The Future of Water https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/series/the-future-of-water/ Bluefield Research’s podcast series breaks down the biggest and smallest events signaling change and opportunity across the global water landscape. From municipal to industrial, vendor to utility, local, state or even globally focused, the Future of Water is a source of critical insights into company strategies, market shifts, and emerging opportunities for key stakeholders. The Future of Water, released twice a month, is presented by Reese Tisdale and Bluefield's team of water experts willing to showcase their analysis about all the ways in which companies, utilities, and people are addressing the challenges and opportunities in water. To learn more about Bluefield Research visit: www.bluefieldresearch.com. Contact us at podcasts@bluefieldresearch.com with any topic suggestions or requests for information. Fri, 06 Nov 2026 21:19:45 +0000 2024 Bluefield Research Bluefield Research episodic Bluefield Research’s podcast series breaks down the biggest and smallest events signaling change and opportunity across the global water landscape. From municipal to industrial, vendor to utility, local, state or even globally focused, the Future of Water is a source of critical insights into company strategies, market shifts, and emerging opportunities for key stakeholders. The Future of Water, released twice a month, is presented by Reese Tisdale and Bluefield's team of water experts willing to showcase their analysis about all the ways in which companies, utilities, and people are addressing the challenges and opportunities in water. To learn more about Bluefield Research visit: www.bluefieldresearch.com. Contact us at podcasts@bluefieldresearch.com with any topic suggestions or requests for information. Reese Tisdale podcasts@bluefieldresearch.com false http://www.bluefieldresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Final-PocastArt-1400x1400-1.jpg The Future of Water https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/series/the-future-of-water/ 34bb2755-2bf5-5c9b-9e95-3ce353e689e8 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 Leakage Targets and Digital Investment: Where Europe’s Water Sector Stands https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/podcast/leakage-targets-and-digital-investment-where-europes-water-sector-stands/ Tue, 03 Nov 2026 14:33:16 +0000 114798e8-6d1d-595e-9039-a7640b86e63b Podcast host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Senior Analyst Maria Cardenal to discuss leakage reduction and digital water investment across Europe. During AMP7, England’s utilities reduced leakage by 9% against a 16% target. AMP8 asks them to cut it by another 17%. Meanwhile, Bluefield forecasts annual European digital water spending to grow from US$12.7 billion in 2026 to nearly US$28 billion by 2036.

The conversation examines what’s behind England’s leakage gap, what AMP8 signals for continental utilities, and the forces driving Europe’s digital water landscape. They also explore the role of AI and automation, and whether the sector is getting better at turning data into operational results.

Key questions addressed:

  • How did England end up facing potential drought through summer 2027 while losing roughly one-fifth of its treated water, and why does it matter beyond the U.K.?
  • England and Wales missed their leakage targets despite significant investment. If utilities know where the water is going, why is it so hard to stop losing it?
  • Is AMP8 a preview of where the rest of Europe is heading, and what can continental utilities learn from it?
  • What’s driving the expected growth of Europe’s digital water market to nearly US$28 billion annually by 2036, and who stands to benefit?
  • Utilities have more network data than ever, yet water losses remain enormous. Are we getting better at measuring problems than solving them?
  • Is the real opportunity in AI for the water sector about intelligence, or simply helping utilities do more with fewer people?
  • Ten years out, who wins in digital water?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> Podcast host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Senior Analyst Maria Cardenal to discuss leakage reduction and digital water investment across Europe. During AMP7, England’s utilities reduced leakage by 9% against a 16% target. AMP8 asks them to cut it by another 17%. Meanwhile, Bluefield forecasts annual European digital water spending to grow from US$12.7 billion in 2026 to nearly US$28 billion by 2036.

The conversation examines what’s behind England’s leakage gap, what AMP8 signals for continental utilities, and the forces driving Europe’s digital water landscape. They also explore the role of AI and automation, and whether the sector is getting better at turning data into operational results.

Key questions addressed:

  • How did England end up facing potential drought through summer 2027 while losing roughly one-fifth of its treated water, and why does it matter beyond the U.K.?
  • England and Wales missed their leakage targets despite significant investment. If utilities know where the water is going, why is it so hard to stop losing it?
  • Is AMP8 a preview of where the rest of Europe is heading, and what can continental utilities learn from it?
  • What’s driving the expected growth of Europe’s digital water market to nearly US$28 billion annually by 2036, and who stands to benefit?
  • Utilities have more network data than ever, yet water losses remain enormous. Are we getting better at measuring problems than solving them?
  • Is the real opportunity in AI for the water sector about intelligence, or simply helping utilities do more with fewer people?
  • Ten years out, who wins in digital water?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FoWPodcast_Resized_HomePageFeatureBox8.jpg Leakage Targets and Digital Investment: Where Europe’s Water Sector Stands false no 00:50:10 No no The US$4 Billion Race To Control Smart Irrigation https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/podcast/the-us4-billion-race-to-control-smart-irrigation/ Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:17:18 +0000 873c548f-a225-5b8b-a304-ca37a6180dd2 Irrigation accounts for about 42% of the country’s freshwater withdrawals, but for most of the water sector, what happens on the farm stays largely out of view. In this episode, podcast host Reese Tisdale talks with Bluefield analyst Olivia Kranefuss, whose recent report on smart irrigation examines the sensors, controls, and software shaping how and when water reaches American cropland—and who will ultimately own that decision.

The conversation covers what is driving digital adoption on the farm, where Bluefield projects nearly US$4 billion in spending over the next decade, why the economics go beyond water scarcity alone, and how traditional equipment manufacturers and software-focused tech companies are making different bets on where value will sit.

Key questions addressed:

  • How does American agriculture actually irrigate, and where does the money go?
  • What does “smart irrigation” actually mean, and how does it differ from legacy irrigation technology?
  • What is driving farmers to go digital?
  • Where is the digital spending over the next decade actually going, and who is competing for it?
  • The major irrigation companies are making different bets on software versus hardware—who is right?
  • By 2036, who decides when the water turns on: the farmer, the agronomist, the equipment company, or an algorithm?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> Irrigation accounts for about 42% of the country’s freshwater withdrawals, but for most of the water sector, what happens on the farm stays largely out of view. In this episode, podcast host Reese Tisdale talks with Bluefield analyst Olivia Kranefuss, whose recent report on smart irrigation examines the sensors, controls, and software shaping how and when water reaches American cropland—and who will ultimately own that decision.

The conversation covers what is driving digital adoption on the farm, where Bluefield projects nearly US$4 billion in spending over the next decade, why the economics go beyond water scarcity alone, and how traditional equipment manufacturers and software-focused tech companies are making different bets on where value will sit.

Key questions addressed:

  • How does American agriculture actually irrigate, and where does the money go?
  • What does “smart irrigation” actually mean, and how does it differ from legacy irrigation technology?
  • What is driving farmers to go digital?
  • Where is the digital spending over the next decade actually going, and who is competing for it?
  • The major irrigation companies are making different bets on software versus hardware—who is right?
  • By 2036, who decides when the water turns on: the farmer, the agronomist, the equipment company, or an algorithm?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FoWPodcast_Resized_HomePageFeatureBox8.jpg The US$4 Billion Race To Control Smart Irrigation false no 00:42:46 No no A US$4.8 Billion Municipal Biosolids Market With Nowhere To Put the Sludge https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/podcast/a-us4-8-billion-municipal-biosolids-market-with-nowhere-to-put-the-sludge/ Tue, 29 Sep 2026 13:26:22 +0000 98b938ba-6df7-59e3-9846-120aea78be20 In this episode, podcast host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield analyst Pat Byrne to talk through how PFAS is changing the rules, the costs, and the options for what utilities do with their sludge.

PFAS has worked its way into biosolids, and utilities are left figuring out what to do about it. With states writing their own PFAS rules and no national standard in sight, the cost of managing biosolids is climbing—and Bluefield sees the market nearly doubling to almost US$5 billion by 2035.

Key questions include:

  • How does PFAS from factories, firefighting foam, and consumer products end up in biosolids—and why can't treatment plants just filter it out?
  • Ban bills stalled in New York, Massachusetts, and Hawaiʻi in 2026, while four states moved toward tiered limits and 22 have done nothing. Why are legislators pulling back?
  • States keep landing on 20 to 25 parts per billion as a starting point—is that number grounded in science, or is it just what everyone copied from Michigan?
  • If a state bans land application tomorrow, where does the sludge go—and who pays?
  • PFAS destruction runs US$63 million to US$230 million per plant over 20 years. Is it a real solution, or a big-city luxury?
  • Where should investors put a dollar: testing, dewatering, hauling, or destruction?
  • Is PFAS in biosolids a national crisis or a regional industrial problem—and what would it take to change that assessment?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> In this episode, podcast host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield analyst Pat Byrne to talk through how PFAS is changing the rules, the costs, and the options for what utilities do with their sludge.

PFAS has worked its way into biosolids, and utilities are left figuring out what to do about it. With states writing their own PFAS rules and no national standard in sight, the cost of managing biosolids is climbing—and Bluefield sees the market nearly doubling to almost US$5 billion by 2035.

Key questions include:

  • How does PFAS from factories, firefighting foam, and consumer products end up in biosolids—and why can't treatment plants just filter it out?
  • Ban bills stalled in New York, Massachusetts, and Hawaiʻi in 2026, while four states moved toward tiered limits and 22 have done nothing. Why are legislators pulling back?
  • States keep landing on 20 to 25 parts per billion as a starting point—is that number grounded in science, or is it just what everyone copied from Michigan?
  • If a state bans land application tomorrow, where does the sludge go—and who pays?
  • PFAS destruction runs US$63 million to US$230 million per plant over 20 years. Is it a real solution, or a big-city luxury?
  • Where should investors put a dollar: testing, dewatering, hauling, or destruction?
  • Is PFAS in biosolids a national crisis or a regional industrial problem—and what would it take to change that assessment?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FoWPodcast_Resized_HomePageFeatureBox8.jpg A US$4.8 Billion Municipal Biosolids Market With Nowhere To Put the Sludge false no 00:41:30 No no The Firms Behind the Decisions: Engineering and Construction’s Expanding Role in Water https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/podcast/the-firms-behind-the-decisions-engineering-and-constructions-expanding-role-in-water/ Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:19:20 +0000 bc3be925-aa62-504c-8074-97492fc7f48e Water accounts for a minority of revenue for nearly every major engineering and construction firm in the sector—somewhere between 15% and 23%—yet investment keeps accelerating. In this episode, Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield analyst Caroline Vauclain, who just wrapped up a deep dive into 40 leading firms, examining water sector market share, strategic focus, and M&A activity.

The firms profiled aren't just building water infrastructure anymore. They're positioning themselves to control the decisions behind it—and that shift matters more than any single project they win. Key questions include:

  • What makes engineering and construction firms worth a closer look, and what tension runs through both segments?
  • What is the most surprising finding once all 40 companies were profiled side by side?
  • Water is a minority of revenue for almost every firm—who stands out in positioning, and why?
  • How are these firms actually growing, and does the strategy differ by region?
  • What does the global-diversified versus domestic-focused split reveal about who wins?
  • What does recent M&A activity signal about where both segments are heading?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> Water accounts for a minority of revenue for nearly every major engineering and construction firm in the sector—somewhere between 15% and 23%—yet investment keeps accelerating. In this episode, Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield analyst Caroline Vauclain, who just wrapped up a deep dive into 40 leading firms, examining water sector market share, strategic focus, and M&A activity.

The firms profiled aren't just building water infrastructure anymore. They're positioning themselves to control the decisions behind it—and that shift matters more than any single project they win. Key questions include:

  • What makes engineering and construction firms worth a closer look, and what tension runs through both segments?
  • What is the most surprising finding once all 40 companies were profiled side by side?
  • Water is a minority of revenue for almost every firm—who stands out in positioning, and why?
  • How are these firms actually growing, and does the strategy differ by region?
  • What does the global-diversified versus domestic-focused split reveal about who wins?
  • What does recent M&A activity signal about where both segments are heading?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FoWPodcast_Resized_HomePageFeatureBox8.jpg The Firms Behind the Decisions: Engineering and Construction’s Expanding Role in Water false no 00:25:26 No no Are We Reading the Water Market Right? https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/podcast/are-we-reading-the-water-market-right/ Tue, 25 Aug 2026 13:09:11 +0000 af278c2f-9db2-59bc-829f-c4ae076c2683 Episode 150 marks a milestone for The Future of Water: Bluefield summer intern Swapnil Gandhi turns the tables and interviews host Reese Tisdale. Instead of Reese asking the questions, he's answering them—covering what Bluefield got right early, the data that reshaped how Bluefield reads the industry, and where the biggest pressures and overlooked opportunities lie in water today.

From the long-term case for water reuse to the compounding infrastructure deficit facing U.S. utilities, the conversation covers a lot of ground—early market calls, cybersecurity, critical minerals, data centers, and more. Reese offers a candid look at how Bluefield approaches an industry that is being asked to do more with less.

Key questions include:

  • What early market call has held up over time, and what does it say about how Bluefield approaches the industry?
  • What dataset most changed how Reese sees the water sector?
  • How much of a data center's water footprint is onsite versus at the power sector level, and is there opportunity for new markets such as nuclear SMRs?
  • How real is the cybersecurity threat to municipal water systems, and what is driving the vulnerability?
  • What industry beyond data centers and semiconductors deserves more attention for its water implications?
  • Is the water sector making progress toward a more sustainable footing, and what is driving the gap between where systems are and where they need to be?
  • What would an ideal world look like for human water consumption, and what does Reese's version of a "third age" of water look like?
  • How often do abstract conversations like this happen in the industry, and should they happen more?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> Episode 150 marks a milestone for The Future of Water: Bluefield summer intern Swapnil Gandhi turns the tables and interviews host Reese Tisdale. Instead of Reese asking the questions, he's answering them—covering what Bluefield got right early, the data that reshaped how Bluefield reads the industry, and where the biggest pressures and overlooked opportunities lie in water today.

From the long-term case for water reuse to the compounding infrastructure deficit facing U.S. utilities, the conversation covers a lot of ground—early market calls, cybersecurity, critical minerals, data centers, and more. Reese offers a candid look at how Bluefield approaches an industry that is being asked to do more with less.

Key questions include:

  • What early market call has held up over time, and what does it say about how Bluefield approaches the industry?
  • What dataset most changed how Reese sees the water sector?
  • How much of a data center's water footprint is onsite versus at the power sector level, and is there opportunity for new markets such as nuclear SMRs?
  • How real is the cybersecurity threat to municipal water systems, and what is driving the vulnerability?
  • What industry beyond data centers and semiconductors deserves more attention for its water implications?
  • Is the water sector making progress toward a more sustainable footing, and what is driving the gap between where systems are and where they need to be?
  • What would an ideal world look like for human water consumption, and what does Reese's version of a "third age" of water look like?
  • How often do abstract conversations like this happen in the industry, and should they happen more?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FoWPodcast_Resized_HomePageFeatureBox8.jpg Are We Reading the Water Market Right? false no 01:12:40 No no Beyond the Dashboard: Digital Water’s Operational Turn https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/podcast/beyond-the-dashboard-digital-waters-operational-turn/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:22:16 +0000 65796e4c-c338-5f61-85dd-17671c5884bd Digital water companies have gone through distinct phases: first selling data, then selling analytics. Now it's selling decisions, and increasingly autonomous control. This shift is showing up across Veralto, Badger Meter, Xylem, Bentley, Schneider Electric, ABB, and Rotork—different products, same direction. They're all moving closer to operations because software only becomes valuable when it changes what happens in the field.

In this episode, Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield senior analyst Maria Cardenal to unpack what this transition means for the European water market—and why a relatively obscure Swiss meter manufacturer's acquisition of i2O Water from Mueller Water Products is a signal worth paying attention to.

Key questions addressed:

  • What is happening across the U.K. right now that makes the GWF-i2O deal make sense at this exact moment?
  • What did most coverage of the acquisition miss—and what is the real story behind the deal?
  • How does the U.K. water market compare to what is happening in Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, and the rest of the EU?
  • Across all digital water companies, not just GWF, what has changed most in the last five years?
  • What are the biggest misconceptions about this acquisition, or about where this market is headed?
  • Fast-forward to 2030: which European digital water company, or type of company, looks completely different than it does today?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> Digital water companies have gone through distinct phases: first selling data, then selling analytics. Now it's selling decisions, and increasingly autonomous control. This shift is showing up across Veralto, Badger Meter, Xylem, Bentley, Schneider Electric, ABB, and Rotork—different products, same direction. They're all moving closer to operations because software only becomes valuable when it changes what happens in the field.

In this episode, Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield senior analyst Maria Cardenal to unpack what this transition means for the European water market—and why a relatively obscure Swiss meter manufacturer's acquisition of i2O Water from Mueller Water Products is a signal worth paying attention to.

Key questions addressed:

  • What is happening across the U.K. right now that makes the GWF-i2O deal make sense at this exact moment?
  • What did most coverage of the acquisition miss—and what is the real story behind the deal?
  • How does the U.K. water market compare to what is happening in Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, and the rest of the EU?
  • Across all digital water companies, not just GWF, what has changed most in the last five years?
  • What are the biggest misconceptions about this acquisition, or about where this market is headed?
  • Fast-forward to 2030: which European digital water company, or type of company, looks completely different than it does today?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FoWPodcast_Resized_HomePageFeatureBox8.jpg Beyond the Dashboard: Digital Water’s Operational Turn false no 00:39:19 No no Mid-2026 Water Check-In: Deals, Geopolitics, and What’s Next https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/podcast/mid-2026-water-check-in-deals-geopolitics-and-whats-next/ Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:27:15 +0000 58af702f-e3a4-5084-a103-4225157a9b38 At the midpoint of 2026, the water sector is sending mixed signals. Deal flow is up sharply, with 161 transactions recorded year-to-date and Q2 activity climbing 42% year-over-year to its strongest pace since 2021. Yet the headlines telling a story of a booming market sit alongside a different conversation happening in boardrooms, where CEOs are navigating Middle East conflict, tariff pressures, energy price volatility, and PFAS-related costs. Podcast host Reese Tisdale and Bluefield VP & Managing Director Keith Hays dig into both stories and what they mean for the year ahead.

Key questions addressed:

  1. How does record deal flow square with the uncertainty CEOs are describing?
  2. Which 2026 transactions best illustrate where the market is heading?
  3. Has private equity finally reached the tipping point for exits?
  4. How exposed is water infrastructure to Middle East geopolitical risk?
  5. Are utilities and data center operators moving past the AI water controversy?
  6. What water market theme offers the strongest five-year investment case?
  7. What's the biggest water risk that CEOs are underestimating right now?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> At the midpoint of 2026, the water sector is sending mixed signals. Deal flow is up sharply, with 161 transactions recorded year-to-date and Q2 activity climbing 42% year-over-year to its strongest pace since 2021. Yet the headlines telling a story of a booming market sit alongside a different conversation happening in boardrooms, where CEOs are navigating Middle East conflict, tariff pressures, energy price volatility, and PFAS-related costs. Podcast host Reese Tisdale and Bluefield VP & Managing Director Keith Hays dig into both stories and what they mean for the year ahead.

Key questions addressed:

  1. How does record deal flow square with the uncertainty CEOs are describing?
  2. Which 2026 transactions best illustrate where the market is heading?
  3. Has private equity finally reached the tipping point for exits?
  4. How exposed is water infrastructure to Middle East geopolitical risk?
  5. Are utilities and data center operators moving past the AI water controversy?
  6. What water market theme offers the strongest five-year investment case?
  7. What's the biggest water risk that CEOs are underestimating right now?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FoWPodcast_Resized_HomePageFeatureBox8.jpg Mid-2026 Water Check-In: Deals, Geopolitics, and What’s Next false no 00:52:29 No no Is the Data Center Water Problem Fake? https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/podcast/is-the-data-center-water-problem-fake/ Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:50:01 +0000 3f7c1fca-6317-57a0-838e-e65d8d56ef07 Podcast host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Research Director Amber Walsh and Analyst Zineb Moumen to examine the data center market through a water lens. The conversation covers what the numbers actually show, where they fall short, and what water companies stand to gain on both sides of the Atlantic.

Bluefield's analysts break down U.S. and European market dynamics, address a provocative claim that the data center water problem is "fake", and share what surprised them most in the research.

Key questions covered in this episode:

  • What are the key areas Bluefield is watching in the data center market?
  • Is the data center water problem actually "fake"—and where does that argument hold up or fall apart?
  • What is the real problem utilities face when a data center comes to town?
  • What are the biggest differences between the U.S. and European markets?
  • What surprised Amber and Zineb most during their research?
  • What should listeners watch over the next five years as the data center market evolves?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> Podcast host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield Research Director Amber Walsh and Analyst Zineb Moumen to examine the data center market through a water lens. The conversation covers what the numbers actually show, where they fall short, and what water companies stand to gain on both sides of the Atlantic.

Bluefield's analysts break down U.S. and European market dynamics, address a provocative claim that the data center water problem is "fake", and share what surprised them most in the research.

Key questions covered in this episode:

  • What are the key areas Bluefield is watching in the data center market?
  • Is the data center water problem actually "fake"—and where does that argument hold up or fall apart?
  • What is the real problem utilities face when a data center comes to town?
  • What are the biggest differences between the U.S. and European markets?
  • What surprised Amber and Zineb most during their research?
  • What should listeners watch over the next five years as the data center market evolves?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FoWPodcast_Resized_HomePageFeatureBox8.jpg Is the Data Center Water Problem Fake? false no 00:38:39 No no Last Call for the Colorado River https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/podcast/last-call-for-the-colorado-river/ Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:12:31 +0000 https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/?post_type=podcast&p=41010 The clock is running out on the Colorado River. Lake Powell sits at 23% capacity. Towns are hauling water by truck. The 2025–26 snowpack is the lowest on record.

After decades of missed deadlines, the federal government is now being forced to act. A binding record of decision—determining how the river will be operated going forward—must be in place by October 1, 2026. At the same time, the 2007 interim guidelines, the 2019 drought contingency plans, and water-sharing agreements with Mexico all expire. Two decades of Colorado River governance unwind at once.

In this solo episode, Reese Tisdale walks through the timeline, the exposed stakeholders, and what Bluefield sees as the resulting opportunity—including US$47 billion in municipal reuse investment forecast between 2025 and 2035, the proposed Advancing Water Reuse Act, and a U.S. and Canada digital water market on pace to reach US$29 billion by 2036. Reese makes the case that the conditions forcing hard decisions on the Colorado are also generating the strongest market signals the water sector has seen.

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> The clock is running out on the Colorado River. Lake Powell sits at 23% capacity. Towns are hauling water by truck. The 2025–26 snowpack is the lowest on record.

After decades of missed deadlines, the federal government is now being forced to act. A binding record of decision—determining how the river will be operated going forward—must be in place by October 1, 2026. At the same time, the 2007 interim guidelines, the 2019 drought contingency plans, and water-sharing agreements with Mexico all expire. Two decades of Colorado River governance unwind at once.

In this solo episode, Reese Tisdale walks through the timeline, the exposed stakeholders, and what Bluefield sees as the resulting opportunity—including US$47 billion in municipal reuse investment forecast between 2025 and 2035, the proposed Advancing Water Reuse Act, and a U.S. and Canada digital water market on pace to reach US$29 billion by 2036. Reese makes the case that the conditions forcing hard decisions on the Colorado are also generating the strongest market signals the water sector has seen.

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FoWPodcast_Resized_HomePageFeatureBox8.jpg Last Call for the Colorado River false no 00:20:22 No no Who Owns Your Water and Who Wants To? https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/podcast/who-owns-your-water-and-who-wants-to/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:14:17 +0000 a44a3b5e-b4af-500f-8108-efd1eb413add The U.S. investor-owned utility (IOU) market just posted its strongest opening quarter in three years. Bluefield Analyst Megan Bondar joins host Reese Tisdale on The Future of Water to dig into what's driving that activity. The conversation covers the structural differences between greenfield and peer-to-peer transactions, why the geographic map looks completely different from Pennsylvania to Texas to Florida, and who's showing up in this market that wasn't here five years ago.

Key questions include:

  • What is an investor-owned utility, who are the major players, and why does this market matter right now?
  • What is the difference between greenfield and peer-to-peer M&A, and why does that distinction matter?
  • Who is executing greenfield deals well, and what does it take to compete in that space?
  • How do the top M&A markets—Pennsylvania, Illinois, Texas, Florida—differ in competitive dynamics and regulatory environment?
  • Where does the IOU market go from here, and what policy and political factors are shaping the next five years?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> The U.S. investor-owned utility (IOU) market just posted its strongest opening quarter in three years. Bluefield Analyst Megan Bondar joins host Reese Tisdale on The Future of Water to dig into what's driving that activity. The conversation covers the structural differences between greenfield and peer-to-peer transactions, why the geographic map looks completely different from Pennsylvania to Texas to Florida, and who's showing up in this market that wasn't here five years ago.

Key questions include:

  • What is an investor-owned utility, who are the major players, and why does this market matter right now?
  • What is the difference between greenfield and peer-to-peer M&A, and why does that distinction matter?
  • Who is executing greenfield deals well, and what does it take to compete in that space?
  • How do the top M&A markets—Pennsylvania, Illinois, Texas, Florida—differ in competitive dynamics and regulatory environment?
  • Where does the IOU market go from here, and what policy and political factors are shaping the next five years?

If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.

If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.

Related Research & Analysis:

]]> https://www.bluefieldresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FoWPodcast_Resized_HomePageFeatureBox8.jpg Who Owns Your Water and Who Wants To? false no 00:39:25 No no