Water Foresight Podcast

Host: Dr. Matthew Klein

Examining the future of water through the lens of strategic foresight--anticipating, framing, and shaping your preferred future.

  1. JAN 7

    Anticipating the Future of Water Reuse

    Turn yesterday’s wastewater into tomorrow’s supply—safely, affordably, and at scale. That’s the promise of water reuse, and we go deep with Bruno Pigott, Executive Director of the WateReuse Association and former Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Water, to explore how it’s reshaping utilities, industry, and policy across the United States. We start by clarifying what water reuse is and why it matters now: tightening supplies in arid regions, rising industrial demand from data centers and semiconductor plants, and nutrient challenges that make traditional discharge costly. Bruno lays out how indirect and direct potable reuse move beyond conventional treatment, using advanced membranes, reverse osmosis, and UV to deliver water that meets rigorous quality targets. Real-world examples from San Diego, Los Angeles, and Monterey show how cities are securing resilient, local supplies while keeping rivers and aquifers healthier. Costs and policy are pivotal. We trace the shift from “exotic” to mainstream technology, explain when reuse already beats alternatives, and detail the funding stack that makes projects real—State Revolving Funds, WIFIA, and proposed 30% federal tax credits for industrial reuse that could accelerate private and public adoption. We also confront what can stall progress: unclear state permitting, fragmented oversight between drinking water and wastewater rules, and the ever-present need to build and maintain public trust. Bruno shares how model regulations, operator training, and proactive community education turn skepticism into confidence and ensure safety stays front and center. Looking ahead, we map a One Water future where reuse helps reconnect systems that policy once split apart. Big-city utilities may move fastest, but with technical assistance and industry partnerships, small communities can benefit too. If you care about water resilience, sustainable industry growth, and practical adaptation, this conversation offers a clear playbook for action. If it resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review to help others find these insights. #water #WaterForesight #strategicforesight #foresight #futures @Aqualaurus

    47 min
  2. Next-Generation Environmental Compliance

    12/17/2025

    Next-Generation Environmental Compliance

    We talk with Cynthia Giles about why environmental legal requirements may underperform and how a smarter future design—monitoring, e-reporting, and transparency—can make water compliance the default. The conversation moves from pathogens and “sampling out” to climate-driven adaptation and a future reimagined federal–state data relationship.  Cynthia offers thoughts on: • the gap between public health goals and actual outcomes • beliefs about widespread compliance and enforcement’s primacy • how rule design may create incentives to evade or delay • pathogen risks in drinking water and “sampling out” • the cost of weak monitoring and reporting penalties • continuous monitoring as behavior change, not just detection • electronic reporting and shared, real-time data access • plain-language transparency that answers “is it safe” • enforcement as a platform for innovation and SEPs • federalism retooled for open data and state innovation Cynthia's book is available free at nextgencompliance.org #water #WaterForesight #strategicforesight #foresight #futures @Aqualaurus

    51 min
  3. The Future of Data Centers and Water

    12/10/2025

    The Future of Data Centers and Water

    We ask Reese Tisdale of Bluefield Research how data centers are reshaping water demand, rates, siting decisions, and public trust. We weigh the real risks against practical solutions like onsite reuse, liquid cooling, and utility partnerships that fix leaks and modernize networks. • AI-driven demand accelerates data center growth and water use • Municipal supply dependence and pressure on local systems • Greenfield siting momentum versus brownfield opportunities • Rate stability, stranded cost risk, and fairness between customer classes • Private utility rate cases and rising scrutiny of cross-subsidies • Overbuilding risk and planning exposure for communities • Liquid cooling, onsite reuse, and circular water loops • Corporate offsets, wetland projects, and PR versus performance • Environmental pushback, drought rules, and regional constraints • Digital tools for utilities: AMI, SCADA, predictive analytics • Balancing innovation with reliability and public trust For more information, please visit us at www.aqualuarus.com or follow us on LinkedIn. #water #WaterForesight #strategicforesight #foresight #futures @Aqualaurus

    38 min
  4. The Future of Innovation in Water

    09/03/2025

    The Future of Innovation in Water

    The world of water innovation is experiencing a remarkable evolution, powered by a perfect storm of entrepreneurial talent, technological advancement, and growing recognition of water's fundamental importance. In this fascinating conversation with Tom Ferguson, Managing Partner of Burnt Island Ventures, we explore how venture capital is catalyzing transformative solutions to our most pressing water challenges. Ferguson shares his journey from running Imagine H2O's accelerator program to founding the first venture capital firm exclusively focused on water. His unique data-driven insight revealed a critical mass of exceptional entrepreneurs entering the water space by 2020, creating the perfect conditions for dedicated seed funding. "We finally had a critical mass of very high quality entrepreneurs within the water sector," Ferguson explains, "and that's really important for a seed fund." What makes Burnt Island Ventures distinctive is their sector-specialist approach combined with a laser focus on finding extraordinary founders tackling significant problems. Their portfolio spans diverse areas - from utility software and wastewater treatment to atmospheric water generation and financial technology for small utilities. Ferguson emphasizes that the best investments often come from unexpected places, like a solution eliminating the wasteful practice of defrosting food with potable water in commercial kitchens. The conversation takes a deep dive into water's most significant challenges, particularly the need to replace aging infrastructure in developed countries while building new systems in developing regions. Ferguson highlights how innovations like Aquamembranes' 3D-printed spacers can reduce infrastructure costs by 40%, enabling more efficient use of limited capital. Meanwhile, subsurface desalination technology could slash costs by 6-8 times while minimizing environmental impact. Perhaps most compelling is Ferguson's candid assessment of water's political challenges. Despite water's essential nature, the sector struggles to secure adequate funding because it hasn't effectively engaged in political advocacy. "The oil and gas sector still benefits to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars a year of subsidies because they pay for them," Ferguson notes, contrasting this with water's limited political influence. Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, or water professional, this episode offers invaluable insights into how innovative thinking and strategic capital are reshaping our relationship with Earth's most precious resource. The future of water depends not just on technology, but on our ability to tell compelling stories that mobilize support for the infrastructure transformation we urgently need. #water #WaterForesight #strategicforesight #foresight #futures @Aqualaurus

    49 min
  5. SuperShifts and the Future of Water

    08/13/2025

    SuperShifts and the Future of Water

    We stand at the threshold of a new age. As the Industrial Era gives way to the Age of Intelligence, we face unprecedented transformation in every aspect of human existence. Steve Fisher, managing partner at Revolution Factory and chief futurist at the Human Frontier Institute, joins us to explore the nine "SuperShifts" reshaping our world. From his teenage encounter with Alvin Toffler's "Future Shock" to developing his own social theory examining 200-year macro-historical patterns, Fisher offers a unique perspective on our transitional moment. These converging SuperShifts—from Generational Drift to Bionexus—represent massive, irreversible transformations that will redefine what it means to be human. The Eco-Awakening SuperShift holds particular significance for water professionals. Fisher envisions water transforming from a utility into a strategic asset managed by artificial intelligence, priced by ecosystems, and governed as a shared resource. Smart watersheds, bioreactors, and decentralized infrastructure will revolutionize how we manage this precious resource, while questions about water rights and access take on new urgency. Fisher's perspective is neither dystopian nor blindly optimistic, but "protopian"—recognizing both challenges and opportunities ahead. While acknowledging risks like cybersecurity threats to water systems and potential water conflicts, he emphasizes humanity's resilience and capacity for positive change. Most importantly, he advocates for foresight as a discipline, moving beyond reactive thinking to anticipate and shape preferred futures. Ready to navigate this transformative era? Join us as we explore how these SuperShifts will reshape our relationship with water and redefine what it means to be human in the Age of Intelligence. After listening, you'll understand why traditional approaches no longer serve us and how embracing foresight can help build more sustainable, equitable systems for generations to come. Book Site - www.supershiftsbook.com Steve’s Site - www.stevenfisher.io Get the first two chapters - https://tfn.kit.com/bb0223ff53 Think Forward Show - https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ #water #WaterForesight #strategicforesight #foresight #futures @Aqualaurus

    50 min
  6. The Future of Water Awareness Game

    07/30/2025

    The Future of Water Awareness Game

    Amber Desprets joins us to unveil her groundbreaking creation: the Future of Water Awareness Game. This isn't your typical board game - it's a powerful tool designed to shift how we think about our water future using speculative design principles. Through a deck of 112 insight cards and a five-step process, Amber's game takes participants on a journey from questioning our present water reality to creating tangible "artifacts from the future" that might solve emerging challenges. The game surfaces fascinating signals of change that extend far beyond familiar concerns like rising sea levels. According to Amber: Did you know companies are already freezing coral reefs for preservation? Or that fish are losing nutritional value due to climate change? That icebergs are being harvested to address water shortages? These lesser-known developments form the foundation for imaginative scenario-building that ultimately leads to creative problem-solving. What makes this approach particularly valuable is its accessibility. While suitable for professional workshops, the game is equally designed for dinnertime conversations with family, democratizing futures thinking about our most precious resource. Recognizing that less than 20% of the global population speaks English yet over 90% of climate change documents are English-only, Amber is having the game translated into seven additional languages to extend water literacy to billions previously excluded from these critical conversations. Looking ahead, she envisions creating a version specifically focused on preparing for a potential "waterless world" – challenging us to confront how our colonial mindsets continue to shape water commodification and exploitation rather than preservation. Ready to play your way to better water futures? Download the game at futureawarenessgame.wordpress.com or connect with Amber Desprets on LinkedIn to join the growing community of forward-thinkers using games to reimagine our relationship with water. #water #WaterForesight #strategicforesight #foresight #futures @Aqualaurus

    29 min
  7. The Madison Declaration and the Future of Water (Part 3)

    07/16/2025

    The Madison Declaration and the Future of Water (Part 3)

    Imagine turning on your tap and wondering: Is this water safe? Despite living in one of the world's most developed nations, millions of Americans question their drinking water daily. Why? As our returning panel of water experts reveals, it might partly be because the very reports designed to build confidence are actually undermining trust. Dr. Manny Teodoro, Dr. Katherine Sorensen, and Dr. Chad Seidel continue their illuminating discussion of the Madison Declaration, focusing on transparency and justice in water systems. They explain how Consumer Confidence Reports—mandated by federal law—often confuse rather than clarify, using technical jargon that leaves customers more concerned than before. Dr. Sorensen shares a revealing anecdote from her time with Phoenix Water Services: whenever these reports were distributed, their call centers would brace for an influx of worried customers. The conversation delves into what meaningful transparency should look like. Rather than just listing contaminant levels, shouldn't utilities share information about infrastructure conditions, financial sustainability, water loss rates, and planned improvements? The panel explores promising initiatives in states like Wisconsin, California, and Texas that are developing more comprehensive reporting frameworks. Their most powerful insights emerge when discussing water justice. Systems serving disadvantaged communities frequently fail for decades without meaningful intervention. The experts dissect how political reluctance to raise water rates—often justified as "protecting affordability"—ironically leads to the most unaffordable outcome: system failure that forces residents to purchase expensive bottled water. As Dr. Teodoro powerfully states, "There's nothing so unaffordable as a failing drinking water system." Looking toward the future, the panel sees reason for cautious optimism. Economic forces may drive improvements as industries like data centers demand reliable water before investing in communities. But true progress requires courageous leadership at all levels—people willing to make tough decisions because they're the right decisions. Whether you're a water professional, concerned citizen, or policy maker, this episode offers crucial insights into how we might transform our relationship with America's most essential resource. Listen now to understand why transparent, just water systems matter to everyone—and what we can do to build them. #water #WaterForesight #strategicforesight #foresight #futures @Aqualaurus

    55 min
  8. The Madison Declaration and the Future of Water (Part 2)

    06/04/2025

    The Madison Declaration and the Future of Water (Part 2)

    The Water Foresight Podcast continues its exploration of the Madison Declaration with a deep dive into the "regulatory treadmill" that keeps water utilities running hard without making progress on critical threats facing our water systems. • The Safe Drinking Water Act created a valuable framework for regulating contaminants, but has it reached a point of diminishing returns? • Water utilities face a "regulatory treadmill" where they chase increasingly smaller contaminant risks while neglecting bigger threats • Cybersecurity represents a major underappreciated risk that requires resources increasingly diverted to contaminant treatment • Legislative reform is necessary, but water leaders shouldn't wait for Congress to address critical challenges • The Madison Declaration advocates for a more balanced approach that values reliability, affordability, and sustainability alongside safety • Consolidated water systems with proper scale better address both regulatory compliance and emerging threats • Success requires aligning incentives across federal regulators, state agencies, and local utilities • Leaders need "cover" to pursue reforms without being portrayed as weakening water quality standards Join us for future conversations about the Madison Declaration as we reimagine the Safe Drinking Water Act's next 50 years. #water #WaterForesight #strategicforesight #foresight #futures @Aqualaurus

    40 min
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About

Examining the future of water through the lens of strategic foresight--anticipating, framing, and shaping your preferred future.

Information

  • Creator
    Host: Dr. Matthew Klein
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    63
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Water Foresight Podcast
  • Show Website
    Water Foresight Podcast