The Water Zone

Happy Harvesting

Our featured guests on The Water Zone were Bruno Marchon, Chief Technology Officer, and Frank Slovenec, VP of Strategy & Business Development for Water Harvesting Inc., which started in 2018 to commercialize atmospheric water harvesting systems based upon metal organic frameworks (MOFs).  This technology was pioneered by Professor Omar Yaghi at the University of California, Berkeley, and have been demonstrated to work for the atmospheric water harvesting application, even under very arid conditions.  They believe that there is more potential water in the atmosphere than in all the oceans, lakes and rivers of the world. 

(Podcast recorded on October 31, 2019)

Grey to Green

Joseph Gallegos of Grey4Green joins The Water Zone to share on his company, which manufactures products used to install grey water systems in both residential and commercial structures. Their unique products collect water from washing machines and sinks, filter it and then disperse the water for irrigation purposes. They also produce a 100% post-consumer plastic root barrier, which is used to prevent irrigation water from going under driveways and sidewalks. Gallegos discusses their innovations to subsurface irrigation, carbon mitigation and net zero/positive water buildings, and how those elements are only the beginning of how technology will change the way cities are built around the world.

(Podcast recorded on October 24, 2019)

Not Subject to Flooding

On this episode of The Water Zone, representatives from the Riverside Flood Control and Water Conservation District, Darcy Kuenzi, Government Affairs Officer, Jason Uhley, General Manager and Chief Engineer, and Richard Boon, Chief of Water Shed Protection Division, discuss the role of their organization and how flood control is contributing to groundwater sustainability. They also explain the serious issues encountered with various local fires and how their organization responded to the various floods due to no vegetation in the burn areas – in addition to providing tips on how citizens can help prevent storm water and ocean pollution.

(Podcast recorded on October 17, 2019)

Go Green or Go Home

Special guest Glenn Schiffbauer, executive director of the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce in New Mexico, joins The Water Zone to discuss the organization’s objective to help create jobs and technologies related to green industries. Particularly, the organization helps connect individuals with established companies to drive green industry jobs, products and services to the general population.

(Podcast recorded on October 10, 2019)

WaterSmart Innovations Conference

This podcast of The Water Zone features interviews with special guests attending the WaterSmart Innovations Conference in Las Vegas. They include:

• Veronica Blette, chief, EPA WaterSense Program, discusses current EPA WaterSense activities and planned projects re: soil moisture sensors.
• Brent Mecham of the Irrigation Association discusses the upcoming IA Show in November and irrigation technologies.
• Sheri Trapp, communications specialist for Arizona Municipal Water Users Association, discusses their representation of various local water agencies and water users.
• Bill Ward, executive director, PumpPod USA, discusses water conservation equipment for the fire-fighting industry utilized in their training activities.
• Tom Bohner, president, SolarSafe Pool Covers, discusses new technologies in poor covers that reduces water evaporation in pools.

(Podcast recorded on October 3, 2019)

When it Rains it Stores

The Water Zone hosted guest Doug Pushard, president of Kuel Water (pronounced “cool”) and HarvestH2o (rain water harvesting).  Both organizations work collaboratively with schools, universities, research organizations and, most importantly, individuals across the globe to devise solutions for managing real world problems in water conservation.  They use best practices, along with community experience to develop guidelines, tools and practical tips aimed at water conservation and economic investment.

(Podcast recorded on September 19, 2019)

Cross Country

Brenda Burman, Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), joins The Water Zone to discuss their priorities and what she believes needs to be the USBR’s prime focus.  She discusses the current drought and challenges facing the Colorado River, and describes how the U.S. and Mexico share the waters of the Colorado River and how this cooperative relationship is working.

(Podcast recorded on September 12, 2019)

Water is the New Grey

Our featured guest on this edition of The Water Zone is Paula Kehoe, Director of Water Resources for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.  She discussed how San Francisco's approach to water resource management has become a model for water conservation, and how they combine both centralized and decentralized components with potable and non-potable end users.  With regards to outside water reuse, San Francisco has mandated that all new commercial construction install a decentralized methodology for reclaiming and reprocessing grey and black water for all the facility's non-potable usage.

(Podcast recorded on September 5, 2019)

Lifetime Supply

Kathleen Tiegs and Oscar Gonzalez, members of the Board of Directors for Cucamonga Valley Water District (CVWD), join The Water Zone to share on the utility’s history and operation. They discuss CVWD's priorities in providing a reliable water supply for their constituents, what CVWD is doing to continue encouraging water use efficiency, and key challenges and opportunities in the coming years.    

(Podcast recorded on August 29, 2019)

Irrigation Education

Brent Mecham, Industry Development Director for the Irrigation Association, joins The Water Zone to discuss the importance of pressure regulation for spray bodies, nozzles and rotors.  He also shared on how and where to utilize flow sensors, soil moisture sensors and smart irrigation controllers – including programming tips and connectivity through the Cloud.

(Podcast recorded on August 15, 2019)

Hidden Treasure

Featured guest William Alley, Ph.D., with the National Ground Water Association, joins The Water Zone to discuss the importance of groundwater and how it is essential to the future of water availability and food security.  Dr. Alley explains how ground water is located and measured, and how fracking and pumping groundwater presents serious concerns. He also addresses contamination of groundwater and how desalination of groundwater is becoming more prominent.

(Podcast recorded on August 8, 2019)

The Thirst Project

Seth Maxwell, CEO and Co-Founder of the Thirst Project, joins The Water Zone to share on his nonprofit and their work with the support of young people to end the global water crises by building freshwater wells in developing communities that need safe, clean drinking water. He discusses a few success stories in the Kingdom of eSwatini, where they have to walk miles just to obtain water which is severely contaminated. He explains how they work with various governments around the globe to help provide their drilling services and educational outreach to people to become more knowledgeable in contaminated drinking water.

(Podcast recorded on August 1, 2019)

The Spongier the City, the Better

Featured guest Joe Frisbie, founder of Sustainable Practices Associates, joins The Water Zone to discuss the availability of water worldwide being a significant issue and the belief that we need to look at water, not as a natural resource, but as a strategic resource. He also discusses a new concept, called "Sponge Cities,” where infrastructure is reconnected to the natural environment.

Chris Austin of Maven’s Notebook also joins the program to share on the latest water news including current differences concerning the biological input regulation between the State of California and the federal government.

(Podcast recorded on July 18, 2019)

Reclaim What's Ours

Mayor Tara Campbell of Brea, California, joins The Water Zone to discuss several of the city’s conservation programs, and the role water plays in future growth and sustainability for its residents and businesses.  She also addresses the new Modern Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, and discusses her thoughts regarding the installation of recycled water and non-potable water into the city water system.

Also joining the program was Phil Hawkins, board member of the Yorba Linda Water District. Hawkins provided an overview of the water district’s service area and described where they obtain their water – in addition to sharing his thoughts on California’s proposed water tax and the need for a twin tunnel solution to carry more water throughout the state.  

(Podcast recorded on July 11, 2019)

Beneficial Bugs

Featured guest Steve Hazzard, principal of Organic Control, Inc., joins The Water Zone to share how their company produces and sells "beneficial bugs" to proactively protect plants from pests and prevent the use of chemicals. Hazzard also discusses the difference of three insect classifications: predators, parasites and pollinators.  He talks about the most common garden pests and how to naturally combat them, as well how to attract beneficial bugs.

(Podcast recorded on June 20, 2019)

Cleveland Cleanup

Cleveland (Ohio) Mayor Frank G. Jackson and his staff join The Water Zone to share the city’s upcoming summer celebration, called Sustainable Cleveland. Celebrating 50 years of water-quality improvement initiatives yielding one of the nation’s finest urban water systems, they also discuss the history of Cleveland’s famed Cuyahoga River, which famously burned in 1969 – to Cleveland’s river restoration efforts, water quality standards and a view into the future for the city.

(Podcast recorded on June 13, 2019)

The 5 Levels of Water

Joined by special guest Julie Gillins with the Washington County Water Conservancy District in St. George, Utah, The Water Zone talks about several of the District’s successful conservation programs, their 5-tier water rate system and penalties applied to heavy water users, and various year-round water efficiency events and classes to educate around water conservation.

(Podcast recorded on June 6, 2019)

A Conservation Conversation

Joined by special guest Chris Austin of Maven's Notebook, The Water Zone discusses the federal government’s effort to stop pollution of coastal waters caused by untreated sewage from the Tijuana River Valley. 

Brian Vinchesi, founder of Irrigation Consulting Inc., one of the most formidable irrigation design experts in the country, also joined the program to share his experience with a couple of notable projects – National Park in Washington D.C. and Central Park in New York City, in how he approached each design and installation. He also spoke about the differences in irrigation applications required in various parts of the country, and new irrigation technologies that help utilize water more efficiently. 

 (Podcast recorded on May 30, 2019)