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 of Earthjustice, shares insights into how the organization uses legal expertise and partnerships to protect vulnerable communities.

He highlights Earthjustice’s evolution from primarily representing large environmental groups to working closely with local communities, tribal nations, and grassroots organizations.

Julian discusses the importance of trust-building, listening without judgment, and ensuring that legal victories translate into real-world change.

This episode is part of the Color of Water series, a collaboration between waterloop and the Water Hub.

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 this episode, Karen Waldrop, Chief Conservation Officer, and Ellen Herbert, Senior Scientist, from Ducks Unlimited, share their organization's science-driven approach to protecting and restoring critical habitats for waterfowl.

They discuss the importance of partnerships and how Ducks Unlimited uses engineering alongside nature to improve ecosystems. Also highlighted is a new program with the University of Georgia to build a workforce of engineers to advance nature-based solutions.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet. This episode is part of the Mississippi By Nature series that is supported by the Walton Family Foundation and outfitted by Patagonia.

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 Unlimited discuss two transformative riverfront projects on either side of the river. Tom Lee Park, on the Tennessee side, offers stormwater management, flood resilience, and recreation, while a 1,500-acre park across the river in Arkansas restores wetlands and bottomland hardwood forests.

These projects reduce sediment and nutrient runoff while connecting the community to nature through trails, education, and outdoor spaces. Together, they showcase how cities can use natural solutions for environmental protection and quality of life.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet that explores solutions. This episode is part of the Mississippi By Nature series that is supported by the Walton Family Foundation and outfitted by Patagonia.

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 sizes improve operations, access federal funding, and adopt innovative technologies.

George emphasizes the crucial role of Environmental Finance Centers in delivering technical support to ensure underserved communities benefit from the historic influx of federal funding.

With examples like Toledo's shift toward energy recovery, the discussion illustrates how utilities can enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and drive meaningful environmental progress.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet. This episode is from the Reservoir Center in Washington, D.C., where waterloop is a media partner.

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.

In this episode, Superintendent Patrick Pauly of Milwaukee Water Works, Janet Pritchard from the Environmental Policy Innovation Center, and Richard Diaz of the Blue Green Alliance discuss the program’s funding strategies, including principal forgiveness funding that allows for 100% coverage of private side replacements without costs to property owners. They highlight the impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has provided a substantial influx of resources, enabling Milwaukee to increase its replacement goals from approximately 1,000 lines per year to 2,200 in 2024 and 3,500 in 2025.

Additionally, the discussion emphasizes a robust workforce development strategy, which mandates that contractors must allocate 25% of project dollars to small business enterprises and ensure that 40% of work hours are performed by workers from local disadvantaged areas.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet. This episode on lead service line replacement is supported by BlueConduit, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the Environmental Policy Innovation Center.

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 District and Kurt Farrell of CIS delve into the intricacies of scaling these efforts, benefits of collaboration, and impactful results seen so far, such as capturing millions of gallons of stormwater and revitalizing urban spaces.

They also highlight the importance of designing with maintenance in mind, engaging community stakeholders, and fostering small, minority, and women-owned businesses.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet.

This episode is made possible by CIS, who is working with community visionaries to lead some of the nation's largest urban infrastructure programs to create resilient cities. Visit cisolutions.com

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 seven individuals recognized this year, along with Caroline Koch of the WaterNow Alliance, discussing their impactful work in areas like lead line replacement, green stormwater infrastructure, and fostering diversity and equity within utilities.

The leaders featured include David Fielder II (Detroit Water and Sewerage Department), Tiffany Diaz (City of Georgetown, Texas), Dom Bennett (Lee’s Summit Water Utilities, Missouri), Christopher Lang (City of New Orleans), Grace Vogel Sanders (Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans), Xochitl Coronado-Vargas (Tucson Water, Arizona), and Amanda Jones (Tucson Water, Arizona).

Their efforts demonstrate the transformative potential of emerging leadership in water management.

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 Melton of NASA and Robyn Grimm, formerly of the Environmental Defense Fund, who explain the science behind OpenET and its diverse applications.

The episode also features insights from various users across the water sector, including farmers and water managers, who discuss how OpenET is transforming their approach to water use and conservation.

From supporting regulatory compliance to optimizing irrigation, OpenET is proving to be a critical tool for ensuring sustainable water management in the face of climate challenges.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet.