Make Water Work Podcast

Megan Glover & Isaac Pellerin
  • 5.0 (3)
  • TECHNOLOGY

Make Water Work is a podcast dedicated to the people shaping the future of our most precious resource.

  1. Rodney Clemente: Water Bankruptcy & The Cost of Doing Nothing | Make Water Work 033

    1D AGO

    Rodney Clemente: Water Bankruptcy & The Cost of Doing Nothing | Make Water Work 033

    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

    43 min
  2. Damian Georgino: Rethinking Water | Make Water Work 032

    MAY 1

    Damian Georgino: Rethinking Water | Make Water Work 032

    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.

    43 min
  3. Anne Mushow: How Subeca’s IoT Platform is Transforming Water Management | Make Water Work 031

    APR 23

    Anne Mushow: How Subeca’s IoT Platform is Transforming Water Management | Make Water Work 031

    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

    35 min
  4. Simon Olivier: How Cycle H2O is Accelerating Water Innovation | Make Water Work 030

    APR 16

    Simon Olivier: How Cycle H2O is Accelerating Water Innovation | Make Water Work 030

    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.

    39 min
  5. Glenn Barnes: Unlocking Water Infrastructure Funding | Make Water Work 029

    APR 9

    Glenn Barnes: Unlocking Water Infrastructure Funding | Make Water Work 029

    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

    42 min
  6. Chris Miller: Chemistry, Compliance, and Scale | Make Water Work 028

    APR 2

    Chris Miller: Chemistry, Compliance, and Scale | Make Water Work 028

    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.

    36 min
  7. Lia Clark: Engineers With Empathy: Rethinking Water Leadership and Finance | Make Water Work 027

    MAR 26

    Lia Clark: Engineers With Empathy: Rethinking Water Leadership and Finance | Make Water Work 027

    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

    35 min
  8. Shellie Chard: Building Better Water Policy | Make Water Work 026

    MAR 19

    Shellie Chard: Building Better Water Policy | Make Water Work 026

    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

    42 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Make Water Work is a podcast dedicated to the people shaping the future of our most precious resource.

Information

  • Creator
    Megan Glover & Isaac Pellerin
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Make Water Work Podcast

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