Everyone has a role to play in protecting public health. Tap Talk, the Drinking Water in Rural America Podcast, connects professionals across the drinking water community with ideas to extend and enhance our work.
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Today, we finish up Season 7 of Tap Talk with the final part of our conservation with Anthony DeRosa, the executive director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators ( ASDWA ). In this half of the conversation, Anthony discusses the changing approach of states to drinking water compliance and the challenges they face, the shifting culture of innovation and knowledge-sharing across…
To conclude Season 7 of Tap Talk, we bring you a two-part conversation with Anthony DeRosa, the executive director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators ( ASDWA ). In Part 1 of the episode, Anthony tells Steve and Jennifer about the work ASDWA does to support drinking water regulators, the evolution of the organization over the time he has worked there, and his approach to…
This week on Tap Talk, we are pleased to welcome to the show a colleague from the Illinois State Water Survey : Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford. Trent explains the weather phenomenon of El Niño to Steve & Jennifer, including the science behind the oscillation's mechanics, the likelihood of this year's El Niño becoming a "Super" El Niño, the expected impacts on regional climates around the…
This week's episode of Tap Talk is a direct follow-up to last week's show, " What We Can Learn from Vermont's Flash Drought ." In that episode, we primarily discussed the impact of flash drought to private well users in Vermont. This week, we hear about the challenges from the other side of 2025's water crisis: those experienced at public water systems. Sille Larsen, water resources program…
For the 80th episode of Tap Talk, we are pleased to talk with Tom DeBell, an environmental health engineer at the Vermont Department of Health. Tom tells Steve and Jennifer about the intense flash drought that Vermont (and other northeastern states) experienced in the summer of 2025, particularly how the drought impacted private well users in the state. They also discuss the steps that the health…
The more people maintain their septic systems, the more septage gets generated. But, there's increasingly no where for it to go. Sara Heger, a decentralized wastewater expert with NOWRA, is back on the show to break down why septage disposal is becoming a bigger headache, what PFAS and other contaminants have to do with it, and what it might actually take to fix this challenge. Visit…
Next up on Tap Talk, we are welcoming Shannan Walton, the National Rural Water Association 's Director of Workforce Development, to the show. At NRWA, Shannan has been integral in running the organization's successful NRWA Apprenticeship Program for training new operators across the country. Listen to her conversation with Steve and Jennifer to learn all about the history, development, and the…
This week on Tap Talk we finish our two-part series with Bob Schreiber! In this episode, Bob (a water resources engineer at CDM Smith and long-time National Ground Water Association member) continues to discuss the development and importance of the National Ground Water Monitoring Network with Steve and Jennifer. They also discuss the links between Bob's advocacy work for both groundwater and…
Our newest Tap Talk episode is a two-parter! Today, we welcome Bob Schreiber, a water resources engineer at CDM Smith and long-time National Ground Water Association member, to the show to discuss the development and importance of the National Ground Water Monitoring Network . Be sure to tune back in next week for Part 2 with Bob! Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show…
For Tap Talk's landmark 75th episode, we welcomed on Hunter Adams, the Water Source & Purification Superintendent for the City of Wichita Falls, Texas. With Jennifer & Steve, Hunter discusses the importance of getting involved with the water industry and giving back to the water community. Hunter also explains the story behind the series of "What Operators Need to Know" articles he writes and…
Today, we welcome Katie Maegli of Water Quality Investigations to Tap Talk! WQI is a private water testing lab in southern Wisconsin, where Katie serves as the lab's microbiologist with specializations in buildings' water systems and Legionella management. This conversation dives deep into Legionella; from where the bacteria is commonly found, the regulatory guidelines that help reduce Legionella…
Tap Talk Season 7 is here! Today, we bring you a conversation with Michael Phillis, a water & environment reporter for the Associated Press. Michael tells Jennifer & Steve about how he got into environmental reporting, the importance and range of stories about water, and the experience of reporting the recent long-form investigation " A crisis emerges across the US as 'forever chemicals' quietly…
Today, we finish Tap Talk Season 6 with the second part of our conversation with Mike McGill of WaterPIO ! Jennifer, Steve, and Mike discuss the importance of reliable and updated websites for water utilities, the similarities and differences in communicating about lead versus PFAS contamination, how small utilities can best communicate on these subjects, and more. We hope you've enjoyed Season 6,…
We're concluding Tap Talk Season 6 with another two-part series! Today, we release the first episode of the set: "Build Trust Before a Crisis: Communication Basics for Water Systems." Mike McGill, founder and president of water utility communications & PR firm WaterPIO , joins Jennifer and Steve to discuss the shifting landscape of communicating in the water sector. Between the longstanding issue…
In the second episode of our series featuring Andrew Jacque and Emily Hefty-Dieckhoff from Water Quality Investigations , we continue exploring the world of biofilms and other common water quality issues in household water systems. Make sure you've caught Part 1 first that covers a lot of biofilm basics, and then here in Part 2 hear Andrew, Emily, Steve, and Jennifer further discuss…
In the first episode of a two-part series, we explore the world of biofilms in drinking water systems with guests Andrew Jacque and Emily Hefty-Dieckhoff of Water Quality Investigations . Andrew and Emily explain to Jennifer and Steve the fundamentals of what biofilms are, where they can be found both in water systems and naturally, and the health issues they can cause. Be sure to return for Part…
In Tap Talk's 68th episode, Steve and Jennifer chat with Kurt Rakouskas — a project manager at the Environmental Council of the States — about the organization's cross-disciplinary work and its stewardship of the Be Well Informed tool . This free tool helps well users understand the results of water tests performed on their wells by translating the scientific and technical notation into plain…
This week on Tap Talk we are pleased to welcome guest Erin Ling, a senior extension specialist at Virginia Tech University who coordinates the Virginia Household Water Quality Program (VAHWQP). The unique program provides a wealth of services to well owners in Virginia, including affordable testing, educational programming & workshops, water quality data collection & publication, and youth…
In this episode we're concluding a two-part series exploring PFAS and their impact on private well users. Our conversation with Dr. Jacqueline MacDonald Gibson and Jennifer Hoponick Redmon dives further into their research efforts and potential applications. Together these episodes offer important foundational understanding as well as new insight on PFAS exposure via well water. Visit…
In this episode we're kicking off a two-part series exploring PFAS—also known as "forever chemicals"—and their impact on private well users. Jennifer and Steve are joined by Dr. Jacqueline MacDonald Gibson and Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, two leading experts in environmental health and water quality. Together, they break down the science behind PFAS, discuss how these chemicals enter our water…
In TT064, we bring you another private well-focused episode. Our guest is Cindy Brookes, a seasoned technical assistance provider at the Great Lakes Community Action Partnership , a division of RCAP . In this role, Cindy has assessed over 300 private wells and counseled well owners on how to proceed with their well challenges, and made significant use of the Private Well and Spring Assessment Tool…
This week on Tap Talk, we are beyond pleased to welcome two of our colleagues on our Water & Public Health team at the Illinois State Water Survey to the show: Sallie Dolan and Erin Huggett, who are the main forces behind running our Private Well Class Help Center and phone hotline. Launched in the spring of 2024, these services have assisted over 65,000 well owners in finding answers to their…
If you've ever been to WEFTEC , you know about Operations Challenge. The annual showcase of the top operations teams in the country is the Olympics of the industry, and it's impossible to miss in WEFTEC's exhibit hall. WEFTEC 2025 is just around the corner, and to mark the return of the world's largest water quality exhibition to Chicago, we welcomed Steve Harrison and Jeff Sober to the podcast.…
To kick off Tap Talk's sixth season, today we bring you a special early episode to mark the 13th annual celebration of SepticSmart Week ! Jennifer and Steve welcomed Jim Starbard and Andrew Evans, technical assistance providers at RCAP Solutions , to the show to discuss some of stories of onsite wastewater and septic system challenges they have faced in Massachusetts and around New England.…
And now for the final episode of Season 5! To wrap up this great season, we have the second installment of our conversation with Glenn Barnes, the director of Water Finance Assistance — a consulting agency that provides finance-focused training and technical assistance to water systems. This episode focuses on the role of technical assistance providers in performing water audits and how to develop…
For the penultimate episode of our fifth season, Glenn Barnes joins us for the first episode of a two-part series. Glenn is the director of Water Finance Assistance , a consulting agency that provides finance-focused training and technical assistance to water systems. Our discussion focused specifically on water auditing at utilities, or the process of identifying and minimizing the loss of…
In Tap Talk's 58th episode, Dr. Andrew Whelton of Purdue University visits to discuss plumbing and water system safety in buildings. Dr. Whelton is the lead of Purdue's Center for Plumbing Safety , and among many duties, he explores solutions at the intersection of water infrastructure and public health. Listen to learn about how plumbing affects water quality, how the COVID pandemic rocked the…
This week we are pleased to welcome another deeply knowledgeable guest from the state of Minnesota: Vanessa Demuth, a geologist and well inspector from Dakota County, Minnesota's Environmental Resources Department . Dakota County is one of a set of Minnesota counties that has stricter standards for well water pollutants than the state. Vanessa tells Steve and Jennifer how these stricter standards…
U.S. EPA's WaterTA program is an umbrella for a range of services that directly serve the regulated community. In this episode we're chatting about how the program is reducing barriers to capacity development, including funding accessibility, by matching water system requests with local technical assistance providers. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full show notes for…
This is an exciting week for Tap Talk: Our newest episode is our first fully dedicated to decentralized wastewater and septic systems! Steve and Jennifer welcome Dr. Sara Heger, an industry expert, researcher, and trainer from the University of Minnesota's Onsite Sewage Treatment Program . Whether you're a water professional or a homeowner with a septic system, listen for an introduction to the…
We're officially halfway through Tap Talk's fifth season! This week, we welcome some guests from our state's neighbor to the West: Mindy Uhle, Bureau Chief of Environmental Health at the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and Erik Day, a Senior Environmental Specialist at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Mindy and Erik work on Iowa's Private Well Grants Program, a cross-agency…
In our latest episode of Tap Talk, our guest is Molly Sullivan, a Program Engineer at Community Engineering Corps (CECorps), a partnership that provides pro-bono engineering and consulting services for infrastructure projects to communities in the United States, the US Territories, and tribal lands. A significant portion of CECorps' projects center on water and wastewater infrastructure, and Molly…
Next up on Tap Talk, Steve and Jennifer welcome Dr. Sidney Innerebner of Colorado-based Indigo Water Group to the show. Sidney is certified as an engineer and as both a wastewater operator and industrial operator in Colorado, and has been working in various aspects of the environmental services field since 1990. At Indigo, much of her work revolves around operator training, both in-person and…
This week on Tap Talk, Jennifer and Steve chatted with Dr. Andrea Albertin and Dr. Yilin Zhuang of the University of Florida Extension's Florida Well Owner Network (FWON). From intensified hurricanes to rising sea levels to eroding coasts, climate change has brought a number of significant environmental challenges to Florida. The state's millions of well and septic users — common in urban areas as…
Tap Talk hits 50 episodes! For this landmark episode, we welcome Matt Jones to the show. Matt is the manager of the Continuing Education Credit Program for the Water Environment Federation (WEF). Steve and Jennifer discuss with him the complexities of certifying and delivering continuing education credits to operators and engineers in all 50 states, particularly for large in-person events like…
In the premiere episode of our fifth season, Steve and Jennifer welcome Terry Morse to Tap Talk. Terry is the CEO of the National Ground Water Association , as well as its charitable arm, The Groundwater Foundation . Last year, the foundation launched Water Well Wish , an endeavor to make sure that every American has access to clean, safe water by funding the construction of wells for families in…
In the final episode of our fourth season, Steve and Jennifer welcome Travis Loop to Tap Talk to discuss how to use solutions-focused journalism and storytelling to address our various water problems. Travis is the founder of waterloop , a nonprofit media outlet exploring the progress and successes in tackling water challenges in the United States through podcasts, videos, and social media…
The latest episode of Tap Talk delves back into the topic of how to develop and train the newest generation of the water workforce. Jennifer and Steve talk with Matt Maas, the director of the Environmental Resources Training Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The ERTC is a one-of-a-kind facility with working pilot plants and laboratories that allow students to experience hands-on…
This week we are bringing you part two of our conversation with Brenda Culler and Joshua Pecek of Cleveland Water 's lead service line replacement team! The substantial efforts of their team provide a model for other water systems of all sizes who are developing their own plans to replace the millions of lead service lines in the United States. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find…
The EPA estimates there are over nine million lead service lines to replace in the United States. During this week's Tap Talk, we learn about the efforts at Cleveland Water to replace these service lines that have landed Cleveland and Cuyahoga County ahead of the curve. We welcome Cleveland Water's Brenda Culler, Lead Program Manager, and Joshua Pecek, Work Administrator of the Lead Service Line…
On this week's Tap Talk, we're talking about a topic that is becoming ever more important for water utilities: cybersecurity. Steve and Jennifer discuss how essential it is to protect the digital systems at even the smallest of water systems and the basic steps that those smallest utilities can take with Jennifer Lyn Walker, the Director of Infrastructure Cyber Defense for WaterISAC . Visit…
This week, we continue our conversation with Mike Sullivan and Shannon Drosnock, utility directors from suburban Philadelphia. Mike and Shannon lead a successful internship program for Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Region 1. In this episode, they talk with Steve and Jennifer about the logistics of their program, how they appeal to potential participants, and how the model could be duplicated…
This week, we welcome two guests from Pennsylvania: Mike Sullivan, executive director of the Northampton Bucks County Municipal Authority; and Shannon Drosnock, executive director of the Montgomery Township Municipal Sewer Authority. Mike and Shannon lead a successful internship program for Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Region 1, in the greater Philadelphia area. They talk with Steve and…
This week, Jennifer and Steve are chatting with Amie Shei from the Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts , which for five years has been lobbying for the implementation of statewide regulations on private well water quality. Listen to learn how data from sampling private wells has been essential to these efforts and other strategies to advocate for the safekeeping of private wells. Visit…
Bob Dunlevy of U.S. EPA's Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska) has been hosting and facilitating an asset management stakeholder group and conference call for 15 years. This week, Steve and Jennifer talk with Bob about building understanding of asset management in water utilities and how informal communities can be an essential tool for knowledge building. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to…
The Rural Communities Assistance Partnership ( RCAP ), WaterOperator.org's principal collaborative partner, has been providing technical assistance to America's rural communities for 50 years. Today, we chat with RCAP CEO Olga Morales-Pate about the challenges of ensuring the sustainability of rural communities, what it means to be a technical assistance provider, and why passion is the most…
The methods with which we teach and train water operators have evolved as the world changes around us, but one thing hasn't changed: It takes skill and effort on the parts of both the teacher and learner to ensure the most effective possible training. In this episode, we chat with Ramzi Mahmood of the Office of Water Programs at California State University, Sacramento, about what he's learned from…
In the time we've spent building and maintaining WaterOperator.org and its family of websites, the importance of building strong partnerships and teams has never been more apparent. In our Season Four premier episode, Tap Talk hosts Steve and Jennifer Wilson look back on the beginnings of WaterOperator.org, discuss the evolution and expansion of our programs, and the value of our partnerships in…
Regionalization is not just one thing, but a spectrum of partnership opportunities for efficiency and economies of scale. In this episode we're chatting with RCAP's Laura Landes and Sarah Buck about the fundamentals of regionalization and why these conversations are so important to the sustainability of small and rural water systems. Visit drinkingwaterpodcast.org to learn more and find the full…
As we approach 50 years of the Safe Drinking Water Act, public water systems and state regulators continue to face new and long-standing challenges. In our conversation with Alan Roberson, Executive Director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators, we discuss the most pressing issues as well as efforts to increase compliance and sustainability for the most disadvantaged…
