Environmental Finance Center Network

Small water systems are struggling to keep up with compliance and rising costs. In this episode, we explore how new policy tools, partnerships, and restructuring can unlock solutions for the future. This episode is hosted by Danish Kumar, Climate Change Program Manager at The University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center, with Ellen Kohler, Director of Applied Research and Policy at The Water Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Clare Pace (PhD, MPH) a postdoctoral researcher for the University of California, Berkeley Water Equity Science Shop (WESS). Dr. Pace shares insights about PFAS for small and rural water systems. Starting with the basics, we discuss what PFAS are, where they come from, known and unknown health risks, the current PFAS regulatory landscape for water and wastewater systems in the United States, and advice for water systems and policymakers who are thinking about PFAS.

What happens behind the scenes to ensure clean, safe water leaves our communities? In this episode, host Anthony Craven talks with Dr. Jason Barrett, Director of the Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute at Mississippi State University, and Eric Williams, Senior Project Manager at the MWRRI, about the municipal wastewater permitting process. Together, they break down why permits matter, how the process works, and the critical role it plays in protecting public health and the environment.

Aging pipes, outdated meter reading systems, and strained budgets are putting more pressure than ever on our nation’s water utilities. In this episode, host Anthony Craven sits down with Eric Williams, Senior Project Manager with the Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute at Mississippi State University, and Dr. Jason Barrett, MWRRI Director, to unpack the biggest challenges facing utilities today. From infrastructure upgrades to modern billing technologies, they explore what’s at stake and how communities can prepare for a more resilient water future.

Changing weather patterns and climate are putting new pressure on septic systems. From rising groundwater to more frequent flooding, many communities are already seeing the impacts. In this episode, Dr. Andrew Lazur and Dr. Allison Reilly explore how climate change is affecting septic system performance, the public health risks that come with system failures, and practical steps homeowners and local leaders can take to prepare for the future. The conversation also covers options for upgrading systems, connecting to centralized sewer, and building long-term community preparedness with a data-driven approach.

In this second episode of a two-part series, University professor and water quality expert Kerry Howe and Ryan Magee, technical assistance provider at the Southwest Environmental Finance Center, continue their conversation about the meaning behind the term water quality as it applies to public water systems. From turbidity to different types of source water to chlorination, Kerry helps clarify how water systems use various layers of treatment to ensure that the water coming out of a tap is safe for public consumption. If you haven't listened to Episode 1, it was published on August 26, 2025, and can be found here: https...

In a two-part series, University professor and water quality expert Kerry Howe explains the meaning behind the term water quality as it applies to public water systems. From turbidity to different types of source water to chlorination, Kerry helps clarify how water systems use various layers of treatment to ensure that the water coming out of a tap is safe for public consumption. Your host for this episode is Ryan Magee, a technical assistance provider at the Southwest Environmental Finance Center, in Albuquerque, NM.

One of the greatest challenges that communities face when planning and managing green infrastructure programs is maintenance and upkeep of their green infrastructure installations. Green infrastructure (water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure that uses natural systems to mitigate water quality and quantity) requires management and maintenance – but do you have a knowledgeable, reliable, and enthusiastic workforce to get it all done?

The City of Tucson’s Storm to Shade program does. Listen in on a conversation with Brooke Bushman, the City of Tucson’s Storm to Shade Program Green Stormwater Infrastructure Maintenance Manager. She develops communication and technical system...

This podcast features Goleta Water District in Santa Barbara County, California. The district operates to provide water to over 87,000 people living in the greater Goleta Valley with an infrastructure of more than 270 miles of pipeline. GFOA worked with the Goleta Water District on a risk-based reserve project to assist the District re-evaluate it reserve policy to right-size fund levels to account for exposed risks and a broad range of externalities beyond its control. This podcast provides further insights into risk management for water systems through the case study of Goleta Water District.

In this podcast, host Danish Kumar speaks with Jennifer Egan, Program Manager at the UMD EFC about the pressing but often overlooked issue of wastewater management in mobile home parks and rural communities. They explore the challenges posed by aging septic systems, deferred maintenance, and complex ownership structures, particularly in low-income areas. Jennifer shares real-world examples from Delaware, including communities working toward centralized wastewater solutions with help from technical assistance and funding programs. The episode offers practical advice for park managers and system operators on how to track maintenance, identify early warning signs, and plan for long-term resilience.

In the world of wastewater treatment, operators often wear many hats—including that of the sampler. Sampling is not just a regulatory requirement; it’s a cornerstone of effective plant operation and environmental protection. Yet, many operators face challenges due to limited access to proper tools and training.

In this second episode of a two-part series, the Environmental Finance Center Network’s own Mike Rivera—a seasoned operator and plant manager—discusses the different type of samples a wastewater worker may conduct to optimize their wastewater treatment process and meet regulatory requirements. Mike provides a walkthrough of the wastew...

In the world of wastewater treatment, operators often wear many hats—including that of the sampler. Sampling is not just a regulatory requirement; it’s a cornerstone of effective plant operation and environmental protection. Yet, many operators face challenges due to limited access to proper tools and training.

In this first episode of a two-part series, the Environmental Finance Center Network’s own Mike Rivera—a seasoned operator and plant manager—shares practical guidance on how to get started with sampling and how to ensure your procedures are accurate and compliant. From choosing the right equipment to avoiding c...

Veteran operator, Mike Rivera, shares real-world water sampling insights—from compliance prep and troubleshooting to working in tough environments. Practical tips for small system water operators.

Join the Environmental Finance Center Network as we explore how capital improvement planning can lead to a more financially resilient utility.

In this episode, Southwest EFC Research Engineer A.J. Barney speaks with Rose Fenton, the Wastewater Plant Operations Manager at the Village of Jemez Springs, NM. Rose shares her firsthand perspective on the journey of developing a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) from the ground up. Whether you're new to capital planning or looking to refine your approach, you'll gain valuable insights into:

This podcast features an interview with Nicole Rentz, the Director of Market Development and Policy for New Columbia Solar, a company that specializes in commercial and industrial solar energy solutions.

The discussion revolves around the use of solar energy in wastewater treatment plants, covering topics like the benefits of solar, assessing feasibility, costs, financing options, technical and site requirements, and common pitfalls to avoid while planning for solar at your facility.

Presenter: Danish Kumar, UMD EFC

For decades, a Community Based Organization have been stewards of the Las Curías lake in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In this Spanish-language episode, we talk with limnologist Jorge Ortíz about an outreach project developed by Syracuse University EFC in collaboration with the University of Puerto Rico. This Community Science and Stewardship project provides opportunities for collaborative learning, allowing participants to explore scientific concepts and communications engagement strategies among community members and environmental science students, focusing on the impacts of decentralized wastewater systems on water quality to increase best management practices and environmental stewardship.

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A discussion with Carmen Guzman-Simpliciano from the community of Waianae, Oahu Hawaii on the importance of engaging communities from the beginning of a project. Carmen is the Director and cofounder of the community based organization Kingdom Pathways, and is also Capacity Collaborative's Manager for Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. Carmen is interviewed by Sarah Diefendorf (Director) and Elaine McCarty (Associate Director) of Capacity Collaborative.

In this episode Daryl J. Gotham, PE, Senior Research Engineer at the Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center interviews Dr. Ishi Keenum of Michigan Technological University (MTU) about the surveillance of pathogens in wastewater. Ishi has Bachelor's and Master's degrees in environmental engineering and a PhD in Civil engineering. She is an Assistant Professor at MTU.

In this episode Daryl J. Gotham, PE, Senior Research Engineer at the Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center interviews Jean Inman, P.E. about the benefits of cleaning and televising wastewater collection systems. Jean is a licensed professional engineer with Spicer Group of Saginaw, Michigan with over 28 years of experience with municipal wastewater collection systems and treatment plants.

In this episode Alex Radke of the Center for Technology and Training at Michigan Technological University interviews Daryl J. Gotham, PE, Senior Research Engineer at the Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center about the benefits of wastewater collection system preventative maintenance. Daryl was previously the Director of the Department of Public Services for a large Michigan Township.

In this episode Daryl J. Gotham, PE, Senior Research Engineer at the Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center interviews Anne Tavalire of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) about the national pretreatment program rules and implementation. Anne is a Regional Pretreatment Program Specialist with EGLE.  

In this Podcast Dawn Nall and A.J. Barney discuss their recent experience providing technical assistance as part of the EPA's "Closing America's Wastewater Access Gap" Pilot projects. They discuss what they liked about this project, how the pilot provided a unique strategy for progress, and how communities may benefit from similar future projects.

In this episode we discuss fee schedules for fats, oils, and grease (FOG) Pretreatment programs. We discuss how fee schedules can be developed to effectively enforce Pretreatment regulations and how different strategies can be used for different Pretreatment programs. We also discuss how fees can be used as more than just a form of punishment, but also as a tool to encourage and help FOG producers protect their business and the community around them.

Presenters: Dawn Nall & AJ Barney, Southewest Environmental Finance Center

Join us for a discussion with two Regional Environmental Finance Centers (EFCs) who have the ability to provide a qualified engineer to do a preliminary engineering report (or PER) for small disadvantaged communities. Hosted by John Sullivan, PE from the Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center at Michigan Technological University, the EFC in EPA Region 5.

The funding landscape is often treacherous, filled with complexities and challenges that can feel overwhelming, especially for smaller communities. Problems undoubtedly arise, from securing the right grants to fostering collaborations among various agencies. Understanding these hurdles and learning from those who are on the other side of this process can make a significant difference. Please join us for an informative conversation with Charlie Philion who brings years of experience, a multitude of knowledge, and an expert understanding of the funding landscape.

This podcast discusses the topics of power generation and heating using biogas produced during the digestion process in wastewater treatment. The focus of the discussion is the equipment required for power and heat production, related costs, and considerations related to the cost-benefit of potential heat and power projects. Presented by Tim Colling and Daryl Gotham

Join Program Associate Mike Tate as he goes through the long history of wastewater treatment.

In this podcast you will hear from Heather Himmelberger, Dawn Nall, and Mike Rivera on their perspectives of what you need to talk to your engineer about during both the planning and design phase of your project. Heather and Dawn are both engineers and Mike is a certified water and wastewater operator. They share their experiences and what they have learned by working with water systems around the country about collaborating with your design engineer.

Moonshot Missions (a partner of the EFCN) discusses the experiences they've had with the San Carlos Apache Tribe, one of the communities participating in EPA's and USDA's Closing America's Wastewater Access Gap Pilot Project. San Carlos Apache Tribe worked alongside EPA, USDA, IHS, EFCN, contractors and many others to develop a solution plan for issues they are facing with aging wastewater infrastructure. Challenges encountered and Important takeaways from this pilot project are highlighted in this podcast.

In this episode Dawn Nall from the Southwest Environmental Finance Center interviews Sarah Diefendorf and Elaine McCarty from the EFC West, or soon to be Capacity Collaborative, on the importance of communicating in the wastewater industry. Sarah and Elaine reflect on their vast experience focusing on community outreach and education to share what they've learned about communication in wastewater, especially the importantance of learning about your stakeholders, maintaining engagement with them, creating trust, and catering your outreach to the individual community.

In this episode Dawn Nall from the Southwest Environmental Finance Center interviews Sarah Diefendorf and Elaine McCarty from the EFC West, or soon to be Capacity Collaborative, on the impact unknowns have on septic systems and the communities they influence. Septic systems are an important tool used to meet the wastewater needs of many communities and individuals that can't access centralized wastewater treatment, but due to their nature as private systems officials and even the owners themselves often don't know the full extent of their functionality. Sarah and Elaine discuss strategies for addressing these knowledge gaps and the importance...

Interview City of Tucson, AZ staff: John Kmiec, Tucson Water Director; James MacAdam, Administrator, Conservation & Stormwater Resources, Tucson Water; Andrea Achilli, Associate Professor, Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Arizona (UA) and deputy director of the UA Water and Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center.

Embark on an exploration of the transformative odyssey undertaken by Moonshot Missions as we delve into the origins of this innovative initiative. In this enlightening podcast, Nathan Coey articulates the genesis of Moonshot Missions and recounts his personal involvement in fostering the growth of Moonshot Missions to its present prominence.

We want our assets doing their intended function as much as possible, but how do we make that happen? One way is the concept of reliability. Reliability helps us ensure we are doing the right maintenance activities to keep our assets in proper working order as much as possible. It helps us prevent catastrophic failures and can even improve operator safety. In this podcast we are joined by George Williams and Paul Crocker from Reliability X to talk about their experience integrating reliability into their work flow. Join us to learn all about how you can implement reliability and...

In this episode, we dive into collection systems. We discuss the basic components that make-up collection systems and their objectives. Wastewater starts at your homes, then travels to the wastewater treatment plant, and we will discuss all the parts that get it there. Finally, we talk about what it takes to maintain that system and what is done to protect it. Please join us for this in-depth journey from your drains through the sewers!

Severe storms and flooding can cause problems for wastewater systems whenever they occur, but these events are happening more frequently and with more intensity due to climate change. The impacts of these events on wastewater systems are not limited to more frequent flooding, power outages, and service interruptions, but also may include sewer overflows, reduced treatment effectiveness, and changing operations and maintenance needs. What steps can wastewater managers take to improve their ability to handle these issues and become more resilient to the impacts of climate change? In this podcast episode, we speak with Dr. Christine Kirchhoff, Ph.D...

Justinn Overton, Executive Director Coosa WaterKeeper located in Birmingham Alabama patrols and documents the Coosa River and its tributaries from the land, water, and air, looks for pollution problems, responds to citizen complaints, researches and analyzes polluters’ permits, collects pollution samples for laboratory analysis, educates the public about the beauty of the river and threats to it, advocates compliance with environmental laws, and works on finding solutions to pollution problems. In short – she speaks for the Coosa River. In this interview she discusses the river's wastewater challenges and offers some solutions.

Dr. DeAnn Presley, PhD, a Professor of Environmental Soil Science and Management discusses how soil conditions impact different home waste systems with Tonya Bronlewee, Director at the WSU EFC.

Many communities’ wastewater treatment plants and related infrastructure are located in or near floodplains, which makes sense given how these facilities work. However, this also means that they are prone to flooding. The Town of Waterbury, Vermont experienced catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Irene in 2011, as did the rest of the state. Their wastewater pump station was inundated and rendered inoperable for several days. To reduce the chances of this happening again, they implemented several flood mitigation measures at the facility over the next few years. Then, in 2023, major floods hit the Town again, putting their mitigation projects to the te...

On this episode, we are delighted to welcome Dr. Mercy Umeri from the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs at Wichita State University as our guest. Dr. Umeri shares valuable insights on the importance of implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices in the water sector. She also speaks on the significance of conflict resolution and provides us with helpful tips on how to improve our conflict resolution skills.

Join Jeff Severin, Program Manager from Wichita State University EFC as he discusses how we can better understand the burden that our utility may be placing on our customers and how we can utilize empathy to better serve them.

Marketing research has found that we are exposed to as many as 10,000 marketing/outreach messages daily. This podcast by Wichita State University Program Manager Brian Bohnsack focuses on practical ways wastewater and water utilities can increase their outreach and marketing messages.

There are many benefits of more holistic or integrated water resource management, whether that is across "types" of water resources or across municipal boundaries. The Derry Township Municipal Authority (DTMA) in south-central Pennsylvania has served as the local wastewater utility for several decades. Recently they took over management of the Township's stormwater system. Mike Postick, an engineer, has been involved with DTMA for several years and is currently the DTMA's Stormwater Program Manager. In this podcast interview, he recounts their experience of adding stormwater to the Authority's responsibilities and shares advice for other communities considering this type of integration.<...

Mike Tate discusses the development of an NPDES permit. He goes over the three facets of developing NPDES Permits: Technology Based Limits, TMDL Specified Limits and Water Quality Based Limits. Better understand your permit today!

Join Mike Tate who spent a bulk of his 40 year career working with smaller communities and their lagoon systems. He goes over 7 common issues that he encountered over his years and offers practical advice on how to prevent and solve these issues.

Martha Graham, Source Water Protection Specialist at New Mexico Rural Water Association, discusses the importance of a source water protection assessment and plan with the EFCN team. We dive into source water protection for small water systems and water systems in New Mexico including resources for those interested in implementing source water protection at their system.

Linda Hills from ERG, the organization who developed the SCAP Tool, discusses how the tool was created, the benefits to small systems who need to develop an asset inventory, and how the tool can be used to design, update, and maintain an asset management plan.

This podcast discusses the importance of asset management, what issues an asset management plan helps to address, and plan implementation.

This podcast compares centralized and decentralized wastewater systems and describes the advantages and disadvantages of each system type.

This podcast explains different service rate structures, methods and resources used to set service rates, and the challenges small systems face in setting rates.

This podcast provides an overview of how treatment lagoons are used for wastewater treatment, the types of treatment lagoons, and how to maintain an effective treatment lagoon.

In December of 2022, Buffalo, NY experienced a once-in-a-generation blizzard. Extensive snowfall and high winds impacted the city, devastating neighborhoods, and leaving community members stranded. In this episode, the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center’s communications intern, Mya Bonney, interviews Rosie B. Nogle, a Principal Sanitary Engineer for the Buffalo Sewer Authority. Join us for a conversation on what happened before, during, and after the storm from the perspective of a wastewater treatment facility.

Easton Utilities won the MD Green Registry's Sustainability Leadership Award for installing a 2-megawatt photovoltaic solar array, which produces more than 100% of the energy needed for its wastewater treatment facility and removing up to 95% of pollutants through wastewater treatment system and selling the resulting biosolids to local farmers as fertilizer, among other things. This podcast will explore why they chose to do this, how they did it, and what financial and community benefits they've garnered from it.

This insightful interview with water quality expert Elin Warn Betanzo P.E. sheds light on the topic of lead contamination and compliance with the revised lead and copper rule. In this podcast you will be introduced to new research regarding lead sampling and monitoring, learn new ways to approach lead service line replacement projects, and find out how the Flint MI and Washing DC lead contamination events have taught us valuable lessons about maintaining water quality and protecting public health.

In this podcast we will discuss the basic of NPDES permit regulations. We talk to Ben Zimmerman, a data analyst and NPDES permit enforcement coordinator with the Albuquerque Water Authority, about typical permit requirements and program details. Processes for conducting compliance sampling, submitting EPA reports, the available resources, and enforcement are all touched upon in this interview.

This podcast describes the various safety concerns associated with wastewater treatment plants and details safe practices and procedures operators should implement to ensure a safe working environment.

Tonya Bronleewe, Director at Wichita State University EFC sits down with two interns that participated in the Work in Water program. Learn more about developing a work in water internship at www.wichita.edu/workinwater.

This episode explores the roles and responsibilities of wastewater treatment plant operators.

Today we will be discussing why emergency response planning is necessary and the three areas of emergency response that your utility can being to brainstorm to jump start your emergency response planning efforts.

This podcast describes the typical waste constituents found in wastewater, the importance of treatment, and general National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements.

This episode describes the process and purpose of activated sludge. The different components of a typical activated sludge process are provided, as well as duties and observations operators should be familiar with.

This podcast episode covers the latest version of the Lead and Copper Rule that came out in December 2021. This episode will focus on: action and trigger level exceedances, sampling and testing locations and requirements, lead service line replacement programs and their implementation, and notification and education requirements.

This podcast provides an overview of drinking water regulations and standards, specifically the Safe Drinking Water Act, regulated Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR), National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (NSDWRs), and other rules and regulations used to ensure safe drinking water.

This podcast details the various forms of tertiary treatments used by wastewater utilities in the removal of various contaminants found in wastewater. It emphasizes the importance of tertiary treatment in regards to unregulated and unmonitored contaminants of concern in wastewater as well as microplastic contaminants. Tertiary treatment includes bacteriological disinfection as well as additional treatment to remove and reduce other contaminants from wastewater. In this podcast, disinfection is briefly introduced but a detailed stand alone podcast will be offered in the future.

This podcast describes the use of water storage facilities and associated components to ensure a continuous, dependable, and clean supply of drinking water.

This episode describes the headworks and primary treatment process of a typical wastewater treatment plant. The discussion of the headworks focuses on the purpose, process, and components of coarse screenings, grit removal, and influent sampling processes. For primary treatment, the purpose, components, and operator duties are described for primary clarification.

This podcast describes the measures taken to address iron, manganese, and water hardness concerns in drinking water treatment.

This podcast describes the use of chlorine disinfection for drinking water treatment at Small Water Systems.

In this podcast, hear from the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center's Director of Water Resiliency Initiatives, Khris Dodson, as he interviews Walt Walker, Water Equity Practice Leader and Associate at Greeley and Hansen. The two discuss the challenges of incorporating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion across all aspects of wastewater operations and drinking water operations, highlighting recent successes through their leadership in the New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA). Learn about Walt's work as co-chair of NYWEA's DEI Committee, the challenges of embracing broad definitions of diversity in the water sector, and the critical role he sees for other Membership...

This podcast describes the common treatment issues and challenges faced when using surface water as a drinking water source.

Tune in for a discussion of how wildfires impact wastewater and drinking water systems. As climate change further exacerbates natural disasters, water and wastewater systems will be put at greater risk for service and infrastructure failure or malfunction. In this podcast, we will begin to understand why more frequent wildfires are occurring, and will then explore how they may impact your wastewater or drinking water system. For more resources on how wildfires may impact your system, you can visit: https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/wildfires-how-do-they-affect-our-water-supplies

In this podcast Sarah Diefendorf, Director of EFC West, discusses water resources and drought in Imperial County, California with Alex Cardenas, Vice President of the Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors representing Division 1 in Imperial County California.

This podcast describes what a sanitary survey is, its elements, and how conducting these surveys help protect the water supply from pollution sources.

Join us for the second podcast in a series exploring green infrastructure for small water, wastewater, and stormwater systems and utilities. Shannon Pepper, from the Southwest Environmental Finance Center, interviews Cameron Weber from Rio Grande Return, a nonprofit organization in New Mexico focused on ecological restoration of wetlands and watershed health. In this podcast we discuss and explore the Harvey Jones Channel Bioswale, a project that sits at the critical intersection of stormwater mitigation, source water protection, community engagement, and ecological restoration.

This podcast provides an overview of the Clean water act, the main provisions, history, and environmental benefits.

This podcast discusses the Effective Utility Management framework as a tool to improve management capacity from the perspective of an operator moving into management.

This podcast describes the function of groundwater wells and the importance of proper operation to protect the groundwater aquifer, an important source of drinking water.

In this podcast, we will be looking at energy efficiency for wastewater treatment. Energy used at treatment facilities is a large share of a plant’s operating costs. Assessing those costs and where to make improvements can provide long-term savings for utilities. Operators in New Hampshire are finding ways to drive energy costs down, with the help from the state government and incentive programs.

This podcast describes the various sources of water (i.e., groundwater, surface water, precipitation) that contribute to our drinking water.

This podcast describes the many roles and responsibilities of a Small Water System Operator.

Water from snow is a crucial resource for many communities. Unfortunately, climate change is causing snow resources to rapidly change. In this podcast, we discuss why water from snow is so important, how it's changing, and what this means for small systems. We touch on existing resources and new research aimed at helping communities monitor and plan their snow resources.

Today we will be discussing why emergency response planning is necessary and the three areas of emergency response that your utility can being to brainstorm to jump start your emergency response planning efforts.

This episode discusses the benefits of develop a green infrastructure initiative and key components in developing a program.

En este podcast en español, escuche una conversación entre Isabel McCullough Valentin, estudiante de la SUNY Colegio de Ciencias Ambientales y Forestales y la Dra. Kaira Fuentes, Gerente del Programa del Caribe en el Centro de Financiamiento Ambientales de la Universidad de Syracuse. La Dra. Fuentes comparte su experiencia trabajando con líderes comunitarios en Puerto Rico mientras construyen y mantienen pequeños sistemas de agua que brindan agua potable a más de 100,000 personas.  

In this Spanish-language podcast, listen to a conversation between SUNY-ESF student Isabel McCullough Valentin and Dr. Kaira Fuentes, Caribbean Program Manage...

In this podcast Sarah Diefendorf, Director of EFC West, and Jill Sherman Warne discuss the history of the Hoopa Tribe in California and their relationship with water.

GIS Tools for Small Water Systems

This episode provides examples in operations optimization including sewer cleaning and televising and data integrity and visualization.

This podcast discusses the new online Integrated Asset Management Framework which blends green assets into the existing gray asset management framework. The framework is for water, wastewater, and stormwater systems of any size that are interested in implementing asset management practices. 

https://swefc.unm.edu/iamf/
https://swefcapps.unm.edu/gardb

Part 2 of this podcast on small water system governance and the ability to secure funding discusses environmental justice, BIL money, and strategies and recommendations for government officials and water managers to improve and navigate bureaucratic systems and access funding.

Part 1 of this podcast on small water system governance and the ability to secure funding discusses whose responsibility is it to provide safe drinking water to residents, the role of violations, and difficulties to secure funding.

Oftentimes, when we think about wastewater infrastructure costs we only think about the costs incurred during the construction phase. In this podcast episode, Dawn Nall, research engineer for the Environmental Finance Center with expertise in wastewater management, explains what else is included in wastewater infrastructure cost, and why customers should know about them.

This podcast provides processes and tools to communities who are interested in planning for resiliency in their wastewater system.

This podcast helps utilities understand how to obtain and manage project funding through USDA Rural Development funding programs.

This podcast helps utilities understand how to obtain and manage project funding through their State Revolving Fund program.

This is the first of three episodes in an EFCN podcast series about green infrastructure. Susannah Drake, founding principal of DLANDstudio in Brooklyn, NY (which has recently merged with Sasaki Associates), discusses why green infrastructure, though it is commonly only associated with urban areas, is a critical part of thinking about the future of rural landscapes and small water systems.

This podcast covers financing options available to wastewater systems and provides a thorough discussion about the process that utilities will engage in when financing infrastructure projects.

Join us for a discussion of how small (and large) water systems can leverage the EPA’s free WaterSense Promotional Partner program to encourage water conservation and efficiency in their communities. We cover what WaterSense is, available resources, and how to get started.

This podcast makes the connection between customer service levels, asset prioritization, and operation & maintenance activities.

This podcast discusses the benefits of asset management for improving utility capacity.