Water Leaders Share Insights in WEF Podcasts

The Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) “Words on Water” podcast series presents insights from leaders in the water sector. Stream online podcast episodes and download audio files on iTunes and the Android Words on Water app.

In recent episodes:

• Marleah LaBelle, project manager with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (Anchorage), discusses challenges with drinking water and sanitation as well as the effects of climate change in Alaska native villages.
• Art Umble, lead of the global wastewater practice for Stantec Consulting, explains the circular economy, support for the concept, and using biomimicry to model water systems.
• Eleanor Allen, CEO of Water for People (Denver), explains the organization’s model of Water for Everyone Forever, its unique niche among global water charities, and use of donations for its efforts.
• Matt Streicher and Liz Heise with the Global Water Stewardship (Crystal Lake, Ill.) discuss the organization’s work in Costa Rica to address sanitation and environmental challenges; volunteer efforts to help design systems to treat wastewater and train local residents as operators; and work to educate locals about the issues.
• Dave Pedersen, general manager of the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (Calabasas, Calif.), shares how the utility responded to the Woolsey Fire by maintaining power, tracking water levels, and keeping in communication with firefighters to protect infrastructure.
• Jenelle Armstrong, utility division manager of The Thrasher Group (Bridgeport, W.Va.), describes how her time at the U.S. Naval Academy prepared her to be a woman in the male-dominated water sector, why veterans make outstanding employees, and what she experienced during the 2014 drinking water crisis in Charleston, W.Va.
• Will Sarni, founder and CEO of the Water Foundry (Denver), discusses the value of water for business, ways to mitigate growing risks around water, how digital technologies are changing our relationship with water, the importance of the circular economy and water-energy-food nexus, and his optimism about the future of water.
• Morgan Brown and Rahkia Nance, WEF staff members, describe the Introducing Future Leaders to Opportunities in Water (InFLOW) program and how it provides scholarships to underrepresented minority students interested in water sector careers and the experiences of students who attended WEFTEC 2018 through the inaugural year of InFLOW.