Britton Smith, Founder of the funk band Britton and The Sting, is celebrated as a Hydro20 honoree for using music to raise awareness about water’s fundamental role in life and on the planet. Inspired by a commission to write for an amphitheater on the water, Smith recognized that water’s deeper…
Omar Mitchell, Vice President of Industry Growth and Sustainability for the National Hockey League (NHL), is celebrated as a Hydro20 honoree for his leadership in advancing water stewardship within the hockey industry. Under his tenure, the NHL has advanced innovative practices, such as those seen with the Seattle Kraken, who…
Shanna Yazzie, Safety and Compliance Manager for DigDeep’s Right to Water Project, is celebrated as a Hydro20 honoree for her leadership in bringing running water to homes across the Navajo Nation, where one in three households lacks access to running water. Growing up in a Navajo family that relied on…
Carletta Davis, President of the We Matter Community Association, is celebrated as a Hydro20 honoree for exposing the failing water system in Prichard, Alabama, and leading a fight for environmental justice. Facing a crumbling water infrastructure that loses 66% of its supply to leaks and spills millions of gallons of…
Dan Tedesco, leader of Brita’s dedicated lead reduction initiative, is celebrated as a Hydro20 honoree for his work partnering with over 320 communities across the U.S. to combat lead contamination in drinking water. By collaborating with water utilities, Tedesco ensures pitcher filters are provided to residents during the critical transition…
Manny Teodoro, Professor at the University of Wisconsin, is celebrated as a Hydro20 honoree for his impactful work in addressing water affordability and public trust in water systems. Focusing on the growing crisis of water affordability, Teodoro examines the challenges faced by low-income households as water and sewer costs rise…
Seth Watkins, operator of Pinhook Farm in southwest Iowa, is celebrated as a Hydro20 honoree for his leadership in regenerative farming and water sustainability. Committed to happy cows, clean water, and healthy soil at his family’s farm since the 1840s, Watkins addresses the depletion of Iowa’s topsoil—where two-thirds to 100%…
Alaina Harkness, CEO of Current and leader of Great Lakes ReNEW, is celebrated as a Hydro20 honoree for her transformative leadership in advancing circular water economy principles in the Great Lakes region, which holds 20% of the world’s fresh surface water. Recognizing the historical lack of careful stewardship, Harkness drives…
Richard Diaz is celebrated as a Hydro20 honoree for his advocacy for transforming water infrastructure to protect public health, create local jobs, and prioritize investment in marginalized communities. In cities like Milwaukee, where nearly 50% of Wisconsin’s lead service lines are concentrated yet receive only 10% of available funding, Diaz…
Dana Okano, Program Director at the Hawaii Community Foundation, is celebrated as a Hydro20 honoree for founding the Hawaii Environmental Finance Center and advancing water sustainability in rural Hawaiian communities. Facing the challenge of limited population bases to fund infrastructure, Okano established the Center to provide technical assistance to agencies…
Aaron Kirkland, Superintendent of the Philadelphia Water Department’s Green Stormwater Operations Unit, is celebrated as a Hydro20 honoree for his leadership in green stormwater infrastructure maintenance and inclusive workforce development. Recognizing that green stormwater systems, vital for managing flooding and ensuring environmental sustainability, were often neglected post-construction, Kirkland emphasized the…
Teal Lehto, known as Western Water Girl, is celebrated as a Hydro20 honoree for her innovative use of social media to educate and empower millions about water conservation and policy. After facing rejection from county commissioners for a position on the Southwest Basin Roundtable, which contributes to the Colorado Water…
Aaron Tartakovsky, Co-Founder and CEO of Epic Cleantec, is celebrated as a Hydro20 honoree for leading the onsite water reuse revolution, transforming urban resilience by scaling systems that significantly reduce water demand. Challenging outdated centralized water systems, Tartakovsky promotes decentralized recycling at the building scale, capable of reusing up to…
Introducing the Hydro20, a group of twenty individuals celebrated for driving change, disrupting norms, and doing good for water sustainability across the U.S. This is the first-ever national recognition list dedicated to water, shining a spotlight on the people driving solutions and inspiring others to act. The initiative is presented…
How do we unlock the full value of green stormwater infrastructure? For Barbara Hopkins of the Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange, it starts with proving the impact and building the workforce to sustain it. As Executive Director of the Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange, Hopkins leads a cross-sector community driving equitable GSI…
Agriculture drives 80% of California’s water demand, which strains groundwater and surface water. Enter Harvest Water, a project of the Sacramento Area Sewer District that will deliver 16 billion gallons of recycled water every year to grow crops and irrigate pastures. This will reduce groundwater pumping and restore wetlands and…
People know about rivers, lakes, and oceans — but what about aquifers? In the latest episode of Water Street Questions, we hit the streets to ask, “What is an aquifer?” and got a mix of puzzled looks, guesses about plants, and a few people who nailed it as “something about…
Pittsburgh’s lead line replacement success didn’t just come from digging — it came from dialogue. Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis of Women for a Healthy Environment says the utility earned trust by hosting workshops with community groups, creating a transparent and interactive website, and staying responsive to residents. The result? People now believe…
We often only hear the bad news about water—contamination, main breaks, toxic tides—but there’s an entire workforce solving these challenges every single day. Meet Antoinette Barber, Director of Communications and Utility Management Programs at the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA). Representing the nation’s largest publicly owned drinking water utilities—serving…
Every water tank across North America faces the same hidden challenge: stagnation. Without proper mixing, “hot spots” and “cold spots” form — breeding grounds for germs and disease. That's where engineering steps in. Innovative valves force water to enter tanks in a powerful mixing motion, creating a perfect blend and…
Imagine rogue waves slamming into critical infrastructure — even military bases along the ocean. In Djibouti, the U.S. military faced that exact challenge: valves that risked being turned inside out by the force of the ocean. Valves need to be specially designed to survive those conditions and keep systems running,…
Biscayne Bay is Miami’s sparkling centerpiece — but beneath the surface, it’s on life support. Pollution from stormwater runoff, sewage leaks, and thousands of septic tanks has devastated seagrass, leaving an area the size of 18,000 football fields barren. Without seagrass, manatees, dolphins, and fish disappear too. That’s why Miami-Dade…
Proco Products is the leading manufacturer of rubber check valves. These fully passive devices require no maintenance, no outside power, or manual assistance to operate. Proco’s rubber check valves are ultra-quiet, won’t warp or freeze, and are designed to prevent standing water while eliminating trapped solids. They’re perfect for water…
Utilities and community-based organizations are teaming up to ensure safe, affordable drinking water and thriving waterways, achieving far more together than alone—as highlighted in the Building Blocks of Trust project, which spotlights nine inspiring collaborations. Take Tucson Water and the Sonora Environmental Research Institute: by joining forces, they've expanded access…