EPA is moving forward with PFAS drinking water limits but delaying compliance deadlines and withdrawing a controversial hazard index. At the same time, the Trump White House has proposed about a 90% cut to the State Revolving Funds—raising serious concerns about how utilities will afford compliance and critical infrastructure upgrades.

In this episode of In The Newsroom, Bob Crossen, Editorial Director of WaterWorld and Wastewater Digest, explains the latest regulatory developments and what they mean for the water sector.

The conversation covers EPA’s updated PFAS strategy, potential legal challenges, and the “polluter pays” approach to liability. Bob also discusses how smaller utilities struggle to access SRF funding, the role of WIFIA, and what Congress might do next. With billions in water projects on the line, this episode provides a clear breakdown of major headlines shaping the future of drinking water and wastewater in the U.S.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for water sustainability.

A legacy of pollution and neglect once left the James River and surrounding waterways in ecological crisis.

But decades of federal protections and grassroots advocacy have shown that nature can heal—if given the chance.

In this episode, Beth Roach, Vice Chair of the Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia and National Water Conservation Campaign Manager for the Sierra Club, shares her personal and professional journey in water protection. Beth reflects on the environmental trauma of growing up beside a toxic river and the powerful return of wildlife spurred by the Clean Water Act.

She describes how her tribe is leading efforts to reconnect people with their ancestral waters through cleanups and cultural engagement, and how the Tribal Coastal Resilience Connections project is building stronger bridges between Indigenous communities and government agencies.

Beth also discusses the rollback of wetland protections, Sierra Club’s national clean water campaigns, and why relationship-building is the enduring strategy to drive equity and resilience—even in politically turbulent times.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for water sustainability. This episode is part of the Color Of Water series, a collaboration with the Water Hub.

Stormwater management solutions that are effective, space-conscious, and sustainable are increasingly important for cities. One increasingly popular solution is deep infiltration, a practice that moves stormwater into native soils far below the surface, to avoid harmful runoff and recharge groundwater.

In this episode, Gregor Patsch of Oldcastle Infrastructure explains how vertical drywells work, why they’re different from injection wells, and how they’re gaining traction with both local governments and developers. He shares that these systems can reach up to 100 feet underground and include built-in pretreatment chambers to keep pollutants out of groundwater.

Gregor highlights their usefulness in areas with impermeable surface layers, like clay, or dense urban environments with limited footprint for infrastructure.

The conversation includes a case study from Los Angeles, where hundreds of drywells are being used to transform the San Fernando Valley into a sponge, helping reduce flooding and increase local water supply.

He also discusses the broader implications of deep infiltration for water resilience and how it fits into a shift toward managing stormwater, groundwater, and drinking water as one interconnected system.

This episode is sponsored by Oldcastle Infrastructure, a CRH Company and the leading provider of building materials, products and services for infrastructure projects to several North American market sectors, including Water, Communications, and Energy.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for water sustainability.

As a new administration and Congress settle into Washington, questions loom about how federal water policy will take shape amid broader political turbulence. Fortunately, water remains a rare bipartisan issue, providing a pathway for continued investment and action around critical infrastructure and public health.

In this conversation from the Reservoir Center, Mae Stevens of Banner Public Affairs explains why water has stayed steady compared to more contentious topics like immigration and defense, and how key programs are advancing under calmer conditions.

She discusses the continuation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, clarifies the outlook for PFAS and lead regulations, and highlights efforts underway for a major new reauthorization bill for water infrastructure. Mae also explains how environmental justice and climate advocates can adjust their communications to keep making progress in a shifting political landscape.

Finally, the discussion emphasizes how personal engagement, strategic messaging, and building strong relationships remain essential to influencing water policy in Washington.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for water sustainability.

Desalination is a proven technology—but it’s still too costly, energy-intensive, and inaccessible for the communities that need it most.

To change that, XPRIZE launched a $119 million global competition to drive breakthroughs in seawater desalination and deliver scalable, sustainable solutions. Lauren Greenlee, Executive Vice President of Food+Water+Waste at XPRIZE, shares how the foundation uses incentive-based competitions to tackle massive global challenges—and why water is now a top priority.

She details the goals of the Water Scarcity Prize, explains its two-track structure, and emphasizes the importance of real-world demonstration and ecosystem-building. The conversation also explores major barriers in desalination, including brine waste and fragile membranes, and how new innovations could benefit underserved regions and even inland U.S. communities.

Greenlee highlights how XPRIZE is pushing the water sector to think bigger, act faster, and collaborate globally to close the water access gap.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for water sustainability.

A 2,600-year-old bald cypress tree stands quietly in North Carolina’s Three Sisters Swamp—older than the Roman Empire, untouched by time, and protected by a resurgent tribal community.

In this powerful episode, Travis Loop joins members of the Coharie Tribe on a World Water Day paddle through their ancestral waters on the Black River.

Guided by Kullen Bell and other tribal leaders, the journey reveals a deep cultural revival grounded in environmental stewardship. The conversation explores the tribe’s restoration of forgotten waterways, their discovery of a 650-year-old dugout canoe, and the creation of a paddling trail that reconnects people to place.

Bell also discusses the Great Coharie River Initiative and how community action has led to visibility, funding, and a new generation of programs.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet.

Radhika Fox has spent her career at the intersection of people, policy, and infrastructure.

In a conversation from the Reservoir Center in Washington, D.C., the former head of EPA's Office of Water shares how she helped lead the largest federal investment in U.S. water infrastructure, advance PFAS regulation, and expand environmental justice efforts.

Radhika reflects on her path to leading federal water policy, shaped by experience at the San Francisco PUC and the US Water Alliance. She explains how EPA launched $500 million in technical assistance to help more underserved communities access federal funding.

Radhika also discusses the creation of EPA’s first agency-wide PFAS strategy and the importance of holding polluters accountable. Plus, she shares what she’s working on now—from sector disruption and AI to impact investing and democracy renewal.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for water sustainability. To help our mission, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.

Islam offers powerful guidance for enviromental stewardship - and Huda Alkaff has spent 20 years bringing those teachings to life.

As Founder of Wisconsin Green Muslims, Huda blends faith, ecology, and community action to advance water equity and climate justice. She shares how Islamic teachings inspire a sustainable lifestyle - from spiritual water practices during Ramadan to practical solutions like distributing water filters in frontline communities.

Huda also discusses expanding Green Muslims into Michigan, her model of monthly action themes, and advocacy around lead contamination and PFAS. Through a systems-thinking lens and deep sense of interconnectedness, Huda offers a compelling vision for spiritually grounded, community led environmental leadership.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet. This episode is part of the Color of Water series, a collaboration with the Water Hub.