waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for sustainability and equity in water. Hosted by journalist Travis Loop, the podcast features stories from across the U.S. about water infrastructure, conservation, innovation, technology, policy, PFAS, climate resilience, and more.
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Travis Loop Podcasts
Go beyond the hype and headlines. Hear stories from real people using AI to do more of what they love about their jobs. From the F1 track to the kitchen—and even the bottom of a lake—learn how new tools are helping creatives, makers, visionaries, and their teams think big, move faster, and focus on the work that matters most.
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For these shipwreck-hunting humans, AI is part of the crew
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Very few people get paid to visit shipwrecks—but for Stephanie Gandulla, it’s all part of the job. Stephanie is a scuba diver, maritime archeologist, and resource protection coordinator for the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The agency safeguards Lake Huron’s historic shipwrecks, many of which have yet to be discovered. That’s where Katie S…
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Inside infrastructure, there’s a simple device called check valves quietly protecting water systems from chaos, stopping dirty water from flowing backward, and keeping everything running smoothly amid bigger storms, tighter regulations, and growing cities. In this episode, Cal Hayes from Proco Products explains the vital role of check valves. He ex…
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Why the hot new ingredient in this chef’s pantry is AI
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Ian Ramirez has spent his career finding innovative ways to make mouth-watering meals for clients—and one of his latest ingredients is artificial intelligence. As a chef, culinary consultant, and co-founder of Mad Honey Culinary Studio and Goods, he’s the guy that brands hire to get their product on restaurant menus, and make it look and taste good…
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Working Smarter is back for season two! Starting September 3, we’re going beyond the hype and headlines to bring you stories about real people using AI to do more of what they love about their jobs. From the F1 track to the kitchen—and even the bottom of a lake—learn how new tools are helping creatives, makers, visionaries, and their teams think bi…
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Pittsburgh is writing a playbook on lead pipe replacement, aiming to eliminate all toxic lines by 2027. In this episode, Will Pickering, CEO of Pittsburgh Water, and Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis of Women for a Healthy Environment reveal the strategy behind this national model. With over $200 million in federal grants and low-interest loans, the city …
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As Southern California wonders if water scarcity could ever spiral into a “Day Zero” crisis, the region stands at a crossroads for securing its water future. In this episode of In The Newsroom, Ian James, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, dives into the critical decisions shaping the region’s water portfolio. With half its supply imported from …
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Houston is known as the energy capital—but it’s also the Bayou City, where water flows not just through the environment, but through culture, memory, justice, and resilience. In this episode from the Color of Water series, Ayanna Jolivet Mccloud, Executive Director of Bayou City Waterkeeper, shares how her background in art and advocacy fuels bold …
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Texas is tackling its booming population’s water demands with a bold $20 billion investment plan to secure sustainable supplies and infrastructure by 2050. In this episode of In The Newsroom, Todd Votteler, a veteran water expert and editor of the Texas Water Journal, joins the podcast to discuss the state’s dynamic water landscape. With Texas expe…
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AI isn’t coming—it’s already here, and it’s reshaping how communications and marketing get done. In this episode, Shama Hyder, a leading voice in digital transformation, explains why this moment demands strategic urgency and how organizations must adapt or risk falling behind. She shares how AI is disrupting knowledge work, changing workflows, and …
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Healthy rivers are essential for thriving communities, and smart, nature-based solutions are proving crucial to turning things around in a changing climate. In this episode, Derek Vollmer, Director of Waterscapes for the World Wildlife Fund, shares how their program uses innovative, place-based strategies to restore rivers and build resilience worl…
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California's water future could be shaped by a $20 billion gamble with the controversial Delta Tunnel. This episode dives deep into the high-stakes project with Camille von Kaenel, California Environment Reporter for Politico. She unravels the complex plan to transport water from Northern to Southern California, detailing its immense cost, the deca…
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Decades of overpumping groundwater around Houston caused the land to sink by as much as 15 feet, forcing neighborhoods to flood and entire communities to relocate. This episode explores how land subsidence developed, and how science, regulation, and infrastructure are now stopping the ground from sinking. Chrissy Butcher of Baytown Nature Center an…
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The hard-fought plan to restore salmon runs in the Pacific Northwest has been abruptly derailed, threatening one of the most significant tribal and environmental agreements in decades. In this episode of In The Newsroom, Tony Schick of Oregon Public Broadcasting breaks down how the Trump administration scrapped a landmark deal that would have paved…
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Billions of dollars are finally flowing into the water industry, but the financial landscape is still far behind energy, climate tech, and other booming sectors. In this episode of In The Newsroom, Travis Loop is joined by Antoine Walter, host of the (don’t) Waste Water podcast, for an insider look at how investment in the water sector is evolving—…
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Turning lawns into water savings, rewriting city codes, and protecting forests upstream—these are just some of the ways communities are reimagining their water systems with help from the WaterNow Alliance. In this conversation from the Reservoir Center in Washington, D.C., Cynthia Koehler, Executive Director of the organization, shares how their Pr…
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What does a 21st-century water-powered economy look like? In this conversation, Brett Walton of Circle of Blue discusses their new reporting series on the blue economy in the Great Lakes region—where water is being used to drive innovation, jobs, and sustainable growth. The discussion explores how cities like Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Chicago are b…
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EPA is moving forward with PFAS drinking water limits but delaying compliance deadlines and withdrawing a controversial hazard index. At the same time, the Trump White House has proposed about a 90% cut to the State Revolving Funds—raising serious concerns about how utilities will afford compliance and critical infrastructure upgrades. In this epis…
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A legacy of pollution and neglect once left the James River and surrounding waterways in ecological crisis. But decades of federal protections and grassroots advocacy have shown that nature can heal—if given the chance. In this episode, Beth Roach, Vice Chair of the Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia and National Water Conservation Campaign Manager …
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Stormwater management solutions that are effective, space-conscious, and sustainable are increasingly important for cities. One increasingly popular solution is deep infiltration, a practice that moves stormwater into native soils far below the surface, to avoid harmful runoff and recharge groundwater. In this episode, Gregor Patsch of Oldcastle In…
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As a new administration and Congress settle into Washington, questions loom about how federal water policy will take shape amid broader political turbulence. Fortunately, water remains a rare bipartisan issue, providing a pathway for continued investment and action around critical infrastructure and public health. In this conversation from the Rese…
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Desalination is a proven technology—but it’s still too costly, energy-intensive, and inaccessible for the communities that need it most. To change that, XPRIZE launched a $119 million global competition to drive breakthroughs in seawater desalination and deliver scalable, sustainable solutions. Lauren Greenlee, Executive Vice President of Food+Wate…
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A 2,600-year-old bald cypress tree stands quietly in North Carolina’s Three Sisters Swamp—older than the Roman Empire, untouched by time, and protected by a resurgent tribal community. In this powerful episode, Travis Loop joins members of the Coharie Tribe on a World Water Day paddle through their ancestral waters on the Black River. Guided by Kul…
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Radhika Fox has spent her career at the intersection of people, policy, and infrastructure. In a conversation from the Reservoir Center in Washington, D.C., the former head of EPA's Office of Water shares how she helped lead the largest federal investment in U.S. water infrastructure, advance PFAS regulation, and expand environmental justice effort…
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Islam offers powerful guidance for enviromental stewardship - and Huda Alkaff has spent 20 years bringing those teachings to life. As Founder of Wisconsin Green Muslims, Huda blends faith, ecology, and community action to advance water equity and climate justice. She shares how Islamic teachings inspire a sustainable lifestyle - from spiritual wate…
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Mayors Urge Congress To Fund Great Lakes Projects
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Decades of underinvestment in water infrastructure have caused major issues—lead pipes, sewer overflows, and stormwater failures—in cities like Benton Harbor, Michigan and Mount Vernon, New York. In this episode, Mayor Marcus Muhammad of Benton Harbor and Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard of Mount Vernon share how federal investments have made a real d…
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Nutrient runoff from tile drainage systems on Iowa farms is a significant challenge, affecting local waterways and the Mississippi River. Tile drain water recycling offers an innovative solution by capturing nutrient-rich drainage water, storing it in reservoirs, and reusing it for irrigation. This approach reduces nitrogen runoff while providing f…
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Texas' iconic springs are facing growing pressure from urban development, groundwater pumping, and climate change, threatening the lifeline of both ecosystems and communities. But through sustainable aquifer management, conservation easements, and innovative policies, there is hope for keeping these vital waters flowing. This episode features conve…
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Flooding and water quality degradation are significant challenges in Iowa's agricultural watersheds, driven by intensive farming practices and increasingly extreme weather events. Relay cropping, a regenerative farming practice, offers a solution by keeping soil covered and living roots in the ground year-round to reduce runoff and improve soil hea…
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Grand Rapids is restoring the namesake rapids of the Grand River, reversing decades of human intervention that removed natural rock formations and altered the river’s flow. The city’s River For All project is removing five low-head dams and reshaping riverbanks to improve habitat, water quality, and public access. Mike Stahl, an engineer with the C…
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Agriculture in Iowa is vital to feeding the world, but it poses challenges for water quality and flood management due to nutrient runoff and extreme weather. One innovative solution is the restoration of oxbow lakes—former river bends that have become disconnected from streams. These revitalized oxbows filter out nutrients like nitrates, provide ha…
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The presence of 200,000 lead service lines in Cook County, Illinois poses a serious public health threat, especially to young children who are highly vulnerable to the effects of lead exposure. Addressing this issue requires collaboration across more than 130 municipalities and overcoming the complexities of replacing outdated infrastructure. One k…
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Amid the devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires, confusion and misinformation have surrounded the role of water resources. This episode clarifies key inaccuracies, highlighting how municipal water systems are designed to support localized firefighting efforts rather than large-scale wildfires fueled by extreme weather conditions. Kathryn Sorenson…
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At the 2024 WaterSmart Innovations Conference in Las Vegas, waterloop founder Travis Loop shared key insights from his travels across the United States, documenting innovative water projects. He identified a number of commonalities that define sustainable solutions. A return to nature is a recurring theme, with projects like Louisiana’s $3 billion …
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Since launching in 2014, the Clean Water Partnership in Prince George’s County, Maryland has provided a blueprint on how the government and a company can work together to simultaneously tackle environmental challenges and achieve community and business development. In this episode, Roland Jones of CIS and Jim Lyons of Prince George’s County discuss…
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About one million Californians face persistent challenges accessing safe, affordable drinking water, particularly in rural and disadvantaged communities. California’s SAFER program, led by the State Water Resources Control Board, takes a holistic and proactive approach to address these inequities, providing funding, technical assistance, and regula…
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Excess nutrients from farms in Iowa and across the Midwest are a major challenge, polluting local waterways and ultimately impacting the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico. To address this, the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund incentivizes farmers to adopt practices that improve water quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this episode, Adam…
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Flooding is impacting communities nationwide with both devastating and costly effects. The solution requires resilience planning, infrastructure adaptation, and community involvement to effectively address flood risk. In this episode, Melissa Roberts of the American Flood Coalition discusses the increasing frequency and impact of flooding across th…
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The Mississippi River is essential to global agriculture and trade, but it is increasingly vulnerable to climate impacts, including severe droughts and floods, resulting in significant economic and environmental challenges. Colin Wellenkamp, Executive Director of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI), discusses how the coalition…
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The ever-changing nature of the Mississippi River poses significant challenges for those living behind the levee at Dogtooth Bend in southern Illinois, where increased flooding and infrastructure strain can impact everyday existence. A promising solution involves nature-based strategies that restore floodplains to better manage water flow and reduc…
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Las Vegas faces unique challenges as a rapidly growing city with a small share of water from the Colorado River and an arid desert climate. To meet the demands of residents and 40 million annual visitors, Las Vegas implemented comprehensive approaches to sustainability that drove water usage down even as the population boomed. Bronson Mack of the S…
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The federal government's historic investment in water infrastructure has presented both opportunities and challenges. The solution lies in efficiently distributing funds, overcoming barriers like permitting and regulatory requirements, and accelerating the pace of project implementation. In this episode, Tim Male, Executive Director of the Environm…
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Communities across the country are disproportionately impacted by environmental injustices like water pollution and inadequate infrastructure. The solution requires not only winning court battles but also building long-term, collaborative relationships with those affected on the ground. In this episode, Julian Gonzalez, Senior Legislative Counsel o…
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Wetlands along the Mississippi River have been disappearing for decades, leading to increased flooding and degradation of water quality, as well as loss of wildlife habitat. Nature-based solutions, like wetland restoration and floodplain reconnection, offer a path to address these challenges plus provide benefits for communities and commerce. In th…
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Memphis faces the dual challenge of protecting itself from Mississippi River flooding while enhancing the environment and public spaces. The solution lies in nature-based projects that manage stormwater, restore wetlands, and provide community amenities. In this episode Carol Coletta of Memphis River Parks Partnership and Jake Spears of Ducks Unlim…
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Many water utilities across the U.S. are grappling with aging infrastructure, underfunding, and staffing challenges, but solutions are within reach through smarter management and targeted technical assistance. From a conversation at the Reservoir Center, George Hawkins, CEO of Moonshot Missions, shares how his organization helps utilities of all si…
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Milwaukee faces a significant challenge with over 70,000 lead service lines. In response, the city has implemented a replacement program initiated by an ordinance in 2017. This initiative leverages federal funding to focus on disadvantaged communities, with an emphasis on neighborhoods identified as most in need through an area deprivation index. I…
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Milwaukee is tackling the challenge of urban stormwater management through an innovative community-based public-private partnership. The Fresh Coast Protection Partnership is expanding green infrastructure, enhancing neighborhood quality, and developing the local workforce. In this episode, Bre Plier from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage Distric…
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Developing and recognizing emerging leaders in the water sector is crucial for addressing current and future challenges. The WaterNow Alliance’s Emerging Leaders program plays a vital role in this effort by identifying and supporting professionals who are driving positive change in their communities. This episode presents brief interviews with the …
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Managing water resources effectively is crucial, especially in regions facing scarcity and drought. The OpenET platform, developed through collaboration between NASA, the Environmental Defense Fund, and other partners, offers a groundbreaking solution by leveraging satellite data to measure evapotranspiration. In this episode, we hear from Forrest …
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Sophia Wang on the new tools helping her find answers in old data
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On our final episode this season of Working Smarter we talk to Sophia Wang, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Stanford University. Wang leads the school’s ophthalmic informatics and artificial intelligence group, which uses the latest machine learning techniques to analyze electronic health records. In practice, that means looking at dispa…
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