The Make Water Work Podcast - Episode 33 Featuring Rodney Clemente

Episode 33: Rodney Clemente - Water Bankruptcy & The Cost of Doing Nothing

75% of the world's population lives in water-insecure countries. The amount of fresh water on the planet is fixed. And we are spending it faster than nature can replenish it.

The UN calls it global water bankruptcy. And according to Rodney Clemente, Senior Vice President of Water at Energy Recovery, the bill is coming due.

In this episode, Rodney breaks down what desalination actually is, why it costs 5-10x more to build a plant in the US than in Saudi Arabia, and why the real question isn't "can we solve the water crisis" — it's "what's the cost of doing nothing?"

From a small garage startup in Virginia Beach to a dominant global player with 40,000+ devices deployed worldwide, Energy Recovery has spent 30 years making desalination more affordable and more efficient. Rodney brings that perspective to one of the most important conversations in water today.