Podcasts about water monitoring

The most scarce resource on most farms is probably the farmer's time.

In this episode of The Digital Executive Podcast, Brian Thomas sits down with Andrew Coppin, co-founder and CEO of Ranchbot, to discuss how remote monitoring is transforming water management in agriculture. With deep roots in rural Western Australia and decades of experience in finance and agritech, Andrew shares how his team at Ranchbot—and his other venture, Farmbot—are solving an age-old challenge: checking water systems across vast and remote ranches. With over 4,000 ranches now using Ranchbot technology and 12,000 users logging in weekly, the impact is measurable: significant time savings, tens of thousands of dollars in reduced operational costs, and peace of mind for hardworking producers.Andrew also talks about the cultural and practical challenges of tech adoption in agriculture and how Ranchbot's plug-and-play simplicity helps overcome them. From easy installation to intuitive dashboards with red-yellow-green alerts, the platform is purpose-built for the realities of life on the land. Looking ahead, Andrew shares how Ranchbot is exploring AI, satellite-driven virtual fencing, and non-invasive cattle monitoring—making the company a key player in shaping the future of agri-food systems.If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review. Apple or Spotify

Wastewater monitoring is a valuable, efficient, and robust tool that public health officials can use to guide public health decision making across the nation. When we turn on the tap or flush the toilet, we often don't think about where all that water goes.  Wastewater, the used water from our homes, schools, and businesses, holds valuable information about the health of our community. Wastewater monitoring can help cities manage wastewater effectively and also creates a safer, healthier, and more responsive living environment for their communities. This blog takes a closer look at five important things to know about wastewater monitoring and how it can help city leaders ensure the health of their communities.   1. Wastewater is more than just water  Wastewater is a mix of bits and pieces that go down our drains – soap, food bits, medicines, toilet paper, and even poop. When this mix is let loose into the environment without proper cleaning, it can mess up our lakes, rivers, and oceans. And not only that, it can be bad for our health too.  ​ 2. Wastewater monitoring gives communities a health checkup  ​ Just as doctors examine us to catch early signs of illness, experts examine wastewater to see what's in it. They look for things like diseases that can affect our health. Wastewater monitoring data can help city leaders identify disease spread early and take steps to keep everyone safe.   ​ 3. Wastewater monitoring is an early warning system for disease spread   ​ Wastewater holds clues about outbreaks of diseases like COVID-19, polio, flu, and more before they happen. When experts test wastewater, they can notice if diseases are starting to spread more. This helps them catch possible outbreaks early and take action to keep everyone safe. They don't leave anyone out—every home, business, and neighborhood connected to the sewage system is included in the process.   ​ 4. Monitoring wastewater involves sampling, testing, and analysis   ​ Sampling: Small amounts of wastewater are collected from different points in the treatment process. Experts use these samples to see what's in the water.  Testing: Using various tools and equipment, they test the samples to find out the levels of chemicals, bacteria, and other substances.  Analysis: Experts analyze the data to understand the changes in disease spread and whether new diseases are starting to appear. Analysis results enable city leaders to make proactive decisions to protect community health and well-being.   5. Wastewater monitoring is a special tool for city leaders that benefits everyone ​City leaders can use information from monitoring wastewater to make important decisions that protect the health of everyone in their communities. Wastewater monitoring data can help city leaders:     Talk to the public in better ways  Promote actions to keep the community safe (like wearing masks and staying apart)  Send medical tests, vaccines, and treatments to the people and places that need them the most  Make sure hospitals and clinics have enough staff  Wastewater might not be dinner table conversations, but it impacts our lives more than we realize. Wastewater monitoring is an important tool that can help city leaders make good decisions and take early action to prevent disease spread to keep the people they serve healthy. So, next time you flush, remember that what you send down the drain has important information that can help create and maintain healthy communities where everyone thrives.   About the authors: Sara Zeigler and Aliyah Ali are freelance writers at the National League of Cities. This article is a product of NLC's partnership with WastewsterSCAN. The National League of Cities (NLC) is partnering with WastewaterSCAN, a national initiative to monitor wastewater for a growing list of infectious diseases including COVID-19 and its variants, flu, and RSV gives communities reliable, sensitive, and actionable data to help them make public health decisions. As a national partner, NLC is raising awareness about the important role of wastewater monitoring in guiding public health responses, creating learning opportunities for NLC members interested in wastewater monitoring, and sharing information with communities across the country about WastewaterSCAN. CREDITS: https://www.nlc.org/article/2023/08/23/5-essential-things-you-need-to-know-about-wastewater-monitoring/

Water access and viability are top of mind for many farmers and ranchers today. Ranchbot offers real-time, remote water monitoring technology designed to save time and money. Meghan Grebner spoke with Ranchbot CEO Andrew Coppin during the 2025 Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show. They discuss Ranchbot's portfolio of products and how these tools can work for farmers and ranchers.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The announcement came on the occasion of World Environment Day, as heat waves choke the world.----more----https://theprint.in/science/trishna-isro-announces-indo-french-thermal-imaging-mission-for-climate-and-water-monitoring/2119341/

Shane Bradt is an extension professor at the University of New Hampshire and a member of the team responsible for creating the bloomWatch app. The app allows community members to report cases of cyanobacteria, a form of algae that's harmful to human health, in their local lakes. In this episode of Field Notes, we talk with Shane about the importance of monitoring cyanobacteria, considerations for designing the app, and where his team will take it next. For more information about Shane's UC presentation, check out the Crowdsourcing Cyanobacteria with bloomWatch presentation slides.

If you spend a lot of time checking water troughs, this monitoring technology could save you some hours.

RanchBot Co-Founder and CEO Andrew Coppin is with us to highlight some key features of their water monitoring technology.

RanchBot Co-Founder and CEO Andrew Coppin is with us to highlight some key features of their water monitoring technology.

Dr. Ola Fajobi, Director of the Tobacco Surveillance, Evaluation, and Research Team for the New York State Department of Health, outlines new measures continue to decrease cigarette and e-cigarette use; Victor Poretti, Director of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Water Monitoring, Standards, and Pesticide Control, says the harmful algal blooms dashboard can help keep people informed about water quality conditions; an ASTHO webinar addresses LGBTQ+ youth health disparities; and sign up for ASTHO's Public Health Weekly email newsletter   New York State Department of Health: Cigarette and tobacco products tax New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection: Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Dashboard ASTHO Webinar: Addressing LGBTQ+ Youth Health Disparities ASTHO Newsletter  

If you spend a lot of time checking water troughs, this monitoring technology could save you some hours.RanchBot Co-Founder and CEO Andrew Coppin is with us to highlight some key features of their water monitoring technology.

If you spend a lot of time checking water troughs, this monitoring technology could save you some hours. RanchBot Co-Founder and CEO Andrew Coppin is with us to highlight some key features of their water monitoring technology.

If you spend a lot of time checking water troughs, this monitoring technology could save you some hours.RanchBot Co-Founder and CEO Andrew Coppin is with us to highlight some key features of their water monitoring technology.

If you spend a lot of time checking water troughs, this monitoring technology could save you some hours. RanchBot Co-Founder and CEO Andrew Coppin is with us to highlight some key features of their water monitoring technology.

Jennifer Bolger Breceda is the Executive Director of Milwaukee Riverkeeper, a science-based advocacy organization working for swimmable, fishable rivers throughout the Milwaukee River Basin. In this episode we discuss clean water advocacy, environmental law, road salt water monitoring, phosphorus runoff, the adopt-a-river program and more! After 15 years of practicing environmental law at several reputable firms in Milwaukee, including being Shareholder and Co-Chair of a successful and busy environmental legal department, Bolger Breceda decided to change course and leave her private practice to start a new chapter in her career as the Executive Director of Milwaukee Riverkeeper. Over the past 8 years, Bolger Breceda has served as a “chief executive officer,” including chief ambassador, fundraiser, and leader, of this highly-respected science-based environmental advocacy organization. She has grown the Board of Directors from a reporting entity to strategic think-tank, and believes strongly that working collaboratively with local, state, regional and national partners in advancement of mission is critical to its success. During her tenure, Milwaukee Riverkeeper's annual budget and the staff have both doubled, all while meeting financial and organizational goals. For the last 8 years, Jennifer has worked to coordinate and push forward a generational opportunity aimed at removing legacy contamination in Milwaukee area waterways called the Area of Concern. She also led a statewide and regional coalition focused on ensuring that the implementation of the Great Lakes Compact is in keeping with sound management principles, conservation mandates, public engagement, best available science and the spirit and intent of the law. A strategic thinker, she worked tirelessly toward the successful removal of the Estabrook Dam, not only saving taxpayer dollars, but also taking a generational opportunity to improve an important area of the Milwaukee River. Jennifer's expertise in environmental law has brought her before many governmental agencies, to speak on a variety of environmental and water related matters. Jennifer has been active in environmental, charitable and service organizations since before her undergraduate days and has always strived to be an advocate for the environment. She has an avid interest in many different water activities including swimming, kayaking, canoeing, boating, and water skiing. She wants to see Milwaukee thrive and truly become a water centric and healthy community.

Ever wonder how SCWA is capable of efficiently monitoring your drinking water supply all throughout the SCWA service territory? In our latest episode of our podcast, What About Water?, we delve into SCWA's SCADA system and how it tracks tank levels and other important aspects of water supply. Host Jeff Szabo sits down with recently retired Paul Kuzman to talk about the history of SCADA (01:58). Jeff also speaks with current SCADA Systems Administrator Paul Kondracki to discuss his day-to-day operations (19:12). Finally, Jeff speaks with Director of Production Control Michael O'Connell to discuss the recent water emergency, and to peer into the future of SCADA (22:12).  

Michigan's environmental agency is seeking input on where to focus its water monitoring efforts. A Michigan environmental group says the state needs to do more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Fall color is on display this week in northern Michigan.

World Water Monitoring Day, plus Earth Echo International, and the Water Foundation

We wade into the Magaguadavic and St Croix Rivers with the CBC's Julia Wright, who was out in the field finding out more about a new water-monitoring partnership between Eastern Charlotte Waterways and the Peskotomuhkati: Nation.

We wade into the Magaguadavic and St Croix Rivers with the CBC's Julia Wright, who was out in the field finding out more about a new water-monitoring partnership between Eastern Charlotte Waterways and the Peskotomuhkati: Nation.

We wade into the Magaguadavic and St Croix Rivers with the CBC's Julia Wright, who was out in the field finding out more about a new water-monitoring partnership between Eastern Charlotte Waterways and the Peskotomuhkati: Nation.

With Katja Weber, Hydrology Application Development Manager EuropeOne year after the cataclysmal floods in Western Germany and its bordering states, politicians and scientists of various disciplines are discussing measures to mitigate the impact and harm of heavy rain and flood events. It's little wonder these events were subject to many conversations and presentations at IFAT 2022, the World's leading trade fair for environmental technologies with a strong focus on the water infrastructure. A must-show for hydrologists like Katja Weber. In this episode, recorded live at the OTT HydroMet booth, the experienced Hydrology Application Development Manager explains how to set up a hydrological monitoring network from the right choice of location and sensor to sophisticated software.Tune in and learn about: How the floods in Western Germany could happenDownsides of radar forecast and the need for local measurementsThe new Aquarius water monitoring software with sophisticated alert and archive functionsContact us: https://get.otthydrometinsights.com/podcast-contact-us/ 

Does your apartment have a continuous water leak? Do you pay for your tenants' water? Do you have leaky showers; and Toilets that continuously run; with tenants that don't notify you? Hey…It's your money that's going down the sewer. Shouldn't you be aware of water usage issues? Ryan Wehner and Jon Minjoe of LeakAware are on a mission to save you money by saving wasted water. LeakAware software makes it easy on you, and your team, saving money, time, and water in the process. Their proprietary technology provides water meter data in real-time, on a minute-by-minute basis. It provides the data for you and your maintenance team to immediately validate and correct unnecessary water usage thus saving you money and increasing the value of your property. To contact: LeakAware.com To contact: jon@leakaware.com Are you interested in learning more about how Multifamily Syndications work? Please visit www.spiadvisory.com to learn more about Michael Becker's Real Estate Syndication business with SPI Advisory LLC. Please leave us a 5 STAR RATING on iTunes; if you enjoyed this podcast.

Ganesh Shankar is back! He came on the show in October 2017 (EP68) & he is celebrating 10 years as an entrepreneur! Ganesh is the co-founder & CEO of FluxGen FluxGen is on a mission to help industries become water positive, and aims to help save 1 billion litres of water everyday using his product AquaGen, a smart real-time water flow and level monitoring system. So in this episode he talks about improving the product using design thinking. He talks about time spent in the Cisco Launchpad Tech accelerator. Talks about dealing with the water crisis. He gives bootstrapping advice. Talks about digitising water structures and how they reduce water consumption by 30%. He talks about bringing water transparency and data to clients.‘Who will marry you now' - his mom's reaction to him quitting General Electric to do this (he got married!) He talks about  India being the largest groundwater extractor in the world, bigger than China & USA. He talks about the original MVP back in 2017. Having big clients onboard. Questions you should ask yourself before quitting your 9-5 job to do a startup. and finally we reminisce about his epic bike journey from Bangalore to Goa and getting a proposal on Valentines Day, but not that type of proposal! and much more!In this conversation we talk about:10 years as an entrepreneur!Looking back would he change anything?A commencement speech that still motivates himNew projects in solar using dronesBootstrapping is good if you don't have a scalable plan Getting criticism in the early days The true cost of waterHow does he keep on top of things?The ongoing climate crisisA question you must ask → What is the primary driver for buying your solution? Transitioning from projects/consulting company to a product company. Not getting too worried about not getting sales in the early days. Start with the customer or start with the idea?How they de-risk industries and facilities from the water crisis. Dealing with the pandemicBuilding AI & IoT based end to end water management solutions.Being the founder and director of the non-profit The Sustainability Mafia (Susmafia.org). And much more!Links https://fluxgen.com/P.Sif you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more. Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.Try Premium free for 2 months and access all my classes!https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatelmusic by Punch Deck. https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

Penny and Jason Shulz run Coolaroo, a 1,000 hectare sheep and cattle farm in the upper South East of South Australia with Merino ewes and Border Leicester rams.  They discuss the plans to update sheep and cattle infrastructure and making better use of eID, AgriWebb and water monitoring technology. 

There are few people in the water monitoring industry who have logged more hours in the field or have more product development experience than Malcolm Lynch. Listen to hear this industry veteran's informed opinions and insights on the business of monitoring and protecting water.Related Resources:CC LynchConnect on LinkedInUS Army Corps of EngineersUSGSFollow In-Situ on social media for updates on podcasts, success stories, product launches and more.LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube We want to hear from you! Let us know what you think about the show and any feedback you have for our team.

Every producer wants to save on fundamental farm resources such as labour, water and travel. In this episode, we talk with Mike Hayes from In2It Technologies who has been installing remote water monitoring systems, an economically savvy tool which does just that, across South Australia for many years. Mike explains how the use of a range of different technologies help to increase communication coverage and save producers much needed time and money.For complimentary videos and supporting resources visit the Livestock Tech Talk page on the PIRSA website.

Click to listen to episode (5:15)Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesExtra InformationSources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 6-12-20.TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIOFrom the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of June 15, 2020. SOUND – ~ 5 secThis week, that sound of Toms Creek, a New River tributary in Montgomery County, Va., opens an episode about Virginia’s current assessment of water quality in streams, rivers, lakes, and estuaries.  Water quality refers to what people often call the “health” of water bodies.  Scientifically, it involves chemical, physical, and biological characteristics, each measured in various standardized ways.  Legally, under the federal Clean Water Act and state laws implementing that Act, water quality assessments consider whether water bodies support specified designated uses by humans or by other organisms.  Virginia’s water quality standards identify six designated uses.  For an introduction to designated uses, have a listen for about 30 seconds to several mystery sounds, representing five of Virginia’s six uses. SOUNDS - ~31 sec Virginia’s designated uses, and the sounds you heard representing each, are aquatic life use, represented by a Green Frog sound; fish consumption, a fishing line sound; human recreation, a paddling sound; public water supply, a running faucet sound; wildlife use, ducks quacking; and shellfishing, the one use for which there was no sound. The Clean Water Act requires states to have a water-quality monitoring program and to publish an assessment report every two years.  One of the report’s main purposes is to identify what water bodies do not support their particular designated uses, based on chemical, physical, and biological measurements over time.  Those water bodies are categorized as impaired for one or more uses.  For example, the Toms Creek section you heard earlier has been categorized as impaired for the aquatic life use, because of seasonally high temperatures, and for the human recreation use, because of high bacterial levels.  When a water body is determined to be impaired, typically the water body then undergoes a lengthy cleanup and restoration process known as a Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL.[Note not included in audio: Other indicators of impairments of different water bodies in Virginia include measurements of dissolved oxygen, pH, nutrients, sediments, toxic substances, or the community of benthic organisms.] On June 8, 2020, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, or DEQ, published its draft 2020 water quality assessment, covering data from 2013 to 2018.  The Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report will undergo a public comment period until July 9, with a Webinar about report scheduled for June 24.  Information about the report and the public comment opportunity is available from the DEQ online at www.deq.virginia.gov; click first on “Programs” and then on “Water Quality Assessments”; or phone the DEQ’s main office at (804) 698-4000. We close with some music for our varied connections to rivers, lakes, and estuaries covered in Virginia’s water-quality monitoring.  Here’s about 15 seconds of “Waters Edge,” by the Rockingham County, Va.-based group, The Steel Wheels. MUSIC - ~15 sec – Lyrics:“Mama, oh mama, it was out by the water’s edge.” SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close the show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The sounds heard in this episode were recorded by Virginia Water Radio as follows: Toms Creek in Heritage Park, Blacksburg, Va., June 12, 2020; Green Frog at a seasonal pond in Heritage Park, Blacksburg, Va., August 1, 2016; Fishing line, Blacksburg, Va., June 23, 2016; Kayak paddling on the Potomac River in West Virginia, July 11, 2010; Household water faucet, Blacksburg, Va., November 17, 2013; Mallards at the Virginia Tech Duck Pond, Blacksburg, Va., December 10, 2015. “Waters Edge,” from the 2013 album “No More Rain,” is copyright by The Steel Wheels, used with permission. More information about The Steel Wheels is available online at http://www.thesteelwheels.com/. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES Toms Creek in Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va., June 12, 2020.  The stream sound heard in this episode of Virginia Water Radio was recorded at this location.Map showing the distribution in Virginia of impaired waters within watersheds, as identified in the “Draft 2020 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report” by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.  Map accessed online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityAssessments/2020305(b)303(d)IntegratedReport.aspx#maps, 6/16/20. Map showing the status of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) processes by watershed in Virginia, as identified in the “Draft 2020 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report” by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.  Map accessed online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityAssessments/2020305(b)303(d)IntegratedReport.aspx#maps, 6/16/20. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT VIRGINIA DRAFT 2020 WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT INTEGRATED REPORT The following is quoted from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), opening page of “Draft 2020 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report,” online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityAssessments/2020305(b)303(d)IntegratedReport.aspx. “DEQ released the Draft 2020 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report (Integrated Report) on June 8, 2020.  The 2020 Integrated Report is a summary of the water quality conditions in Virginia from Jan. 1, 2013, through Dec. 31, 2018.“This biennial report satisfies the requirements of the U.S. Clean Water Act sections 305(b) and 303(d) and the Virginia Water Quality Monitoring, Information and Restoration Act.  The goals of Virginia's water quality assessment program are to determine whether waters meet water quality standards, and to establish a schedule to restore waters with impaired water quality. “Water quality standards designate uses for waters.  There are six designated uses for surface waters in Virginia: aquatic life; fish consumption; public water supplies (where applicable); recreation; shellfishing; wildlife “Additionally, several subcategories of aquatic life use have been adopted for the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries.  The standards define the water quality needed to support each of these uses. If a water body contains more contamination than allowed by water quality standards, it will not support one or more of its designated uses.  Such waters have "impaired" water quality. In most cases, a cleanup plan (called a "total maximum daily load") must be developed and implemented to restore impaired waters. “Findings in this report will be presented via webinar on June 24, 2020 at 2:00 – 3:30 pm EDT. Interested persons can register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6736552019723263503. “The report is available for public review and comment.  Comments or questions about the report can be submitted via U.S. mail postmarked on or before July 9, 2020 toSandra MuellerVirginia Department of Environmental QualityOffice of Water Monitoring and AssessmentP.O. Box 1105Richmond, VA 23218-1105Or via email attachment to Sandra.Mueller@DEQ.Virginia.gov (please include your name, mailing address, telephone number and email address) “A combined response to comments will be prepared after the public comment period expires and made available on this website with the final report. “The entire Draft 2020 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report is a 43.7 MB ZIP file available for download.” [You may also view or download the smaller individual components of the report online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityAssessments/2020305(b)303(d)IntegratedReport.aspx.] SOURCES Used for Audio Carolyn Kroehler, “Navigating the Currents of Water Quality Law,” and Alan Raflo, “A Fish-eye View of Water Quality,” pages 1 and 6, respectively, in Virginia Water Central, October 1998, Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Blacksburg, Va.; PDF of issue available online at https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/handle/10919/49336. Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), “Draft 2020 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report,” online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityAssessments/2020305(b)303(d)IntegratedReport.aspx. The Executive Summary is available online (as a PDF) at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Portals/0/DEQ/Water/WaterQualityAssessments/IntegratedReport/2020/ir20_Executive_Summary.pdf. Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), “Water Quality Standards,” online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityStandards.aspx. Virginia Regulatory Town Hall, “Public Webinar [on June 24, 2020] - Notice of Availability of and Public Comment on the 2020 Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report,” online at https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=30978. For More Information about Water Quality and Water-quality Monitoring/Assessment Code of Virginia, Chapter 21.1, “Virginia Water Quality Improvement Act of 1997,” online at https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title10.1/chapter21.1/. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):“Impaired Waters and TMDLs,” online at https://www.epa.gov/tmdl/program-overview-impaired-waters-and-tmdls;“National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES),” online at https://www.epa.gov/npdes;“Summary of the Clean Water Act,” online at https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act. U.S. Geological Survey, “Water Science School/Water Quality Information by Topic,” online at https://water.usgs.gov/edu/waterquality.html. Virginia Water Central News Grouper posts on news, events, and information resources relevant to water-quality monitoring are available online at https://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/category/water-monitoring/. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Water Quality” subject category. Following are links to some other episodes on water quality science, law, or monitoring. Chesapeake Bay Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) – Episode 115, 6-18-12 and Episode 475, 6-3-19. Emerging contaminants – Episode 499, 11-18-19. Nitrogen – Episode 279, 8-24-15 and Episode 280, 9-7-15. Stream assessment with aquatic macroinvertebrates – Episode 81, 9-26-11. Water quality and coal – Episode 97, 1-30-12, Episode 98, 2-6-12, and Episode 99, 2-13-12Waterways cleanups – Episode 383, 8-28-17. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript or by other information included in this post. 2013 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2010 Science SOLs Grades K-6 Earth Resources Theme 6.9 – public policy decisions related to the environment (including resource management and conservation, land use decisions, hazard mitigation, and cost/benefit assessments). Grades K-6 Living Systems Theme 6.7 – natural processes and human interactions that affect watershed systems; Virginia watersheds, water bodies, and wetlands; health and safety issues; and water monitoring. Life Science Course LS.10 – changes over time in ecosystems, communities, and populations, and factors affecting those changes, including climate changes and catastrophic disturbances. LS.11 – relationships between ecosystem dynamics and human activity. Earth Science Course ES.8 – influences by geologic processes and the activities of humans on freshwater resources, including identification of groundwater and major watershed systems in Virginia, with reference to the hydrologic cycle. ES.10 – ocean processes, interactions, and policies affecting coastal zones, including Chesapeake Bay. Biology Course BIO.2 – water chemistry and its impact on life processes. BIO.8 – dynamic equilibria and interactions within populations, communities, and ecosystems; including nutrient cycling, succession, effects of natural events and human activities, and analysis of the flora, fauna, and microorganisms of Virginia ecosystems. Chemistry Course CH.1 – current applications to reinforce science concepts. 2015 Social Studies SOLs United States History: 1865-to-Present Course USII.9 – domestic and international issues during the second half of the 20th Century and the early 21st Century. Civics and Economics Course CE.6 – government at the national level. CE.7 – government at the state level. CE.10 – public policy at local, state, and national levels. World Geography Course WG.2 – how selected physical and ecological processes shape the Earth’s surface, including climate, weather, and how humans influence their environment and are influenced by it. WG.4 – types and significance of natural, human, and capital resources. WG.18 – cooperation among political jurisdictions to solve problems and settle disputes. Government Course GOVT.7 – national government organization and powers. GOVT.8 – state and local government organization and powers. GOVT.9 – public policy process at local, state, and national levels. GOVT.15 – role of government in Va. and U.S. economies, including examining environmental issues and property rights. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/. Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels. Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade. Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten. Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade. Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade. Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade. Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school. Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school. Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school. Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school.

Second, to the air conditioner, swimming pool pumps are the second largest consumer of electricity in the home and are overused when issues with water chemistry require pools to be emptied and refilled. In addition, dirtier water requires more energy, so money can actually be saved by keeping pool water clean and chemically balanced, to begin with. A pool owner must consistently and carefully measure five water parameters: nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, pH, and alkalinity. However, it can be difficult and expensive to monitor and correct issues once they arise, leading to a lot of chemicals, water, and energy waste. Now there's an easier and more sustainable option offered by My Sutro: a small, floatable sensor that's connected to the cloud on a 24/7 basis in order to monitor all five parameters, identify imbalances and send alerts when there's something off with the water. If there's a deficiency in one or more chemicals, My Sutro will deliver them to your doorstep. Ravi Kurani is the CEO of My Sutro and explains a variety of potential use cases for this product, including those that deal with drinking water, groundwater, and agriculture. My Sutro has a handful of devices currently deployed across the U.S. for testing, and are planning a big launch just in time for the 2019 swimming season. Stay up to date on the latest and purchase your own sensor by visiting mysutro.com. 

Kylie Rogers from Mackay Regional Council speaks with Hazel Flynn on Mackay’s Smart Sewers which use low cost technology and a custom software alerting system for real-time understanding of the sewer network.

This week (March 11-17) is AmeriCorps Week, which celebrates AmeriCorps members and alumni for their commitment to educating the public about the environment, stewardship, and the impact their work has around the state and nation. In fact, DEP’s own AmeriCorps New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors are celebrating throughout the state. In this week’s Discover DEP episode, Gladys Giron talks about AmeriCorps Week with Amanda Lotto, current AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassador Program Manager and former Watershed Ambassador, Lauren Cromie, Ambassador for the Mullica River Watershed, and Isabella Castiglioni, Ambassador for the Rancocas Creek Watershed. To learn more about AmeriCorps Week 2018, visit: https://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps For more about the AmeriCorps New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors Program, visit: www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/americorps.htm To learn more about DEP’s Division of Water Monitoring and Standards program, visit: www.nj.gov/dep.wms Like the AmeriCorps New Jersey Watershed Ambassador Program on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NJWAP/ Listen to Discover DEP’s previous Watershed Ambassador Program episode here: http://njdep.podbean.com/e/episode-46-americorps-new-jersey-watershed-ambassadors-program-with-ismail-sukkar-and-alexis-bowman/   From l-r: Lauren Cromie, Amanda Lotto, Isabella Castiglioni

DEP is responsible for monitoring the quality of New Jersey’s water. One way by which this is done is through biological monitoring. The Fish and Headwaters’ Index of Biotic Integrity monitoring programs, also known as FIBI & HIBI, use fish and other aquatic species as measures of water quality. John Vile and Brian Henning, research scientists in DEP’s Division of Water Monitoring and Standards, Bureau of Freshwater & Biological Monitoring, sit down with Bob Bostock to discuss how the health of fish in streams can help scientists to assess the health and condition of the water, as well as to identify ecological changes. To learn more about these programs visit http://www.state.nj.us/dep/wms/bfbm/ibipagemain.htm Photo: John Vile (left) and Brian Henning (right)

Cities across Norway are seeing an average water loss of more than 30% due to leakages in their water distribution network. This represents a significant cost that ends up in the hands of consumers.Join Jerry Nixon as he welcomes the team from Powel, a trusted supplier of software solutions for cities/municipalities, counties and the energy industry, as they discuss how they recently teamed up with Microsoft and implemented an Azure IoT “SmartWater” solution that provides organizations with the ability to discover and react to these leakages early.[03:49] Tell us a little bit about Powel. What do you do?[06:07] Can you describe the problem you were trying to solve with regards to water distribution?[06:54] How is water lost? How do you detect leaks?[11:25] What are the things that impact the flow of water?[15:02] How does the SmartWater sensor work? How do you communicate with it?[19:04] What do you see the opportunity for systems like this to adopted?[24:33] While you were working through this project, did you have any "ah-ha" moments?[26:32] How did DevOps play into this?[31:32] What's next for this project?Use the code and architecture from this project on GitHub, get hands on with IoT labs or start to build your own IoT solution on Azure.

Cities across Norway are seeing an average water loss of more than 30% due to leakages in their water distribution network. This represents a significant cost that ends up in the hands of consumers.Join Jerry Nixon as he welcomes the team from Powel, a trusted supplier of software solutions for cities/municipalities, counties and the energy industry, as they discuss how they recently teamed up with Microsoft and implemented an Azure IoT “SmartWater” solution that provides organizations with the ability to discover and react to these leakages early.[03:49] Tell us a little bit about Powel. What do you do?[06:07] Can you describe the problem you were trying to solve with regards to water distribution?[06:54] How is water lost? How do you detect leaks?[11:25] What are the things that impact the flow of water?[15:02] How does the SmartWater sensor work? How do you communicate with it?[19:04] What do you see the opportunity for systems like this to adopted?[24:33] While you were working through this project, did you have any "ah-ha" moments?[26:32] How did DevOps play into this?[31:32] What's next for this project?Use the code and architecture from this project on GitHub, get hands on with IoT labs or start to build your own IoT solution on Azure.

Cities across Norway are seeing an average water loss of more than 30% due to leakages in their water distribution network. This represents a significant cost that ends up in the hands of consumers.Join Jerry Nixon as he welcomes the team from Powel, a trusted supplier of software solutions for cities/municipalities, counties and the energy industry, as they discuss how they recently teamed up with Microsoft and implemented an Azure IoT “SmartWater” solution that provides organizations with the ability to discover and react to these leakages early.[03:49] Tell us a little bit about Powel. What do you do?[06:07] Can you describe the problem you were trying to solve with regards to water distribution?[06:54] How is water lost? How do you detect leaks?[11:25] What are the things that impact the flow of water?[15:02] How does the SmartWater sensor work? How do you communicate with it?[19:04] What do you see the opportunity for systems like this to adopted?[24:33] While you were working through this project, did you have any "ah-ha" moments?[26:32] How did DevOps play into this?[31:32] What's next for this project?Use the code and architecture from this project on GitHub, get hands on with IoT labs or start to build your own IoT solution on Azure.

Neil Haley will interview PHILIPPE COUSTEAU Will Discuss The World Water Monitoring Challenge. Philippe Cousteau has established himself as a prominent leader in the environmental movement. An award-winning television host, producer, author, speaker, philanthropist and social entrepreneur Philippe is the son of Philippe Cousteau Sr. and grandson of Jacques Cousteau. His life-mission is to empower people to recognize their ability to change the world. Philippe is the host and executive producer of Awesome Planet a new series that airs every Saturday morning syndicated on Fox and then Sunday free on Hulu. As a special correspondent for CNN he has hosted several award-winning shows including Going Green and Expedition Sumatra.