The Future of Water

Bluefield Research

The Future of Water is Bluefield Research’s bi-monthly podcast examining the strategic, regulatory, and market dynamics shaping the global water sector. Spanning municipal and industrial markets, and extending from technology providers to investors, each episode focuses on the signals that matter—capital flows, policy developments, and business model shifts impacting opportunities in water. Hosted by Reese Tisdale, along with Bluefield’s team of water experts, the podcast delivers data-backed analysis and practical insights into how these developments are influencing strategies across the water industry value chain. To learn more about Bluefield Research visit: www.bluefieldresearch.com. Contact us at podcasts@bluefieldresearch.com with any topic suggestions or requests for information.

  1. Last Call for the Colorado River

    1d ago

    Last Call for the Colorado River

    The clock is running out on the Colorado River. Lake Powell sits at 23% capacity. Towns are hauling water by truck. The 2025–26 snowpack is the lowest on record. After decades of missed deadlines, the federal government is now being forced to act. A binding record of decision—determining how the river will be operated going forward—must be in place by October 1, 2026. At the same time, the 2007 interim guidelines, the 2019 drought contingency plans, and water-sharing agreements with Mexico all expire. Two decades of Colorado River governance unwind at once. In this solo episode, Reese Tisdale walks through the timeline, the exposed stakeholders, and what Bluefield sees as the resulting opportunity—including US$47 billion in municipal reuse investment forecast between 2025 and 2035, the proposed Advancing Water Reuse Act, and a U.S. and Canada digital water market on pace to reach US$29 billion by 2036. Reese makes the case that the conditions forcing hard decisions on the Colorado are also generating the strongest market signals the water sector has seen. If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen. If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday. Related Research & Analysis: U.S. Municipal Water Reuse: Market Trends and Forecasts, 2025–2035 Water for U.S. Agriculture: Irrigation Trends, Technology Adoption, and Market Forecasts, 2026–2031 U.S. & Canada Digital Water Landscape: Trends and Growth Forecasts, 2026–2036

    20 min
  2. Who Owns Your Water and Who Wants To?

    Jun 16

    Who Owns Your Water and Who Wants To?

    The U.S. investor-owned utility (IOU) market just posted its strongest opening quarter in three years. Bluefield Analyst Megan Bondar joins host Reese Tisdale on The Future of Water to dig into what's driving that activity. The conversation covers the structural differences between greenfield and peer-to-peer transactions, why the geographic map looks completely different from Pennsylvania to Texas to Florida, and who's showing up in this market that wasn't here five years ago. Key questions include: What is an investor-owned utility, who are the major players, and why does this market matter right now? What is the difference between greenfield and peer-to-peer M&A, and why does that distinction matter? Who is executing greenfield deals well, and what does it take to compete in that space? How do the top M&A markets—Pennsylvania, Illinois, Texas, Florida—differ in competitive dynamics and regulatory environment? Where does the IOU market go from here, and what policy and political factors are shaping the next five years? If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen. If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday. Related Research & Analysis: Investor-Owned Utilities in Water: Market Share, M&A Trends, and Company Rankings IOU Portfolio Rationalization Redraws the Competitive Map Scale Is the Strategy: American, Essential Set Benchmark for Water Investor-Owned Utilities Chapters (00:00:00) - Water Fact(00:01:11) - Introduction(00:02:32) - Conversation: Megan Bondar(00:33:57) - Wrap-Up(00:34:45) - What Caught Reese's Eye

    39 min
  3. Are We Approaching a Federal Water Funding Cliff?

    Jun 2

    Are We Approaching a Federal Water Funding Cliff?

    Utilities, contractors, equipment suppliers, and investors have a lot of questions about federal water infrastructure funding right now. How is money moving, where is it landing, and what does project activity look like over the next few years? Bluefield's Senior Analyst Charlie Suse joins host Reese Tisdale to walk through the federal funding landscape, from State Revolving Funds (SRF) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) deployment to the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) wind-down. The conversation covers where capital is concentrated, why deployment gaps persist, and what the next era of federal water funding realistically looks like. Key questions include: What are the primary federal funding channels for water and wastewater utilities today? What does the current SRF landscape look like? Which segments are capturing the most funding, and which are facing the longest queues? How transformational has IIJA actually been? How do WIFIA and ARPA fit into the current market? Why does a persistent gap exist between funding commitments and shovel-ready projects? What does the next era of federal water infrastructure funding realistically look like? If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen. If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday. Related Research & Analysis: The State Revolving Funds Opportunity: Tracking US$140 Billion in U.S. Water Infrastructure Demand Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA): Tracking the Spending, Q3 2025 Chapters (00:00:00) - Water Fact(00:00:30) - Episode Introduction(00:01:42) - Conversation: Charlie Suse(00:32:04) - What Caught Reese's Eye(00:36:00) - Wrap-Up

    37 min
  4. Inside Europe’s €643 Billion Stormwater Opportunity: Who's Positioned To Capitalize?

    May 19

    Inside Europe’s €643 Billion Stormwater Opportunity: Who's Positioned To Capitalize?

    Europe's stormwater crisis has been building for decades—and the numbers are now impossible to ignore. The last three decades rank among the worst for flooding in 500 years of European records. In 2024 alone, floods killed more than 330 people, displaced 413,000, and caused €18 billion in damages. Bluefield Research has sized the European stormwater market at €643 billion in projected CAPEX through 2036—but chronic underfunding, fragmented procurement, and widening climate risk mean the opportunity is anything but uniform. In this episode, Reese Tisdale sits down with Bluefield senior analyst Antonio del Olmo to unpack what's driving the investment gap, where the real growth markets are, and how the competitive landscape is shifting as digital-first players challenge the traditional hardware model. Key questions include: Why do the last three decades constitute a crisis rather than a long-term infrastructure challenge? How does Europe's stormwater market stay chronically underfunded? What does the regional investment picture look like for companies trying to enter or grow in this market? As the traditional hardware distribution model faces pressure, what does the new competitive playbook look like—and who is getting it right? Are digital-first players bypassing the traditional product sale a threat to hardware incumbents, or is it still early noise? If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen. If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday. Related Research & Analysis: Europe Stormwater Infrastructure Market: Key Drivers, Competitive Shifts & Investment Outlook, 2026–2036 U.S. Stormwater Infrastructure Market: Key Drivers, Competitive Shifts & Investment Outlook, 2024–2030 The New Standard for Stormwater: Integrated Drainage Design Chapters (00:00:00) - Water Fact(00:00:45) - Episode Introduction(00:01:35) - Conversation: Antonio del Olmo(00:37:51) - What Caught Reese's Eye(00:41:47) - Wrap-Up

    43 min
  5. Is Australia the Blueprint for the Future of Water?

    May 5

    Is Australia the Blueprint for the Future of Water?

    Australia is living what much of the world is still bracing for. A decade-long drought forced sweeping national action, and the country has been building toward a system-wide digital response ever since. Today, the results are visible in full-scale smart metering rollouts, rising investment in leak detection and customer engagement software, and a US$17 billion cumulative market opportunity through 2036—extraordinary concentration of spend relative to a population of just 26 million people. Reese Tisdale sits down with Leigh Ramsey, a senior analyst at Bluefield Research, to unpack the digital water landscape in Australia. From the structural pressures reshaping utility investment to the surprising vendors winning major contracts, the conversation maps a market that is both a case study in crisis response and a preview of where water-stressed regions around the world are headed. Key questions include: What led Bluefield to map Australia's digital water landscape, and why is it a market worth watching globally? How does Australia rank as a digital water market globally, and is it punching above its weight given its relatively small population? What structural pressures are forcing Australian utilities to digitize faster than they might otherwise choose to? How are utilities leveraging digital solutions to address those pressures? Which technology segments are growing fastest, and where should vendors be focused? Who are the players to watch, and how is the competitive landscape shifting? What can the rest of the world learn from Australia's experience? If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen. If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday. Related Research & Analysis: Australia Digital Water Landscape: Utility Strategies, Competitive Dynamics, and Growth Forecasts, 2026–2036 Chapters (00:00:00) - Water Fact(00:00:26) - Episode Introduction(00:03:37) - Conversation: Leigh Ramsey(00:35:53) - What Caught Reese's Eye(00:41:02) - Wrap-Up

    42 min

  6. Apr 14

    Your Water Questions Answered: Bonds, Energy, Irrigation, and Tech

    What do water investors, utilities, and infrastructure planners most want to know right now? In this episode, Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield's VP & Managing Director Keith Hays to tackle the top questions submitted by listeners on LinkedIn in this mailbag episode. From climate finance and sustainable bonds to irrigation infrastructure, emerging technology, and energy costs, the conversation covers a lot of ground. Reese and Keith bring Bluefield's latest research and market perspective to each question—with some straight talk along the way. Key questions addressed: What is the investment landscape for water in a climate context, and where do green and blue bonds fit in? Could distributed energy resources and storage change how irrigation districts fund capital projects? What emerging water technologies inspire Bluefield most? What is the real impact of energy market volatility on the water sector? If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen. If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday. Related Research & Analysis: Water for U.S. Agriculture: Irrigation Trends, Technology Adoption, and Market Forecasts, 2026–2031 K-water Super Technology Utility Digital Transformation Chapters (00:00:00) - Water Fact(00:00:23) - Episode Introduction(00:01:31) - Conversation: Keith Hays(00:29:27) - What Caught Reese's Eye(00:34:04) - Wrap-Up

    35 min

  7. Mar 31

    Why Are U.S. Water and Sewer Bills Rising Faster Than Inflation?

    U.S. household water and sewer bills rose 5.1% in 2025—the steepest annual increase in five years and a 24.2% jump since 2020. Rates are rising faster than general inflation, with chemicals, energy, labor, and construction all contributing to sustained upward pressure. Bluefield analyst Megan Bondar joins Reese Tisdale to unpack new data covering 50 major U.S. cities. The conversation examines why water and wastewater rates are moving at different speeds, how regional factors shape what households pay, and what structural forces are locking in higher costs for the long term. Key questions addressed: What's really breaking in the utility cost model as rates outpace inflation? What does the divergence between water and wastewater rates signal about where utilities are being forced to spend? At what point do rising bills become a real affordability crisis—and how close are we? Why do water bills vary so dramatically by location, and what does that reveal about the U.S. water sector? What structural forces—infrastructure, climate, and regulation—are locking in higher rates going forward? If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen. If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday. Related Research & Analysis: U.S. Municipal Water & Sewer Rate Index Chapters (00:00:00) - Water Fact(00:00:37) - Episode Introduction(00:01:35) - Conversation: Megan Bondar(00:24:50) - What Caught Reese's Eye(00:27:55) - Wrap-Up

    29 min

  8. Mar 17

    Water for Agriculture: An US$84 Billion Irrigation Opportunity

    At more than 70% of U.S. water withdrawals, agriculture is one of the most significant drivers of water demand in the country. In this episode, host Reese Tisdale sits down with Bluefield Analyst Olivia Kranefuss to unpack her newly released report, Water for U.S. Agriculture: Irrigation Trends, Technology Adoption, and Market Forecasts, 2026–2031, and the US$84 billion transition reshaping how the market spends over the next several years. The conversation covers where capital is flowing across a cost structure dominated by energy and labor, the key shifts underway in technology adoption and company strategy, and what the M&A moves of major players signal about where the market is heading. Key questions addressed include: What's driving an US$84 billion spending shift in a relatively mature market? Across the full cost structure—equipment, labor, energy, digital tools—where are farmers and irrigation providers actually allocating capital? How does the fragmented, family-farm-dominated demand base shape technology adoption and vendor strategy? As the irrigation sector faces a strategic divide, is the market shifting from hardware to software-driven value creation? What's driving rapid growth in digital irrigation technologies, and how big is the opportunity relative to traditional equipment? What structural barriers are slowing adoption—and what do companies need to understand before entering this market? Where are the biggest opportunities ahead for equipment suppliers, technology companies, and infrastructure providers? If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen. If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday. Related Research & Analysis: Water for U.S. Agriculture: Irrigation Trends, Technology Adoption, and Market Forecasts, 2026–2031 Orbia Weighs Netafim Precision Agriculture Divestment

    37 min
See All (146)

4.9
out of 5
36 Ratings

About

The Future of Water is Bluefield Research’s bi-monthly podcast examining the strategic, regulatory, and market dynamics shaping the global water sector. Spanning municipal and industrial markets, and extending from technology providers to investors, each episode focuses on the signals that matter—capital flows, policy developments, and business model shifts impacting opportunities in water. Hosted by Reese Tisdale, along with Bluefield’s team of water experts, the podcast delivers data-backed analysis and practical insights into how these developments are influencing strategies across the water industry value chain. To learn more about Bluefield Research visit: www.bluefieldresearch.com. Contact us at podcasts@bluefieldresearch.com with any topic suggestions or requests for information.

Information

  • Creator
    Bluefield Research
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    146
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Bluefield Research
  • Show Website
    The Future of Water

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