a collaboration between waterloop and the Water Hub.

Excess nutrients from farms in Iowa and across the Midwest are a major challenge, polluting local waterways and ultimately impacting the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico.

To address this, the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund incentivizes farmers to adopt practices that improve water quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In this episode, Adam Kiel, Managing Director of the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, discusses how the Fund works with farmers to implement both in-field practices like cover crops and no-till, and edge-of-field solutions such as saturated buffers and bioreactors.

Fifth-generation farmer Nick Hermanson shares how he uses the Fund to support conservation on his Iowa farm, incorporating innovative practices that protect the Skunk River watershed while maintaining his farm’s profitability.

Through outcome-based payments, the Fund encourages sustainable agriculture, rewarding farmers like Nick for measurable environmental benefits. The initiative has rapidly scaled, expanding from a pilot project in Iowa to now enrolling farms across 25 states and targeting one million acres in 2024.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet. This episode is part of the Mississippi By Nature series supported by the Walton Family Foundation and outfitted by Patagonia.

Flooding is impacting communities nationwide with both devastating and costly effects. The solution requires resilience planning, infrastructure adaptation, and community involvement to effectively address flood risk.

In this episode, Melissa Roberts of the American Flood Coalition discusses the increasing frequency and impact of flooding across the U.S. and the need for innovative, community-focused solutions.

She highlights recent projects, like transforming public spaces to double as floodwater basins in North Carolina and engaging farmers in Iowa to reduce downstream flooding. Melissa also discusses the role of nature-based infrastructure, watershed-based planning, and data-driven policies in building long-term flood resilience.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet. This episode is from a conversation at the Reservoir Center in Washington, D.C. where waterloop is the media partner.

The Mississippi River is essential to global agriculture and trade, but it is increasingly vulnerable to climate impacts, including severe droughts and floods, resulting in significant economic and environmental challenges.

Colin Wellenkamp, Executive Director of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI), discusses how the coalition is advancing nature-based solutions to build resilience along the river.

One notable example is Horseshoe Lake in East St. Louis, a community historically impacted by recurrent flooding and economic disadvantage. Restoration efforts there aim to reduce flood risks by enhancing natural floodplains, providing critical protection for residents and supporting biodiversity.

This initiative is part of MRCTI’s broader push to implement projects across 100,000 acres in eight states by the end of the decade, creating sustainable landscapes that safeguard both people and ecosystems in the face of a changing climate.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet. The Mississippi By Nature series is supported by the Walton Family Foundation and outfitted by Patagonia.

The ever-changing nature of the Mississippi River poses significant challenges for those living behind the levee at Dogtooth Bend in southern Illinois, where increased flooding and infrastructure strain can impact everyday existence.

A promising solution involves nature-based strategies that restore floodplains to better manage water flow and reduce flood risk.

Tharran Hobson of The Nature Conservancy shares insights into collaborative efforts with NRCS and the Army Corps of Engineers to support landowners and implement natural infrastructure, such as reforestation, to slow water and prevent the formation of new river channels.

The work at Dogtooth Bend underscores the need to balance human life with ecological resilience in flood-prone regions.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet. This episode is part of the Mississippi By Nature series that is supported by the Walton Family Foundation and outfitted by Patagonia.

Las Vegas faces unique challenges as a rapidly growing city with a small share of water from the Colorado River and an arid desert climate. To meet the demands of residents and 40 million annual visitors, Las Vegas implemented comprehensive approaches to sustainability that drove water usage down even as the population boomed.

Bronson Mack of the Southern Nevada Water Authority and Michael Gulich of MGM Resorts International share their insights on water recycling, conservation programs, and efficiency measures. Key initiatives include community-wide water reuse, incentivizing native landscaping, and phasing out evaporative cooling systems in new developments.

Also discussed are MGM’s sustainability efforts at resorts, the Bellagio Fountain’s water-efficient design, and partnerships that drive change. Through progressive planning and community engagement, Las Vegas serves as a model for efficient water management in the American West.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet.