Utilities hold more power than they think. In this day and age, with a few taps of a keyboard, information is literally at your fingertips. For some, that’s a simple Google search, and others a query with a generative AI tool. But for those more enterprising utility leaders, operators and managers, that interaction in peer groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, Discord or other platforms.

They share best practices with each other, answer questions, provide guidance on management decisions, and it is a forum for open and honest thoughts about products in the market place. Utilities are holding vendors accountable with each other.

Bruce Bharat, regional president of the Americas for Kamstrup, has taken notice of this trend and other purchasing influences in the market. In this sponsored interview, Bob Crossen talks with him about how the Information Age has changed the way modern utilities interact with Kamstrup, why that drives innovation and how being different is a good thing.

This episode is sponsored by Kamstrup

• WaterWorld Digital Edition
• SWS Digital Edition
• WWD YouTube Channel

Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, point of use, point of entry, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and on-site interviews with experts for WWD, WaterWorld and SWS. New episodes of the podcast are released on the third Friday of every month. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.  

Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on Twitter @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media. 

In this episode Talking Under Water co-host Mandy Crispin speaks with Angela Walker who is the Assistant Director of Wastewater Operations at the Brunswick‑Glynn Joint Water & Sewer Commission and one of the inspirations for this year’s Women in Water feature story.

Walker reflects on her career journey, the role her mother played in shaping her sense of responsibility and stubborn determination, and the ways her team supported her during a profound personal loss. She shares candid insights on navigating male‑dominated spaces, building trust within utility teams, and creating a culture where knowledge is shared — not guarded — through cross‑training and collaboration between operations and maintenance.

The conversation dives into systems thinking during plant upsets, staying calm under pressure, and leading with accountability instead of blame. Walker also speaks to the industry’s role in long‑term water sustainability, from water reuse potential to the challenges posed by data centers and emerging contaminants.

This episode highlights why utilities are about more than infrastructure. They’re about people, public health, and the future of water.

Women in Water 2026

Angela G. Walker LinkedIn

About the Podcast

Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld (WW) and Stormwater Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.

EPA adds PFHxS-Na to toxics release inventory, expanding PFAS reporting

Court battle over EPA PFAS rule turns to procedural fight

AWWA-v-EPA-PFAS-Our-Opposition-to-Motion-to-Sever (PDF)

Additional AWWA Resources for these court proceedings

EPA Motion to Sever and Hold Challenges to Index PFAS in Abeyance

Supreme Court strikes down Trump-era tariffs, raising implications for infrastructure costs

Trump calls for federal response to Potomac Interceptor collapse

• 00:00 – Introduction
• 01:06 – Episode overview (topics the episode will cover)
• 01:19 – PFAS TRI addition explanation (PFHXSNA added to toxics release inventory)
• 04:09 – EPA motion on PFAS drinking water rule (EPA asks court to sever hazard index challenge)
• 09:36 – AWWA & AMWA opposition filing (utilities argue judicial review should remain unified)
• 14:22 – Supreme Court strikes down Trump tariff plan (overview of the decision and implications)
• 16:35 – Potomac Interceptor sewer collapse (political conflict and infrastructure impacts)
• 21:34 – Connecticut stormwater infrastructure challenges (Meriden compliance gaps and repairs)
• 22:54 – San Diego stormwater failures (flooding, lawsuits, funding shortfall)
• 24:13 – Housekeeping (polls, nominations, and program updates)

About the Podcast

Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld (WW) and Stormwater Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.

In this episode Talking Under Water co-host Bob Crossen talks with John Ikeda and Justin Roush about the launch of Xavier University’s groundbreaking Water Utilities Management master’s degree — the first program of its kind in the United States. Together, they discuss how the degree was conceived, the industry challenges it aims to address, and why workforce development has become one of the most urgent priorities for water and wastewater utilities.

Ikeda, chief mission officer at the Water Environment Federation (WEF), and Roush, assistant economics professor at Xavier and director of the new program, outline the growing need for specialized utility leadership as retirements accelerate and system complexity increases. They explain how the curriculum blends foundational business skills with utility‑specific coursework in areas like rate setting, regulation, capital improvement planning, and strategic communications. The discussion also highlights unique residency experiences, cohort‑based learning, and the program’s intentional focus on networking and long‑term career growth.

Crossen, Ikeda, and Roush explore how the master’s degree fits into broader sector‑wide workforce strategies and why emerging topics — such as AI in water — are being built directly into the curriculum. The episode offers a forward‑looking look at how the program aims to elevate future water utility leaders across the U.S.

• Xavier University Water Utility Management Program
• Xavier University Water Utility Management Program on LinkedIn
• Poll: What is your biggest workforce challenge in 2026?
• WWD Emerging Leaders submissions
• WW Emerging Leaders submissions
• WW Women in Water Questionnaire
• StormCon 2026 registration

• 00:00 – Introduction
• 01:25 – Guest introductions
• 02:24 – Origin of the master's program
• 04:49 – Why traditional programs fall short
• 06:53 – What makes water utilities unique
• 08:20 – Role of WEF in program development
• 10:44 – Why visibility and career pathways matter
• 11:30 – Cohort model & residency experiences
• 18:44 – Unique program features
• 27:15 – Housekeeping announcements and closing reminders

About the Podcast

Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld (WW) and Stormwater Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.

In this episode of Talking Underwater, co-hosts Mandy Crispin and Bob Crossen explore the forces shaping the water and wastewater sector as the industry looks ahead to 2026.

The conversation opens with insights into new research on the growing water demands of data centers in Texas. Drawing from a recent white paper by the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), Crispin outlines how existing and planned data center development could significantly strain drinking water supplies if water planning and policy fail to keep pace with rapid growth.

Crossen then shares insights from a January poll on wastewater capital spending priorities. Results show utilities are primarily focused on treatment process upgrades and collection system improvements, while resilience and emergency preparedness rank surprisingly low.

The episode wraps with a broader look at 2026 industry forecasts from the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA). Key themes include workforce development, the rise of the circular water economy, policy efforts around PFAS and the “polluter pays” principle, funding through state revolving funds, and affordability programs such as LIHWAP. Together, these perspectives suggest a shift from big‑picture concepts toward practical action as utilities confront emerging challenges and opportunities in the year ahead.

• Thirsty Data and the Lone Star State: The Impact of Data Center Growth on Texas’ Water Supply
• What is perchlorate in drinking water?
• Poll results: 2026 wastewater capital spending priorities
• Looking forward: WEF’s strategics priorities and collective action for the wastewater sector
• NACWA’s clean water initiatives focus on liability, affordability and infrastructure
• AWWA outlines federal priorities for water and wastewater utilities in the 119th Congress
• Poll: What is your biggest workforce challenge in 2026?
• WWD Emerging Leaders submissions
• WW Emerging Leaders submissions
• StormCon 2026 registration

• 00:28 – Introduction
• 01:05 – Overview of HARC white paper on Texas data centers and water use
• 01:42 – Projections for data center water demand by 2030
• 04:13 – Policy recommendations
• 06:23 – January capital spending poll overview
• 07:55 – 2026 WEF priorities
• 09:15 – 2026 NACWA policy and legislative focus
• 09:34 – State Revolving Fund reauthorization
• 10:08 – Low‑Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)
• 11:15 – Housekeeping announcements and closing reminders

About the Podcast

Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld (WW) and Stormwater Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.

In this episode Talking Under Water co-host Bob Crossen speaks with Gabriel Collins, the Baker Botts Fellow in Energy and Environmental Regulatory Affairs at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, about the evolving pressures on industrial water use and the widening implications of the AI boom. Drawing from his cross-sector expertise, Collins unpacks why water is an inherently hyper‑local resource and how industries — ranging from semiconductor fabrication to refineries and petrochemical plants — are adapting to shrinking supplies and rising costs.

The conversation explores how data centers are straining municipal systems and, in some cases, driving new water‑reuse investments. Collins shares real‑world examples illustrating how creative contracting and industrial partnerships can help utilities upgrade critical infrastructure. He also highlights the increasing viability of air‑cooling technology as an alternative in water‑scarce regions.

Shifting to oil and gas, Collins explains how produced water, seismicity concerns, and disposal challenges are prompting operators to rethink water management strategies. Throughout the discussion, he stresses the importance of “fit‑for‑purpose” water use and the opportunities for circular water practices that avoid mixing contaminated and freshwater streams.

The episode closes with a look at the logistical and economic barriers that still limit a truly integrated one‑water approach.

• Gabriel Collins, Baker Institute for Public Policy
• Gabriel Collins on LinkedIn
• The Sinews of Civilization Substack
• WWD Emerging Leaders submissions
• WW Emerging Leaders submissions
• StormCon 2026 registration

• 00:00 – Introduction
• 01:39 – Industrial Water Use in 2026
• 03:04 – Blind Spots vs. Barriers
• 05:07 – Water Reuse, Recycling, and Sector Differences
• 06:34 – Fit‑for‑Purpose Water & Evolving Standards
• 09:02 – Costs, Margins, and Sensitivity to Water Price
• 11:03 – Data Centers & Municipal Pressure
• 14:25 – Policy Levers & Infrastructure Investment
• 17:34 – Oil & Gas: Produced Water, Disposal, and Seismicity
• 20:19 – One Water & Virtual Water Displacement
• 22:08 – Barriers to Circular Water
• 26:35 – Housekeeping

About the Podcast

Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld (WW) and Stormwater Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.

In this episode of Talking Under Water, Mandy Crispin and Bob Crossen discuss the EPA’s proposal to establish a national primary drinking water regulation for perchlorate under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The hosts break down the proposed rule, monitoring requirements, cost implications, and what utilities should prepare for, plus give updates on PFAS treatment research and recent wastewater spills.

• EPA proposes national drinking water rule for perchlorate
• Federal Register: Proposed national primary drinking water regulation for perchlorate
• What do the new PFAS MCLs mean for the water industry?
• Steps water systems can take to address perchlorate in drinking water (2020 EPA guidance document)
• New copper-aluminum layered double hydroxide technology offers sustainable PFAS remediation
• Georgetown isolates 42-inch wastewater line failure after San Gabriel River spill
• Houston reports wastewater spill exceeding 100,000 gallons following collection system failure

• 00:00 – Cold open
• 00:54 – Introduction to episode and overview
• 01:32 – EPA proposal for perchlorate regulation explained
• 03:49 – Comparing perchlorate MCLs to PFAS standards
• 05:00 – Binning approach for monitoring frequency
• 07:21 – Waiver process for reduced monitoring
• 09:41 – Initial monitoring requirements and costs
• 10:02 – Public comment deadline and hearing details
• 11:04 – PFAS treatment research update
• 12:23 – Wastewater spill reports
• 15:29 – Housekeeping

Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld (WW) and Stormwater Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.