At more than 70% of U.S. water withdrawals, agriculture is one of the most significant drivers of water demand in the country. In this episode, host Reese Tisdale sits down with Bluefield Analyst Olivia Kranefuss to unpack her newly released report, Water for U.S. Agriculture: Irrigation Trends, Technology Adoption, and Market Forecasts, 2026–2031, and the… Continue reading Water for Agriculture: An US$84 Billion Irrigation Opportunity
Podcast: The Future of Water
The US$10 Billion Market Nobody Talks About: Chemicals for Water Treatment
Chemicals used to treat water is a US$10 billion market hiding in plain sight—fragmented, consolidating, and far more strategically interesting than the name suggests. Bluefield’s latest water treatment chemicals analysis mapped nearly 500 companies across the space. In this episode, Bluefield analyst Caroline Vauclain joins host Reese Tisdale to unpack what she found—including why the… Continue reading The US$10 Billion Market Nobody Talks About: Chemicals for Water Treatment
Debunking the Myths of the Data Center Water Footprint
Artificial intelligence (AI)-driven data center growth is reshaping not only electricity markets, but water demand across the value chain. In this episode, podcast host Reese Tisdale sits down with Research Director Amber Walsh to discuss the broader water footprint of data centers—both onsite and offsite—and why the conversation is shifting beyond cooling towers to the… Continue reading Debunking the Myths of the Data Center Water Footprint
When States Lose Veto Power: The New Water Policy Landscape
Significant policy shifts are reshaping water infrastructure investment across North America. Greg Goodwin, Bluefield Research Senior Research Director, joins host Reese Tisdale to discuss his latest semi-annual policy review covering regulatory changes, budget developments, and emerging frameworks in the U.S. and Canada. The conversation examines a two-speed regulatory environment where traditional pollutant standards face relief… Continue reading When States Lose Veto Power: The New Water Policy Landscape
Water Runs on Power: The Energy Lever Utilities Can’t Ignore
Energy represents one of the largest and most manageable cost centers for water and wastewater utilities—accounting for 10%–40% of operating budgets. Unlike other operational expenditures like labor, utilities can modify the amount of energy used and how much it costs by choosing the right combination of technologies. As electricity demand in the global water sector… Continue reading Water Runs on Power: The Energy Lever Utilities Can’t Ignore
Year-End Water Check: AI’s Thirst, Aging Infrastructure, and 2026 Contrarian Bets
As 2025 wraps up, we’re closing out the year with five big questions shaping the water sector—and a few bold predictions for what’s ahead. In this episode, host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield VP & Managing Director Keith Hays to tackle the trends and challenges defining water investment right now. 1. Data centers are… Continue reading Year-End Water Check: AI’s Thirst, Aging Infrastructure, and 2026 Contrarian Bets
What Does a Decade of Fair Market Deals Tell Us About Water’s Future?
Fair Market Value (FMV) has become a critical—yet often misunderstood—tool for addressing fragmentation across the U.S. water sector. Designed to give municipalities a clearer path and a cleaner valuation when selling assets, FMV is now shaping deal flow, policy debates, and competitive strategies nationwide. In this episode of The Future of Water, podcast host Reese… Continue reading What Does a Decade of Fair Market Deals Tell Us About Water’s Future?
From Landfill Capacity to PFAS: The Pressures Reshaping Biosolids Management
Biosolids are an unavoidable byproduct of wastewater treatment, and U.S. utilities are facing increasing challenges managing them amid tightening landfill capacity, rising hauling costs, and growing concerns about contaminants like PFAS. With 6.3 million dry metric tons produced every year, biosolids are becoming one of the fastest-growing operating expenses for wastewater utilities. In this episode… Continue reading From Landfill Capacity to PFAS: The Pressures Reshaping Biosolids Management
Is Water Reuse Going Mainstream?
In this episode, host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield analyst Megan Bondar to unpack the pressures and opportunities shaping water reuse—a cornerstone of resilient water supply planning that’s gaining momentum across the U.S. Bluefield’s latest analysis projects US$47.1 billion in CAPEX for municipal reuse infrastructure through 2035, highlighting a shift in how utilities and… Continue reading Is Water Reuse Going Mainstream?
What’s at Stake When Cyber Threats Target Water Infrastructure?
Water systems—once considered too small or obscure to be hacked—are now squarely in the crosshairs of cyber actors. In recent months, Bluefield Research has tracked a surge of cyber activity targeting water and wastewater utilities around the world, from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) release of 32 new control system advisories to… Continue reading What’s at Stake When Cyber Threats Target Water Infrastructure?
