waterloop

Nearly 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s the kind of heat required to turn recycled scrap metal into ductile iron pipe carrying drinking water across the United States. At the U.S. Pipe foundry in Alabama, Jeff Mason, PE explains the chemistry and quality control behind the molten iron process. As iron flows from the cupola, workers carefully monitor the material, remove sulfur with lime, and scrape away impurities known as slag before the iron is poured into pipe molds. The chemistry matters. Small variations in the metal can affect the long-term strength, durability, and performance of pipe expected to remain underground for decades under pressure. It’s a reminder that modern water infrastructure depends not only on heavy industry and massive machinery, but also on precision metallurgy and constant testing behind the scenes. Watch the full episode of How Water Works at https://lnkd.in/d4ia-juc

When a water crisis hits, the message can matter almost as much as the response itself. At Catalyst 2025, crisis communications expert Ameerah Palacios put utility leaders through high-pressure simulations designed to mirror the chaos of real emergencies. The goal wasn’t polished PR — it was preparing people to communicate clearly, honestly, and empathetically when tensions spike and scrutiny intensifies. The session walked participants through scenarios involving political pressure, competing agendas, public fear, and even corruption concerns. Attendees had to think in real time about what to say, who they were speaking to, and how to maintain trust while under intense pressure. One of the biggest lessons: crisis plans can’t just sit in a binder. They have to be tested. Utilities increasingly face extreme weather, infrastructure failures, contamination fears, and viral misinformation — and leaders may only get one chance to communicate effectively when communities are looking for answers. The exercise reinforced a growing reality across the water sector: technical expertise alone isn’t enough. In a crisis, leadership also means empathy, transparency, and the ability to communicate under pressure when every word matters. Content in collaboration with Rogue Water Lab and sponsored by U.S. Pipe. Learn more about Catalyst at https://lnkd.in/eVPGcFkm

Old cars. Brake rotors. Rebar. Industrial scrap. Inside the U.S. Pipe foundry in Alabama, all of it can become drinking water infrastructure. Jeff Mason, PE explains how different grades of recycled metal are blended together before being melted down and transformed into ductile iron pipe. Giant magnets load shredded cars, engine components, and scrap steel into massive charges headed for the cupola, where temperatures climb to 2,800°F. The scale of the recycling operation is enormous. Tons of metal that might otherwise become waste are continuously repurposed into pipe engineered to last underground for decades while carrying drinking water to communities across the United States. It’s a reminder that some of the country’s most important sustainability and infrastructure stories are happening inside places most people never see. Full episode at https://lnkd.in/eeKAYV8b

Millions of Americans still live without running water or basic sanitation — a reality advocates on Capitol Hill say the country can no longer ignore. About 100 water access advocates recently fanned out across more than 70 House and Senate offices carrying the National Roadmap to Close the Water Access Gap, a detailed plan aimed at ensuring universal water access in the United States within 15 years. The roadmap outlines financing strategies, affordability reforms, data collection improvements, and stronger government coordination designed to move water infrastructure investment into underserved communities. “The fact that there are two to 10 million Americans living in America without running water, without sanitation — that’s absurd,” says Kabir Thatte, Executive Director of the Vessel Collective. He says the effort is about building sustained national attention and political commitment around what many advocates see as one of the country’s most overlooked infrastructure and public health crises. The message from advocates to Congress: enough is enough. Learn more about the roadmap: https://lnkd.in/gZY9jDAz Content in collaboration with Vessel.

Most of America’s drinking water infrastructure is completely invisible to the public. Beneath streets, neighborhoods, and cities are millions of miles of buried pipe quietly moving water every day. I recently went inside the U.S. Pipe foundry in Alabama to see how that infrastructure is actually manufactured — and the scale, heat, and precision of the process were incredible. Old cars, appliances, and industrial scrap are melted at more than 2,800°F and transformed into ductile iron pipe engineered to last up to 100 years underground. The pipe is made with more than 90% recycled metal and designed to withstand earthquakes, floods, wildfires, pressure, corrosion, and decades of use. What stood out to me most was the combination of heavy industry, chemistry, engineering, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing all coming together around something most people rarely think about: the pipe carrying drinking water. This short video is a quick tour through the foundry and the manufacturing process. Full episode with Jeff Mason, PE at https://lnkd.in/eRG_Vcxw

💧 H2O INTRO 👤 Meet Quisha Light, Former Customer Service Director at the Portland Water Bureau A confusing utility bill can become a crisis fast — especially for customers living on a fixed income. After hearing from a 77-year-old resident who spent weeks trying to resolve a water bill issue and access assistance, Quisha Light began rethinking how utilities interact with the public. At the Portland Water Bureau, she led an effort around “customer journey mapping” — examining every touchpoint customers have with water, wastewater, and stormwater services to better understand frustration, confusion, and barriers inside utility systems. Her goal was to move beyond technical processes and create a simpler, more human-centered experience that builds trust and makes it easier for people to get help when they need it. H2O INTRO is sponsored by Human Capital Solutions, Inc., an executive search, recruiting, and leadership advisory firm.

America’s drinking water infrastructure depends on more than 2 million miles of pipe buried beneath streets and communities across the country. In this episode of How Water Works, Jeff Mason, PE leads a tour inside the U.S. Pipe foundry in Alabama to show how ductile iron pipe is manufactured — from recycled scrap metal to critical underground infrastructure. The episode follows the intense process of melting old cars, appliances, and industrial metal into pipe engineered to last for generations and withstand earthquakes, floods, and decades of pressure underground. It also explores overlooked sustainability stories inside heavy industry, including industrial water reuse systems, emissions reductions through electric induction furnaces, and how more than 90% recycled material becomes essential infrastructure. Along the way, Mason explains the chemistry, testing, coatings, and cement linings that help ensure drinking water remains safe and reliable as it moves through these systems. From molten iron hotter than lava to finished pipe headed everywhere from Manhattan to small-town America, the story pulls back the curtain on one of the most important — and invisible — parts of how water works. Watch the tour at https://lnkd.in/e2sNGF-r

Water utilities are moving from reacting to failures toward predicting them before they happen. Mick O'Dwyer of SwiftComply says compliance programs have traditionally been reactive — responding after a backflow device fails, a sewer blockage forms, or contamination risks emerge. But with larger datasets and smarter technology, utilities are increasingly able to anticipate problems earlier and prioritize inspections and maintenance based on real-world performance trends. O’Dwyer points to backflow prevention as one example. With more than 1.5 million assemblies tracked in SwiftComply’s system, utilities can analyze average lifespans, failure patterns, and historical performance data to better predict which devices may be at greater risk of failure. That allows utilities to focus resources more strategically instead of relying only on fixed schedules or responding after incidents occur. Episode at https://lnkd.in/gEkNWe3N

Water utilities are starting to break down internal silos as compliance pressures grow more complex. Mick O'Dwyer of SwiftComply says utilities across the U.S. are increasingly consolidating programs like backflow prevention, FOG management, industrial pretreatment, and stormwater compliance into shared compliance offices instead of operating them as separate teams. The shift allows utilities to share staff, data, resources, and institutional knowledge at a time when many systems are facing workforce shortages, aging infrastructure, and expanding regulatory demands. For decades, many of these programs operated independently, often using different workflows and disconnected information systems. Bringing them together can improve coordination, streamline inspections, reduce duplication, and help utilities respond more effectively to environmental risks and infrastructure challenges. Episode at https://lnkd.in/gEkNWe3N

Water built Winnipeg. Now Winnipeg is racing to adapt to water. At The Forks — where the Red River and Assiniboine River meet — people have gathered for roughly 6,000 years. Indigenous communities, trade routes, commerce, and eventually a major Canadian city all grew around these waterways. But the rivers that helped create Winnipeg also bring recurring risk. Spring snowmelt and heavy rains can push water levels higher, threatening neighborhoods and infrastructure across the region. Some of the biggest challenges are hidden underground. Winnipeg still relies heavily on a combined sewer system, where stormwater and wastewater share the same pipes. During intense rain events, the system can overflow into local waterways. In 2024 alone, the city recorded more than 1,400 sewer overflow events. City leaders are now investing billions of dollars into long-term upgrades designed to reduce those overflows by 85% in the coming decades — part of a broader push to build a more resilient future while also protecting rivers, recreation, and downstream water quality in Lake Winnipeg. From flood control to wastewater modernization, Winnipeg is becoming a case study in how older cities are confronting the realities of climate pressure and aging infrastructure.