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One data center operator hired over 100 people just to solve their water problem. Another operator of equal size hired two.
That gap tells you everything about where this industry is right now.
Data centers are the hottest topic in water. And over the past several months, we've collected five perspectives from guests who are thinking about this differently — from community planners to state regulators to investors to infrastructure economists. In this special compilation episode, host Isaac Pellerin brings those voices together for the first time.
Here's what's covered:
• Why water reuse is one of the most practical responses to data center growth — and why climate makes it more urgent
• How to design the stakeholder table before a data center breaks ground — and why economic development and water need to talk much earlier
• Why not all data centers are created equal — and what that means for utilities negotiating leverage
• The difference between direct and indirect water use — and why both matter for communities and utilities evaluating a new facility
• Where standardization stands right now — and why 92% of last year's incremental GDP growth makes the answer critical
Five voices. Five angles. One of the most important conversations the water sector is having right now.
Learn more about 120Water: https://120water.com
Featured voices:
Bruno Pigott| Water Reuse Association
Michelle Stockness | Freshwater
Anthony DeRosa | Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA)
Damian Georgino | Dentons
Peter Yolles | Echo River Capital
#MakeWaterWork #DataCenters #WaterIndustry #DrinkingWater #WaterInfrastructure #WaterTech #AIandWater #WaterPolicy #Sustainability #WaterInnovation
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This week's episode is a special on-location field report from the SWAN Conference — the Smart Water Networks Forum — held in Tampa, Florida. SWAN is a global annual event bringing together utility leaders, engineers, practitioners, and innovators to push the conversation on how the water sector adopts new technology.
I had the chance to facilitate a two-hour roundtable with Anthony DeRosa of ASDWA, exploring one of the most important and underexplored tensions in the sector right now: how does regulation fit into digital transformation?
Here's what we covered:
Why the water sector's regulatory framework was built for a different era
How governance lags are leaving utilities to modernize at their own risk
The funding misalignment that's blocking solution adoption
Why solving the most common problem — not the hardest one — is the key to scaling innovation
What it means to design tools for field workers, not just desk workers
Why deployment funding without sustainability is a dead end
If you work at a utility, an engineering firm, or anywhere in the water sector, these conversations matter. The decisions being made now about how we govern, fund, and adopt technology will shape the next decade of water infrastructure.
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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The water industry doesn't want to be disrupted. And that's not a problem — it's the whole point.
In this episode, Isaac sits down with Adam Tank, co-founder and Chief Communications Officer at Transcend, to talk about what it actually takes to build and sell technology in one of the most risk-averse industries in the world. Adam has spent his career at the intersection of water, startups, and design thinking — from GE's venture group to a water robotics company spun out of General Electric, to leading Suez's smart cities group, to co-founding Transcend in 2019.
The conversation covers what the water industry still gets wrong about innovation, why the real opportunity might be in energy rather than water, and why the single most important word when selling to a utility isn't "efficiency" or "savings" — it's risk.
Adam covers:
→ How Ralph Exton and a GE internship started it all
→ Why solving non-revenue water isn't about finding the leaks
→ The single most important thing early-stage water entrepreneurs get wrong
→ Why "disruption" is the worst word you can use with a water utility
→ Risk mitigation as the real language of utility decision-making
→ The toilet-to-tap PR failure and what it says about water communication
→ Why over 50% of California's energy is water-related — and what data centers are forcing us to reckon with
→ How AI is about to change who can innovate in the water sector
→ Why Transcend is focused on the planning phase — and why 80% of project outcomes are decided there
The technology exists. The talent is there. What's missing is the ability to communicate value in the language utilities actually speak.
Connect with Adam Tank: linkedin.com/in/adamtank | adamtank.com | transcendinfra.com
Learn more about 120Water: https://120water.com
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85% of water systems in the United States operate with three or fewer employees.
They manage treatment, distribution, compliance, reporting, and public communication — often while also handling parks, snow removal, and everything else a small community needs. They are rarely celebrated. And when everything is working, they are almost invisible.
This episode is for them.
Make Water Work is launching a new series dedicated entirely to rural water — the small systems, the circuit riders, the association staff, and the utility operators who make clean water happen for millions of Americans every day.
And there is no better person to kick it off than Laura Vidal, Association Partnership Director at 120 Water and a 17-year veteran of the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water.
In this episode, Isaac sits down with his new co-host to hear her story, understand how rural water associations actually work, and set the stage for the conversations ahead.
In this episode:
• How Laura went from an investment brokerage firm to 17 years in rural water
• What makes rural water utility professionals genuinely different from anyone else in the industry
• How the National Rural Water Association and state associations support small systems
• What circuit riders actually do and where that term comes from
• The real challenge of the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions for systems with three or fewer employees
• Why rural water associations are the connective tissue between utilities, regulators, and solution providers
• What it looks like when utilities, associations, state agencies, and technology partners all work from the same data
• What's coming next in the Make Water Work Rural Water Series
These are the unsung heroes of the water industry. It's time to tell their stories.
Learn more about 120 Water: https://120water.com
#MakeWaterWork #RuralWater #WaterIndustry #DrinkingWater #WaterUtility #SmallSystems #WaterInnovation #SafeDrinkingWater #WaterPolicy #PublicHealth
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75% of the world's population lives in water-insecure countries. The amount of fresh water on the planet is fixed. And we are spending it faster than nature can replenish it.
The UN calls it global water bankruptcy. And according to Rodney Clemente, Senior Vice President of Water at Energy Recovery, the bill is coming due.
In this episode, Rodney breaks down what desalination actually is, why it costs 5-10x more to build a plant in the US than in Saudi Arabia, and why the real question isn't "can we solve the water crisis" — it's "what's the cost of doing nothing?"
From a small garage startup in Virginia Beach to a dominant global player with 40,000+ devices deployed worldwide, Energy Recovery has spent 30 years making desalination more affordable and more efficient. Rodney brings that perspective to one of the most important conversations in water today.
In this episode:
• What the UN's Global Water Bankruptcy report actually means
• How reverse osmosis desalination works — and why energy is its Achilles heel
• Why a desalination plant in the US costs 3-5x more than one in the Middle East
• The case for a diversified water portfolio: desal, reuse, recycling, and conservation
• Why companies keep paying fines instead of building treatment plants
• What Singapore's water strategy can teach the rest of the world
• Brine valorization and the circular economy of desalination
• Where the global desal market is headed in the next 5-10 years
#MakeWaterWork #Desalination #WaterScarcity #WaterInnovation #CleanWater #WaterTech #Sustainability #ClimateTech #Infrastructure #WaterCrisis
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Water is the one infrastructure you cannot live without — and it got a D-minus rating from the American Society of Civil Engineers. In this episode, we sit down with Damian Georgino, Partner at global law firm Dentons and a 30-year veteran of the water industry, to talk about why everything you think you know about water is wrong — starting with the tap.
Damian shares his journey from selling water businesses for Alcoa under Paul O'Neill to joining the early days of US Filter, and how water captured him for good. We explore the trillion-dollar global water market, the shift from centralized to decentralized water systems (and what that means for your business), the massive water demands of AI data centers and chip plants, and why private capital may be the only path forward for America's crumbling water infrastructure.
Whether you're an investor, a water professional, or just someone who turns on a faucet every day — this conversation will change how you see water forever.
Topics covered:
Why any business is a water business
The energy-water nexus (75% of water costs are energy)
Decentralized water: learning from energy deregulation
AI, data centers & the looming water crisis
The $800B infrastructure gap — and why $55B isn't enough
Private capital, infrastructure investing, and mid-teens IRRs
Why municipalities resist innovation — and what might change that
What water looks like if we rethink it from scratch
📋 Show Notes
Guest: Damian Georgino, Partner, Dentons LLP
Host: Isaac Pellerin
Co-Host: Megan Glover, Founder, 120 Water
About Damian Georgino
Damian Georgino is a Partner at Dentons, one of the world's largest law firms, where he focuses on water infrastructure, capital transactions, and economic development. His water career began at Alcoa, where he led the sale of five water businesses to the then-upstart US Filter, founded by Dick Heckman. He has served on the President's National Infrastructure Advisory Council and is a frequent speaker on water finance, infrastructure policy, and the energy-water nexus. Dentons sponsors the Rethinking Water Conference and runs an infrastructure think tank focused on reimagining water systems.
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In this episode of Make Water Work, Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover sit down with Anne Mushow, CEO of Subeca, to explore how smart metering, IoT, and new business models are transforming water utilities.
Anne shares her journey from electrical engineering to leading one of the most innovative startups in water tech, and breaks down how Subeca is helping utilities modernize without massive capital investment. The conversation dives into Amazon Sidewalk, metering-as-a-service, and why flexibility and interoperability are key to unlocking digital transformation across 40,000+ small utilities in the U.S.
What you’ll learn:
• Why most water utilities still rely on decades-old technology
• How Subeca is making legacy infrastructure “smart” with plug-and-play IoT
• The role of Amazon Sidewalk in reducing infrastructure costs
• What “metering as a service” means for utilities and ratepayers
• Why small and rural utilities are the biggest opportunity in water
• How better data can improve efficiency, leak detection, and sustainability
• The importance of interoperability and partnerships in water innovation
Key moments:
00:00 The future of metering and disruption in water
03:00 Anne’s journey into the water industry
05:30 What Subeca does and the problem it solves
10:00 Amazon Sidewalk and the power of existing infrastructure
15:00 How Subeca is different from traditional smart metering
21:00 Metering as a service and new utility business models
24:00 Building a startup in the water sector
31:00 The future of water data and global expansion
About the guest:
Anne Mushow is the CEO of Subeca, a smart water metering company focused on making digital transformation accessible for utilities of all sizes. With experience at Sensus and Amazon Web Services, she brings deep expertise in metering, infrastructure, and scalable technology solutions.
Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of water, climate, and infrastructure.
#WaterTech #SmartCities #IoT #ClimateTech #Infrastructure #MakeWaterWork #WaterInnovation
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What does it take to actually scale innovation in water?
In this episode of Make Water Work, Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover sit down with Simon Olivier, leader of Cycle H2O, an impact fund focused on accelerating water technology.
Simon shares the personal moment that pulled him into the water space...and how it led to building a venture fund designed to solve one of the industry’s biggest challenges: getting real solutions to scale.
The conversation dives into what makes water different from other industries, why progress can feel slow, and how the right combination of capital, partnerships, and strategy can unlock faster adoption.
They also explore:
• Why Simon invests in “aspirin, not vitamins” — solving urgent, critical problems
• The role of strategic investors in helping startups scale beyond just funding
• Why water innovation is lagging — and how other industries offer a roadmap forward
• The growing importance of water security, reuse, and decentralized systems
• How data centers, energy, and manufacturing are quietly reshaping water demand
• What separates successful founders — and the mistakes to avoid early
Simon also highlights emerging technologies in areas like real-time water monitoring and PFAS treatment, and shares why Canada is becoming a global hub for water innovation.
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In this episode of Make Water Work, Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover sit down with Glenn Barnes to unpack one of the biggest challenges facing the water industry today: affordability.
Glenn brings deep expertise from his work helping utilities navigate funding, rates, and long-term infrastructure planning. This conversation goes beyond the headlines to explain why water rates are rising, why small communities face outsized challenges, and what needs to change to build resilient systems for the future.
What you’ll learn:
• Why water utilities are not funded by taxes and how the “enterprise fund” model works
• The hidden history of federal grants that kept rates artificially low for decades
• Why small and rural communities face the toughest financial challenges
• The real reason water rates are rising faster than other utilities
• How programs like SRF and USDA loans actually work (and where they fall short)
• The growing infrastructure funding gap and what it means for public health
• Why asset management, regionalization, and consolidation are becoming critical
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In this episode of Make Water Work, Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover sit down with Chris Miller, Vice President of Digital Services at USALCO and founder of Fontus Blue, to unpack the journey from academic research to startup success and acquisition.
Chris shares how a job in a university water lab led to a PhD, a company, and ultimately a platform helping utilities navigate one of the toughest challenges in water: balancing compliance, chemistry, and operational complexity.
In this episode, we cover:
• The origin story of Fontus Blue and why it matters
• How water utilities balance disinfection and harmful byproducts
• Why “optimization” really means managing trade-offs
• Lessons learned from building and scaling a water tech startup
• What founders need to know about partnerships and acquisition timing
• The growing complexity of water regulations and what comes next
• Why supporting operators is critical to the future of water
Whether you're a water professional, entrepreneur, or simply curious about how safe drinking water actually gets delivered, this episode breaks down the science, strategy, and human side of the industry.
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In this episode of Make Water Work, Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover sit down with Lia Clark, Community Support Director at Water Finance Exchange and founder of Engineer With Empathy.
Lia shares her journey into water, from an orphanage service trip in China to working on some of the toughest water infrastructure challenges in underserved communities across Texas.
This conversation dives into:
• Why most small water systems struggle to access funding
• The reality behind state and federal infrastructure dollars
• Why water utilities must operate more like businesses
• The hidden barrier: trust, not just pipes and funding
• How “Engineer With Empathy” is reshaping how engineers work with communities
Key Takeaways:
• Most U.S. water systems serve fewer than 10,000 people and lack resources
• Funding exists, but access and complexity are major barriers
• Empathy and trust-building are critical to successful projects
• Sustainable water systems require financial literacy and long-term planning
#WaterInfrastructure #WaterFinance #Engineering #Empathy #Utilities #MakeWaterWork #WaterLeadership
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In this episode of Make Water Work, we sit down with Shellie Chard, former Water Quality Division Director at the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, to explore how policy, leadership, and long-term thinking shape the future of water.
With a 34-year career in environmental regulation, Shellie shares hard-earned insights on how water policy actually gets made, why trust in water systems is declining, and what it will take to manage our most critical resource moving forward.
From navigating complex regulations to balancing public perception with scientific reality, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone working in or curious about the water sector.
In this episode, we cover:
• How water found Shellie and shaped her career
• The evolution of water policy over the past three decades
• Why trust in water systems is eroding and how to rebuild it
• The real challenges regulators face behind the scenes
• How policy, politics, and public perception intersect
• Why water management is the defining challenge of our future
• The importance of education and long-term thinking in solving water issues
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What does real leadership in water look like?
In this episode of Make Water Work, Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover sit down with Greg Wukasch to talk about leadership, community trust, communication, and the future of the water industry. Greg shares how water found him, why utilities need to stop being afraid of public engagement, and what it takes to lead with curiosity, empathy, and humanity.
From his early days at the San Antonio Water System to helping build the Catalyst community, Greg reflects on how experienced leaders can pour into the next generation, why trust is a utility’s true license to operate, and how water can be a powerful unifier in divided times.
This conversation is for water professionals, utility leaders, communicators, young professionals, and anyone interested in the future of infrastructure, public trust, and community-centered leadership.
In this episode, we cover:
• Greg Wukasch’s journey into the water industry
• Leadership lessons from nearly 30 years in water
• Why communication and public engagement matter in utilities
• How Catalyst is building a movement for water communicators
• The importance of trust, empathy, and human-centered leadership
• Greg’s take on AI, innovation, and the next generation of water professionals
• Why the future of water leadership must better reflect the communities we serve
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AI runs on water. But how much? And what does that mean for the future?
In this episode of the Make Water Work Podcast, Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover sit down with Peter Yolles (Echo River Capital) and Clara Drysdale (Stanford University) to break down the findings from the new Data Center Innovation Report.
As artificial intelligence and cloud computing explode, data centers are becoming one of the fastest-growing drivers of water and energy demand in the world. Cooling the chips that power AI requires enormous amounts of water — and the industry is racing to find more sustainable solutions.
This conversation explores:
• Why AI and data centers are creating a massive new demand for water
• The technologies being developed to cool data centers more efficiently
• The surprising connection between energy, water, and AI infrastructure
• Innovations like atmospheric water capture, advanced membranes, and closed-loop cooling
• Why communities are raising concerns about data center water use
• How better measurement, transparency, and policy could shape the future
Peter and Clara also share insights into where the next generation of water technology startups will emerge as AI infrastructure continues to scale globally.
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In this episode of Make Water Work, hosts Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover sit down with Melissa Meeker, CEO of The Water Tower, to talk about the biggest issue facing the water industry that no one is talking about enough: workforce.
While the industry focuses on PFAS, AI, lead service lines and climate resilience, Melissa is focused on something even more fundamental...people.
💧 How do we attract the next generation into water careers?
💧 How do we train operators differently?
💧 How do we create opportunity for nontraditional and underserved communities?
💧 And how do we scale workforce innovation from 5 states to all 50?
The Water Tower in Gwinnett County, Georgia is redefining what water innovation looks like. Not just through technology, but through hands-on workforce training, operator certification programs, and ecosystem building that connects utilities, engineers and entrepreneurs.
If you care about the future of water, this conversation is a must-watch.
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Summary
In this episode of the Make Water Work podcast, Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover welcome Anthony DeRosa, the executive director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASWDA). They discuss Anthony's journey in the water management sector, the challenges and innovations in modernizing water management, the importance of data management, and the impact of regulatory changes on water utilities. The conversation also touches on workforce challenges, future trends in water management, and the role of data centers in water use. Anthony emphasizes the need for leveraging technology and data to improve water management practices and shares insights on the future initiatives of ASWDA.
Takeaways
• Modernizing water management is crucial for efficiency.
• Data management practices in the water sector are still immature.
• Regulatory uncertainty is a significant concern for state regulators.
• The Safe Drinking Water Act may need to be revisited.
• Workforce challenges persist in attracting young talent to the water sector.
• Data centers have a growing impact on water use and management.
• ASDWA is focused on making data more accessible for its members.
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In this episode of the Make Water Work podcast, hosts Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover talk with Chris Sosnowski, founder and CEO of Waterly. They discuss the critical importance of data quality in water management, the evolution of Waterly, and the challenges faced by public water systems. Chris shares insights from his journey in the water industry, emphasizing the need for human validation in data management and the significant role of cybersecurity in ensuring the safety and reliability of water systems. The conversation highlights the importance of staying connected to customers, learning from their experiences, and the ongoing need for innovation in the water sector.
Takeaways
• Data quality is crucial for effective water management.
• Human validation is necessary for accurate water quality data.
• Waterly was born from the need for affordable software solutions.
• The water industry is slow to adopt new technologies due to fear of change.
• Cybersecurity is a significant concern for water systems.
• Operators need to be proactive in managing cybersecurity risks.
• Standardization of data is essential for effective water management.
• Engaging with customers is key to understanding their needs.
• The majority of data in water management is still entered by humans.
• Continuous learning and humility are vital for entrepreneurs.
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Summary
In this episode of the Make Water Work podcast, hosts Megan Glover and Isaac Pellerin speaks with Michelle Stockness, an influential leader in the water sector. They discuss the importance of collaboration among stakeholders, the challenges of funding infrastructure, and the role of Freshwater in promoting water research and policy. Michelle shares her journey in the water industry, emphasizing the need for effective communication and engagement to address pressing water issues, including the controversial topic of data centers. The conversation highlights the significance of workforce development and the vision for a sustainable water future.
Takeaways
• Listening to stakeholders is crucial for project success.
• Collaboration can bridge gaps in the water industry.
• Data centers present both challenges and opportunities.
• Effective communication is key to stakeholder engagement.
• Funding for infrastructure requires innovative strategies.
• Workforce development is essential for the future of water.
• Community engagement can lead to better water solutions.
• Freshwater aims to support underserved communities.
• Understanding local needs is vital for effective policy.
• Optimism and collaboration can drive positive change.
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Summary:
In this episode of the Make Water Work podcast, Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover engage with Chad Seidel, president of Corona Environmental Consulting, to discuss the challenges and innovations in the water industry.
They explore the importance of accountability in water systems, the journey of Chad in the water quality field, and the founding of Corona to fill gaps in the industry. The conversation delves into the pressing issues facing water utilities, the need for prioritization of resources, and the impact of waterborne diseases compared to contaminants like PFAS. They also discuss the role of the Water Health Advisory Council in bridging policy and operational challenges, and the importance of community support for water initiatives.
Takeaways
• Water systems must ensure disinfectant residuals for public health.
• Chad Seidel's journey reflects the intersection of policy and technical expertise.
• Corona Environmental Consulting was founded to address niche needs in water quality.
• Water utilities face significant challenges due to resource constraints.
• There is a need to prioritize addressing water quality issues.
• Raising the floor for water quality standards is essential.
• Waterborne diseases pose immediate public health risks.
• The Water Health Advisory Council aims to provide unbiased technical information.
• Legislative measures often overlook the operational realities of water utilities.
• Community support is crucial for sustainable water initiatives.
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In this episode of the Make Water Work podcast, hosts Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover engage with Stacy Jones from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. They discuss the complexities of water regulations, the evolution of regulatory processes, and the challenges faced by water administrators. Stacy shares her journey in the water industry, the importance of effective communication in regulatory roles, and the future of water management. The conversation highlights the need for new talent in the field and the inspiration drawn from mentors in the industry.
Takeaways
• New federal regulations will require implementation in the next decade.
• Regulatory processes involve federal and state levels.
• Implementing new regulations can take years.
• Lead and copper regulations are particularly complex.
• Communication is key in regulatory roles.
• The future of water management is evolving rapidly.
• Mentorship plays a crucial role in professional development.
• New talent is needed in the water management field.
- Visa fler
