Episode 40: Funding, Travel & New Technologies

In this month’s episode of Talking Under Water, hosts Lauren Del Ciello, Katie Johns and Bob Crossen discuss the recent Senate passage of the Drinking Water & Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021, and touch on a new U.S. EPA web-based app to help communities identify potential sources of pollution to recreational waters. They also unpack recent survey results conducted by Water Quality Products, Storm Water Solutions and Water & Wastes Digest on water industry attitudes towards live event attendance. Finally, the interview this month is with Rajan Ray, digital solutions leader for CDM Smith, on emerging technologies that are advancing the engineering and design phases of projects in the water and wastewater industry. Show Notes: Senate Passes Drinking Water & Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 EPA Releases Updated Tool to Protect Recreational Waters SGC Water Group COVID-19 Travel Impact Survey Results WQP: How Has COVID-19 Impacted Events for Water Quality Professionals? SWS: How do Storm Water Professionals Feel About Traveling Amid COVID-19? WWD: How Comfortable Are Water Professionals With Attending Live Events in 2021? Our Water Future Is Digital written by Rajan Ray and Amy Corriveau Timestamps: Cold open: (0:00) Central Life Sciences Sponsor Message: (0:54) Host Introductions and episode overview: (1:12) U.S. Senate Passes Drinking Water & Wastewater Infrastructure Act: (2:02) U.S. EPA Updates Sanitary Survey App for Marine and Freshwaters: (5:41) SGC Water Group Travel Impact Survey Results: (6:36) WQP Results: (7:58) SWS Results: (8:49) WWD Results: (9:42) Interview with Rajan Ray begins: (14:18) The changing and evolving landscape of digital engineering technologies: (14:56) HoloLens, virtual reality and remote walk-throughs: (18:28) The most exciting technology on the horizon: (20:11) How CDM Smith is leveraging emerging technologies: (21:20) The benefits to utilities brought on by these technologies: (25:35) The future of digital technologies and tools for engineers and utilities: (29:10) Why simplicity is crucial for adoption: (33:16) Easy to use and secure: (34:40) Housekeeping: (35:51) End: (37:51) Events: The Scranton Gillette Communications Water Group, which includes Water & Wastes Digest and Storm Water Solutions, is bringing a Water Pavillion to The Utility Expo Sept. 28 to 30, 2021 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Send us your abstracts: bit.ly/WaterPavilionAbstracts About the Podcast Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Water & Wastes Digest (WWD), Water Quality Products (WQP) and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, point of use, point of entry, residential, storm water and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and on-site interviews with experts for WWD, WQP and SWS. New episodes of the podcast are released on the third Friday of every month. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com. Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing [email protected] or engaging with them on Twitter @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.