waterloop

💧H2O INTRO 🤝 Meet Patrick Jensen In today’s evolving infrastructure landscape, proactive outreach is essential for water utilities to access new technologies and attract qualified bids. Patrick Jensen, Principal Civil Engineer at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, underscores the importance of engaging directly with contract vendors and emerging technology firms. Jensen suggests a three-part approach: collaborating with other governmental agencies to expand reach, hosting vendor outreach days to gather insights on new solutions, and actively participating in industry events to increase visibility. By rethinking their outreach strategies and connecting more actively with the industry, utilities can avoid the missed opportunities and inefficiencies that arise when vendors are unaware of open projects. This proactive shift could greatly improve project outcomes and encourage innovation in water management. Patrick was a fellow in the Water Innovation Leadership Development program at Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment and Duke Environment Plus.

Las Vegas fosters sustainability through community-wide water reuse, recycling every drop from homes and businesses. Treated to high standards, the water is returned to Lake Mead, allowing the city to withdraw an equal amount to meet demand, says Bronson Mack of the Southern Nevada Water Authority. Episode at https://bit.ly/WaterVegas

What should we rethink about water? Kimberly Nelson of True Elements believes there is a critical need to consolidate the vast amounts of data on water to facilitate analysis and support management. From the Sciens Water Rethinking Water conference.

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, AIA, LEED AP, LFA 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.

One of our favorite roles is media partner for the Reservoir Center for Water Solutions in Washington DC. It's THE place in the nation's capital for the water sector to collaborate on solutions. Learn more, attend an event, follow on social, or subscribe to the newsletter https://lnkd.in/dpdjH7u5

"Earmarking the SRFs is such a mistake." States have long-standing systems for identifying communities that need funding help, but now Congress is directing SRF dollars to infrastructure projects they choose, says Timothy Male of the Environmental Policy Innovation Center. Episode: https://lnkd.in/gHZ7jxrv From a conversation at the Reservoir Center for Water Solutions

Sarah Jon Gaddis is director of drinking water for Kentucky. She values the impact of the Safe Drinking Water Act in her professional and personal life, and credits it with helping the state to regionalize water utilities from over 1,000 to about 430. #SDWA50 is a collaboration with the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA).

The San Antonio Riverwalk is one of the most unique and impactful projects for flood control and urban redevelopment in the U.S. Flowing 15 miles through the heart of the Texas city, each year it attracts 11 million visitors and is supplemented with 2 billion gallons of treated wastewater from the San Antonio Water System.

"It's like an Olympic track with hurdles and now we've got somebody standing next to them giving you a boost over." That's how environmental finance centers are helping to get funds out, says Timothy Male of Environmental Policy Innovation Center. More could be done, however, to lower those hurdles. Episode at https://lnkd.in/gHZ7jxrv From a conversation at the Reservoir Center for Water Solutions.

💧H2O INTRO 🤝 Meet Indira Gonzales Workforce challenges in the U.S. water industry are intensifying, with one-third of skilled professionals set to retire in the next decade. Indira Gonzalez of WSSC (Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission) emphasizes the urgency of capturing their expertise. To meet this need, Indira advocates for structured documentation of processes and training resources to streamline onboarding for new hires. This approach enhances collaboration, reduces inefficiencies, and strengthens operational continuity. Her message: investing in knowledge transfer today will ensure resilience and efficiency for the future. Indira was a fellow in the Water Innovation Leadership Development program at Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment and Duke Environment Plus.