Why Industrial Water Reuse Is America’s Untapped Solution | Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel

Is America overlooking its most scalable water solution? In this episode of the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel, we explore why industrial water reuse may be the most under-leveraged strategy for strengthening U.S. water resilience. Industry in the United States uses nearly four times more water than municipalities. Yet most federal incentives focus on municipal reuse. What would happen if policy shifted to encourage industrial water recycling at scale? Eric sits down with Jon Freedman, Global Head of Policy and Stakeholder Engagement at Veralto and President of the International Desalination and Reuse Association, to unpack the policy, economics, and innovation shaping the future of water. This episode of the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel dives deep into federal water policy, industrial reuse incentives, desalination cost trends, climate resilience, and how Washington decisions impact the global water industry. If you work in water, infrastructure, utilities, desalination, reuse, or environmental policy, this conversation matters. Visit: https://SaltyWaterPodcast.com Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction and Jon Freedman’s background 02:15 – From law and finance to the global water industry 05:40 – The current U.S. water policy landscape 08:10 – Why water remains a bipartisan issue 09:45 – Industrial water use vs municipal water use 11:20 – The case for investment tax credits for industrial reuse 13:00 – U.S. policy vs Singapore and Israel 15:05 – Desalination cost declines and innovation trends 17:10 – Climate change, resilience, and water scarcity 18:45 – Corporate consolidation and water industry evolution 19:40 – Career advice and the future of water leadership Key Topics Covered Industrial water reuse Federal water policy Infrastructure investment Desalination innovation Water resilience strategies Climate change adaptation Water incentives vs mandates Colorado River basin pressures Global water governance Corporate strategy in the water sector The Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel spotlights leaders shaping the future of desalination, water reuse, policy, and infrastructure. Each episode delivers insight for water professionals, engineers, investors, regulators, and executives navigating the evolving water landscape. New episodes drop on Fridays. Subscribe for conversations on water policy, desalination, reuse technology, climate resilience, infrastructure finance, and global water leadership. Visit https://SaltyWaterPodcast.com to explore episodes and connect on social media.