waterloop: exploring solutions Travis Loop

As the Western United States grapples with water scarcity, onsite recycling is becoming a crucial solution. San Francisco has positioned itself at the forefront of this initiative. This episode explores the city's pioneering efforts in onsite water recycling with Paula Kehoe, Director of Water Resources at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Delving into the city's adoption of advanced recycling systems that set global standards, it highlights residential, commercial, and district-scale projects like the Salesforce Tower and Mission Rock, which aim to reduce potable water use and enhance urban resilience. With 48 operational systems and 29 more in planning, San Francisco's proactive approach serves as a model for cities globally dealing with similar challenges.waterloop is a nonprofit media outlet.

This episode is part of a series Mississippi By Nature that explores how nature based solutions are helping the river and its communities. For the past 200 years, no single entity has had more influence on the Mississippi River than the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Since 1824, the federal agency has been responsible for maintaining navigation, promoting commerce, and preventing flooding along the waterway. This responsibility has primarily involved the construction of rigid infrastructure such as levees and spillways, effectively constraining the river from its natural behaviors. In this episode, Tim Axtman, a Senior Planner at the Army Corps, delves into this rich history and its outcomes. He also explains how the agency is working to adopt an engineering with nature approach in the Mississippi, which often entails allowing the river to flow more freely and transport sediment as it did in the past.waterloop is a nonprofit media outlet. The Mississippi By Nature series is supported by the Walton Family Foundation and outfitted by Patagonia.

This episode is part of a series Mississippi By Nature that explores how nature based solutions are helping the river and its communities. This episode features a ride to the mouth of the Mississippi River with Captain Richie Blink of Delta Discovery Tours, who shares how he has seen the river change over his decades on the water and how projects that use nature itself are beneficial. Then John Sabo, Director of the ByWater Institute at Tulane University in New Orleans, provides an overview of the health of the Mississippi and the role of nature based solutions in reducing flood threats and improving water quality.The Mississippi By Nature series is supported by the Walton Family Foundation and outfitted by Patagonia. waterloop is a nonprofit media outlet.

The iconic Charles River, central to Boston's suburbs and urban landscape, faces significant environmental challenges, including the impacts of climate change. The problems such as flooding hit hardest in downstream areas that are often disadvantaged communities.Dira Johanif, with her roots in the diverse environments of Malaysia—from bustling cities to the lush rainforests of Borneo—brings a unique perspective to her role as a Senior Climate Resilience Associate at the Charles River Watershed Association in Massachusetts. Her international experiences have shaped her approach to water stewardship and environmental justice in the U.S.Dira's work centers on implementing nature-based solutions and spearheading collaborative initiatives like the Charles River Climate Compact, which demonstrates the essential role of regional cooperation in building climate resilience. To communicate the river’s issues to diverse audiences across the Boston region, Dira leverages storytelling and community engagement.waterloop is a nonprofit media outlet. This episode is part of the Color Of Water series, a collaboration between waterloop and the Water Hub that features interviews with diverse experts from communities across the country.

Water scarcity and groundwater overuse are driving land use dilemmas in California, particularly in agriculture. One promising solution gaining traction is multi-benefit land repurposing, which involves transforming unproductive farmland to capture rain, floods, and diverted water for groundwater recharge. These repurposed lands also provide various advantages for wildlife, recreation, education, and climate adaptation. This episode delves into discussions with experts and stakeholders involved in the program, such as Ann Hayden, Vice President of Resilient Water Systems at the Environmental Defense Fund.The potential of multi-benefit land repurposing is showcased through visits to Pixley National Wildlife Refuge, Kaweah Oaks Preserve, Joseph Gallo Farms, and Castroville Slough Treatment Wetlands. Despite its complexity and cost, the program is gaining momentum, offering hope for California and beyond.waterloop is a nonprofit media outlet that explores solutions for sustainability and equity in water. This episode is supported by the Environmental Defense Fund.

2024 is the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the landmark federal legislation designed to protect public health by regulating the quality of drinking water in the United States. This episode features a discussion with Alan Roberson, Executive Director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators. He explores the state of America’s drinking water before the enactment of SDWA, the fundamental changes brought about by the law, and the progress of the past 50 years. Alan highlights how the 1986 and 1996 amendments to SDWA strengthened regulations and expanded the scope of protections. He also talks about opportunities to improve SDWA and changes that may shape the next 50 years of drinking water safety.waterloop is a nonprofit media outlet.This episode is from a conversation at the Reservoir Center in Washington DC, where waterloop is a media partner.