WaterStart

10/21/2026

A WaterStart-supported pilot in Southern California is showing promising results for soil health and agricultural productivity.

After six cuttings so far this season, an alfalfa field treated with Performance Resource Management’s BIOS soil regeneration program produced 15.2% more hay per acre than an adjacent, conventionally farmed control field. The treated field also delivered higher nutritional value, measured in relative feed value (RFV), testing 13.8 points higher in September.

PRM's BIOS has shown the greatest results in the peak of summer heat with the treated field producing 42.2% more alfalfa than the control field on August cutting.

The first season results offer an encouraging perspective on how growers can produce higher yield and quality crops with regenerative soil technology.

Learn more about the pilot project on our blog: https://buff.ly/CvrtU1F

10/19/2026

Please join us in welcoming Abigael Walker to WaterStart as our newest intern!

Abigael is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Water Resources at UNLV after earning her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Cal Poly.

Born and raised in Las Vegas, she’s excited to get involved in the water sector in the community she calls home.

Welcome to the team, Abigael!

10/15/2026

Registration is open for the fourth International Atmospheric Water Harvesting Summit, coming to Las Vegas February 3-4, 2027!

WaterStart is proud to partner on this international gathering of researchers, industry leaders, innovators and students working to advance atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) technologies and solutions.

This year’s theme, Resiliency: AWH for Drinking and Industrial Water Security, will explore how atmospheric water harvesting can be implemented at scale to help strengthen water supplies.

Join us at the Luxor Hotel in February and connect with others working to advance the future of water. Early-bird registration is available through December 1, 2026.

Learn more and register: https://buff.ly/UuIlPld

10/05/2026

Our team is reenergized about the future of water tech after attending WEFTEC 2026 last week!

This year, a few themes really stood out that reinforced WaterStart’s mission.

💧 “Human in the lead.” A phrase from an Amazon Web Services panel that resonated with us. As AI, automation and new technologies transform our industry, the people who understand the challenges and use these solutions must remain at the center.

💧 Partnerships are the pathway. Water innovation happens through connection. At WEFTEC, we met innovators from around the world — exactly the kind of connections WaterStart is built to facilitate.

💧 Transparency matters. As a connector, we need to be clear with testbed partners about what technologies can deliver — and with innovators about the challenges, market realities and pathways to adoption.

💧 Think long-term. Innovation isn’t just about finding the next great technology. It’s about building the relationships, partnerships and validation pathways that turn good ideas into real-world solutions.

Beyond the technology on the show floor, we found new relationships, new possibilities and potential bridges between global innovation and the needs of U.S. water system managers.

Now, on to following up on all those business cards!

10/05/2026

Please join us in welcoming Phil Buckingham, Head of Research & Innovation at Anglian Water - Love Every Drop, to the WaterStart Board of Directors!

Phil brings nearly two decades of experience in the water sector and leads Anglian Water’s research and innovation portfolio, helping move promising technologies from trials toward real-world implementation.

His experience and perspective will be a valuable addition to WaterStart as we continue connecting water utilities with innovative solutions that can address real-world challenges.

Welcome to the WaterStart team, Phil!

09/16/2026

Last week, WaterStart brought together partners from across the water industry for an in-person priorities workshop focused on how we can work together to address the challenges water utilities are facing.

We had great conversations about shared challenges, opportunities for knowledge sharing and potential solutions.

A big thank you to Southern Nevada Water Authority for hosting us, and to Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Truckee Meadows Water Authority, and Anglian Water - Love Every Drop for joining us and being such great partners.

We’re grateful for everyone’s time, ideas and collaboration, and we look forward to identifying solutions to shared challenges as we move forward. 💧

09/09/2026

Thank you to Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development - GOED for inviting WaterStart to take part in their year-long campaign!

Watch the full video to hear about WaterStart’s mission and how we assist water technology companies go from idea to implementation in Nevada.

08/31/2026

🎙️Thanks to Heather Brown and the Home Means podcast for a great conversation about Nevada’s waterfuture!

Desert Research Institute President Dr. Kumud Acharya recently joined the podcast to discuss the water challenges facing Las Vegas and the role research, innovation and collaboration play in building a more sustainable future.

As one of WaterStart’s founding partners, DRI has been an important part of Nevada’s water innovation ecosystem from the beginning. We especially appreciated the shout-out to WaterStart around the 25-minute mark and the recognition of Nevada’s role as a test bed for innovative water technology solutions.

💧 Give it a listen to hear more about the work underway to address Nevada’s water challenges: bit.ly/homemeanspodcastdri

DRI President Kumud Acharya sits down with Host Heather Brown to di...

08/28/2026

WORLD WATER WEEK | Building a WaterWise Economy. 💧

Water innovation isn't only about saving water. It's also about creating jobs, attracting investment and building a more resilient economy.

WaterStart's work has already generated measurable results:
💧 51 funded projects
💰 $4.6 million invested in water innovation
📈 72% of funded pilots adopted by utilities
💵 $33+ million in economic impact in Nevada

And the opportunity extends far beyond individual statistics.

In 2024, WaterStart partnered with the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development - GOED to develop the “Building a WaterWise Economy” report, examining how Nevada can align water management and economic development to create a more sustainable path for growth.

The goal isn't to choose between a strong economy and a sustainable water future. It's to build both — together.

Watch the video to learn more about how Nevada is building a WaterWise economy: https://buff.ly/s6KlPQz

08/27/2026

WORLD WATER WEEK | Innovation in action 💧

Water innovation isn't just an idea. It's already making a difference.

Here are a few examples from WaterStart's work:

🏎️ Helping F1 conserve water
A first-of-its-kind pilot installed an atmospheric water generator on a MGM Grand cooling tower, capturing humidity and recycling it into usable water, helping support the Las Vegas Grand Prix's goal of net-zero water consumption.

🔎 Finding problems before they become bigger problems
WaterStart worked with the Southern Nevada Water Authority and Syrinix to pilot intelligent pipeline monitoring. Within a week, the technology helped identify the cause of water pressure spikes contributing to pipeline breaks.

🏀 Keeping kids cool
At the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Clubhouse, an innovative air rotation cooling system replaced an outdated swamp cooler. The new system is expected to save approximately 850,000 gallons of water every year.

Different technologies. Different challenges. One common thread: Innovation works when we put it into the real world.

Explore more WaterStart success stories: https://buff.ly/5Xzyk8w