The Weekly Dive #17
After building the world’s first grid-level “big battery”, South Australia is planning the world’s largest electrolyzer and H2 power plant. Promising water startups are highlighted by Imagine H2O and Xylem. Biden-Harris administration announces $2B for PFAS and $728M for Colorado River drought. Clay could be the solution to global warming. Why is Europe’s groundwater drying up? This week, we are highlighting Jaron Rothkop, one of HydroDAO’s key advisors. Learn about his impressive background and why he is passionate about water.
Your weekly Bonus – The EU is considering a “universal ban” on PFAS.
This week’s quote:
“There is a path from me to you
that I am constantly looking for,
So I try to keep clear and still
as water does with the moon.
What’s New with Our Portfolio Companies?
O.C. Sanitation to demo tech that kills ‘forever chemicals,’ turning waste into water, clean energy
O.C. Sanitation officials have partnered with our portfolio company 374Water to bring a supercritical water oxidation unit capable of treating up to 6 tons of wet sludge per day, to the Fountain Valley facility as part of a demo project.
What’s New with Water?
South Australia plans world’s largest electrolyzer and H2 power plant
The state that built the world’s first grid-level “big battery” is striking out on an even more ambitious green energy project: the world’s biggest hydrogen power station.
Imagine H2O Announces This Year’s Water Innovators
Imagine H2O’s Accelerator will support international startups to solve the global water crisis.
Start-ups join Xylem Innovation Labs Accelerator to help solve critical issues
Industrial treatment, regulatory compliance, digital workforce and water system sustainability.
Proven PFAS Removal Solution Now Available In The US
An innovative, chemical free system that successfully removes up to 100% of priority PFAS compounds.
What’s New in the Industry?
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $2B In Funding To Address Emerging Contaminants Like PFAS In Drinking Water
“Too many American communities, especially those that are small, rural, or underserved, are suffering from exposure to PFAS and other harmful contaminants in their drinking water”
Biden-Harris Administration Delivers $728 Million to Address Drought
To provide clean, reliable drinking water to communities and support water conservation in the Colorado River Basin.
California awards $46M for drought resilience
The state awarded grants to nine projects to improve water supply reliability, groundwater recharge, and water use efficiency.
Despite $15B Lead Line Replacement Effort, Water Systems Need More
“We’re replacing poisonous lead pipes that go into 10 million homes and 400,000 schools and childcare centers”
What’s New in the Science?
WHY IS EUROPE’S GROUNDWATER DRYING UP? NEW SATELLITE DATA REVEALS MORE
A new satellite study from the Graz University of Technology has corroborated data from 2020 revealing that Europe’s groundwater supplies are on the verge of drying up.
Researchers find that clay could be the solution to global warming
The atmospheric level of carbon dioxide is almost double what it was prior to the Industrial Revolution.
Warming seas are carving into glacier that could trigger sea level rise
New research provides a startling look at how warmer oceans are gouging the Thwaites Glacier.
Researchers use water treatment method to capture acids from ag waste
Electrodeionization is one way to capture the acids and other useful components.
Jaron is Director at 501CTHREE.ORG, a non-profit dedicated to driving content and innovation around global, energy, water, health and shelter solutions. 501CTHREE’s first project in the pipeline are deployable water filtration systems in water crisis areas such as Flint, Michigan.
Jaden Smith, Drew FitzGerald, and Jaron demonstrated a more sustainable approach to bottled water through their company JUST Water. In 2016, after donating water to Flint with JUST Water, Drew, Jaden, and Jaron decided to engineer a solution that would provide water without all the plastic. While coming up with an alternative to single-use plastic water bottles in Flint, WaterBox.org was created, a new type of nonprofit for a younger generation focused on Energy, Food, Water, and Shelter solutions. Under Jaron’s leadership Water Box brought together a team of passionate and experienced innovators addressing the problems that climate change and resource scarcity have on communities of color. Water Box integrates innovation and storytelling to bring attention to the solutions that will help us build a cleaner, more sustainable, and more hopeful future. Water Box was awarded Fast Company’s Innovation Of The Year Award in the social good category.
Previously, Jaron was President of The Last Kilometer, a nonprofit focused on clean energy policy and technology. From 2012-2016, Jaron was President and CTO of ZeroBase Energy, a leading designer and manufacturer of solar hybrid power systems and clean energy microgrids for governments and commercial/industrial customers. From 2012-2016, Jaron was an investment advisor to Pegasus Capital, LLP a private equity fund manager focused on global resource scarcity.
Thank you Jaron for your work and leadership supporting communities to access clean drinking water and for your support to our HydroDAO community.
What’s in the Future?
EU considers ‘universal’ ban on PFAS compounds
If successful, the restriction will become one of the largest chemical bans in EU history, though the proposal will face intense opposition from affected industries and chemicals manufacturers.
