In this episode of Make Water Work, hosts Megan Glover and Isaac Pellerin sit down with Annyse Balkwill, founder of LuminUS Group and host of Meaningful Conversations with Annyse. Together, they explore what it means to “de-robotize” water organizations and create the conditions for real transformation.

Annyse shares her journey from chemical engineer at GE Water to global facilitator helping water leaders unlock creativity, trust, and collaboration. She explains why psychological safety matters, how silos form and dissolve, and why sitting in a circle might be more powerful than another leadership training.

This conversation covers:

• How water found Annyse and why she stayed for 20+ years

• Why most organizations are optimized, not transformed

• What “de-robotizing” work actually looks like in practice

• The role of psychological safety, creativity, and trust in innovation

• Why meaningful conversations are essential for the future of water

• How elevating women’s voices strengthens the entire industry

• If you care about leadership, culture, and making water work better for people and communities, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Make Water Work, Megan Glover and Isaac Pellerin sit down with Tom Ferguson, managing partner and founder of Burnt Island Ventures, for a fast-moving conversation on AI, founder market fit, and why water is one of the most overlooked opportunities in climate tech.

Tom shares how a pro bono project in London pulled him into water, how Imagine H2O shaped his view of startups, and what led him to launch a dedicated early stage fund focused on water. He explains why public data for water is often “crap,” why that matters for generalized AI, and why the real opportunity sits in small, vertical language models built on proprietary utility data.

From portfolio strategy to predictions for 2026, Tom talks about what makes a great water founder, why fundraising is also advocacy for water, and where he believes the next wave of value will be created.

• How water “found” Tom through the first water disclosure report for the Carbon Disclosure Project

• Why the gap between water’s importance and how much people care became his life’s work

• The path from Imagine H2O to founding Burnt Island Ventures and closing a first fund in a wild market

• Why water is a $1.6 trillion and growing market, and how entrepreneurs can “lift up legacy spend and put it somewhere new”

• How Burnt Island thinks about founder market fit and what separates ideas from real businesses

• Why water is not uniquely “hard,” and what founders must understand about building in any complex market

• How AI will change water: small language models, proprietary data, and why Google cannot build this without utility data

• Why utilities are finally building real data lakes and what that unlocks for AI tools

• How Burnt Island builds a diversified portfolio across geographies, sectors, and business models in water

• Tom’s predictions for “winners” by 2026, including data platforms, incumbents, and emerging blue bond financing

• Why fundraising is a form of evangelism for water and why every dollar into the sector matters

120Water Cofounder and former lab owner and operator Dave Kohl joins Megan Glover and Isaac Pellerin to go back to the early days of 120Water and look ahead at the future of water quality, regulation, and staffing.

Dave shares how a small coal industry lab grew into CWM Environmental, how he helped build 120Water’s national lab network, and why he believes overuse of chlorine is one of the biggest drinking water issues of his lifetime.

You will hear:

• How Dave “fell into” water and built CWM Environmental into a multi-location lab and operations business

• The origin story of 120Water and why shifting from consumer kits to utility partnerships changed everything

• Why operator retirements and a shallow talent pipeline are a major risk for water and wastewater systems

• How consolidation in labs and utilities is reshaping rural water access and compliance

• The tension between disinfection and disinfection byproducts like TTHMs and HAA5

• Dave’s take on PFAS, regulatory lag, and why automation will be essential, not optional

• Why utilities need partners to handle sampling, logistics, and data so staff can focus on high-value work

If you are a water utility leader, operator, lab professional, or just curious about what it really takes to keep drinking water safe, this conversation is for you.

In this episode of Make Water Work, Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover sit down with Nicole Brown, Growth Lead for Water at GFT and co-founder of the Black Water Professionals Alliance. Nicole shares how water “found” her through a love of math, science, and problem solving, and how a high school hydrology class opened her eyes to water as the building block of life.

Nicole talks about the science of water, but also the social side she discovered later in her career: how water shapes cities, health, mental well-being, and community identity. She shares stories from public meetings, church pulpits, and neighborhood conversations that show why utilities cannot just “trust us, we’ve got it,” and must instead communicate openly about everything from boil advisories to PFAS and lead.

She also unpacks the vision behind the Black Water Professionals Alliance, the importance of representation in the sector, and why her word for the year is “abundance.” Nicole’s contagious optimism, honesty about her journey as a Black woman in water, and practical advice for mentoring and storytelling will leave you encouraged to see water, and your role in it, a little differently.

• Water is more than pipes and pumps. Nicole explains how water underpins life, science, mental health, cities, and economies, and why understanding its full impact changes how we care for it.

• Communication builds or breaks trust. From boil advisories to PFAS, if utilities do not manage the message, fear fills the gap. Clear, honest, human-centered communication is a core part of the job.

• Engineers cannot just say “trust us.” Technical expertise is not enough. Communities need explanations, empathy, and space to ask hard questions about their water.

• Representation changes the conversation. Nicole co-founded the Black Water Professionals Alliance to build community, create professional opportunities, and better engage communities that have historically been left out.

• Abundance is a mindset and a strategy. Nicole rejects scarcity thinking and focuses on connection, sharing resources, and seeing the “wave” created when people pool their energy and ideas.

• Positivity is powerful leadership. Her natural optimism is backed by intention and practice. She chooses to look for joy, learn from setbacks, and use negative experiences as fuel rather than limits.

• Stories open doors for new talent. By sharing honest career stories, water professionals can help young and emerging leaders see themselves in the sector and understand the many paths into it.

• Everyone has a role in stewardship. Whether you work at a utility, in tech, on a board, or in a neighborhood, you can help protect water, tell its story, and invite others into the work.

Summary

In this conversation with Ginger Rothrock, the importance of storytelling as a critical skill for founders is emphasized, particularly in the context of communicating complex ideas to investors and customers. The discussion highlights the need for clear and concise narratives that can effectively convey meaning without overwhelming the audience with excessive information.

Takeaways

• Storytelling is essential for founders to convey complex ideas.
• Investors and customers prefer clear narratives over lengthy presentations.
• Effective communication can significantly impact business success.
• Founders should focus on compressing complexity into digestible formats.
• A strong narrative can enhance engagement with stakeholders.
• Time efficiency is crucial in business communication.
• Understanding your audience is key to effective storytelling.
• Visual aids can complement storytelling but should not overwhelm.
• Practice and refinement of storytelling skills are necessary for founders.
• Storytelling can differentiate a business in a competitive market.

Summary

In this episode of the Make Water Work podcast, hosts Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover explore the intersection of entrepreneurship and innovation in the water sector. They share their personal journeys into the water industry, discuss the importance of building a viable business model, and highlight the significance of community engagement. The episode also features insights from various innovators at WEFTEC, showcasing emerging technologies and their potential impact on the water industry.

Takeaways

• The water sector offers unique opportunities for impactful innovation.

• Building a business in water requires a focus on revenue, not just grants.

• Understanding customer pain points is crucial for validation.

• Capital partners are essential for scaling water startups.

• Community engagement is key to success in the water industry.

• Innovators must be curious and willing to explore new ecosystems.

• The importance of storytelling in the water sector cannot be overstated.

• Emerging technologies can significantly improve water management.

• Collaboration within the water community fosters growth and innovation.

• AI has the potential to revolutionize water utilities and operations.

Mike McGill, a former CNN producer turned water utility communicator, joins Isaac and Megan to unpack what utilities get wrong about communication, and how they can get it right before a crisis hits. Drawing from decades in crisis communication, Mike explains how proactive messaging protects reputations, why transparency is strategic, and how small utilities can punch above their weight.

Topics Covered:

• How a $1.2 billion consent decree pulled Mike into water communications

• Lessons from launching WaterPIO and serving utilities in 20+ states

• The dangers of “check-the-box” compliance on PFAS and LCRI rules

• How to communicate before a crisis rather than during one

• The importance of collaboration between utilities, schools, and health departments

• Why earned media still beats TikTok for trust and reach

• What “planned transparency” looks like in practice

Key Takeaway:

Proactive communication isn’t just good PR...it’s operational resilience. Hear from the expert who’s helped utilities turn crisis moments into trust-building opportunities.

In this episode of the Make Water Work podcast, hosts Isaac Pellerin and Megan Glover engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Debra Coy, a pioneer in water investment. They discuss the evolution of the water sector, the importance of sustainability, and the need for diversity in leadership. Debra shares her insights on attracting innovation to the water industry and the role of technology in addressing water supply challenges. The conversation emphasizes the necessity of collaboration between water utilities and tech companies, as well as the importance of creating inclusive environments to foster a diverse workforce. The episode concludes with a call to action for leaders in the water sector to make a difference and embrace change.

Takeaways

• Water is a public good but needs private investment.

• The water sector has evolved significantly over the past 30 years.

• Understanding supply and demand is crucial for water businesses.

• Sustainability means long-term operational viability.

• Innovation is essential for the future of water.

• Collaboration with tech companies can enhance water services.

• Diversity in leadership leads to better decision-making.

• Creating inclusive environments attracts a younger workforce.

• Investors must understand the water sector's unique dynamics.

• The water industry must tell its story better.