Revolutionizing Water Management: The Circular Water Economy
In this episode Talking Under Water co-host Bob Crossen speaks with Krishna Prashanth, global product line manager for electromagnetic flow meters and global segment manager for water and wastewater instrumentation at ABB, about the promise and practicality of the circular water economy.
Prashanth explains how the concept shifts water management away from a linear take-treat-discharge model and toward a system focused on reducing losses, reusing water, recovering resources and extending the value of every drop. He outlines the “six Rs” — reduce, reuse, recycle, reclaim, recover and restore — and argues that utilities must evolve from operators of pipes and plants into stewards of local water loops.
The conversation also explores the critical role of data capture, monitoring and analysis in making circularity possible, from identifying leaks and managing demand to improving reuse decisions and predicting infrastructure issues. Prashanth and Crossen discuss how AI can strengthen these efforts when paired with trusted instrumentation, as well as the barriers standing in the way, including regulatory silos, misaligned incentives and aging infrastructure.
Together, they paint a picture of a more resilient, efficient and resource-aware future for water utilities.
Show notes:
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Key moments:
00:00 – Introduction
02:14 – What the circular water economy actually means
05:29 – The six Rs that could reshape water management
11:15 – Why utilities need a new role
13:21 – The data foundation behind circular water
18:17 – Where AI fits — and where it doesn’t
28:23 – Housekeeping
About the podcast
Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.
Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing [email protected] engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.
About the Author
Bob Crossen
Bob Crossen is the vice president of content strategy for the Water and Energy Groups of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B. EB2B publishes WaterWorld, Wastewater Digest and Stormwater Solutions in its water portfolio and publishes Oil & Gas Journal, Offshore Magazine, T&D World, EnergyTech and Microgrid Knowledge in its energy portfolio. Crossen graduated from Illinois State University in Dec. 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in German and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. He worked for Campbell Publications, a weekly newspaper company in rural Illinois outside St. Louis for four years as a reporter and regional editor. Crossen can be reached at [email protected].