Episode 54: Measuring Water Insecurity

Talking Under Water

In this month’s episode of Talking Under Water, co-hosts Bob Crossen and Katie Johns discuss the PFAS health advisory limits announced by the U.S. EPA last month and share some of the conversations surrounding that news Additionally, they touch on the recent announcement of NOAA funding opportunities through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Finally, we share an interview with Dr. Sera Young, professor of anthropology and global health at Northwestern University. Johns spoke with her about water scarcity and the Water Insecurity Experiences Scales, also known as WISE scales. Timestamps: Cold open | 00:00 Host introductions & episode summary | 01:03 EPA announces PFAS Health Advisory Levels | 01:54 NOAA climate funding news | 06:36 Interview introduction & start | 8:30 Career path and current work | 9:19 Why measure experiences of water? | 12:51 Biggest takeaways from water insecurity research | 17:20 How do we increase visibility of this issue? | 19:23 How to measure water insecurity | 21:59 Why breaking down silos can address the issue | 23:41 Goals for the future of the measurement of water insecurity | 26:10 Interview wrap up| 27:37 Housekeeping | 28:40