Water is one of the most critical resources on the planet. But what happens when the water is so contaminated, so saline, so difficult to treat that most technologies simply can’t handle it?

In this episode of the Salty Water Podcast, host Eric Jankel sits down with Anurag Bajpayee, co-founder and CEO of Gradiant, one of the fastest-growing companies in the global water industry.

What started as research at MIT has turned into a company generating hundreds of millions in revenue, solving some of the toughest water challenges in the world, and growing at an extraordinary pace.

This conversation goes far beyond desalination. It explores how breakthrough technologies are developed, how they actually get commercialized in the real world, and what it takes to build a company that can scale without losing its culture.

If you are interested in water, infrastructure, innovation, or building something meaningful from the ground up, this episode of the Salty Water Podcast delivers insights you will not hear anywhere else.

0:00 Introduction to Gradiant and the water industry 1:00 Anurag Bajpayee’s journey from India to MIT 2:30 The cultural perspective on water and its deeper meaning 5:00 How MIT shaped the entrepreneurial mindset 7:30 The origins of Gradiant and early innovation 9:30 Discovering the produced water problem in the Permian Basin 11:00 From lab technology to real-world commercialization 13:00 Why customer needs matter more than “perfect” technology 15:00 Scaling beyond a single product in water 17:00 Building an end-to-end water solutions company 19:00 The philosophy of solving real customer problems 20:30 Growth, profitability, and scaling the business 22:00 Maintaining culture while growing to 1,400+ employees 24:00 Leadership challenges in high-growth companies 25:00 Final thoughts and reflections

• Why some water problems are considered “impossible” and how Gradiant approaches them
• How carrier gas extraction technology mimics the natural water cycle
• The critical mistake most engineers and founders make when commercializing technology
• Why being a “one-trick pony” doesn’t work in the water industry
• How Gradiant scaled from a lab concept to a global company
• The importance of customer-first thinking in building successful infrastructure solutions
• What it takes to grow rapidly while staying profitable
• How company culture becomes the biggest challenge at scale

The Salty Water Podcast explores the people, technologies, and ideas shaping the future of water. From desalination and reuse to infrastructure, policy, and innovation, each episode dives deep into the forces driving one of the most important industries in the world.

Hosted by Eric Jankel, the show features leaders who are solving real-world water challenges and building the systems that will define the future.

If you care about water, sustainability, infrastructure, or global innovation, the Salty Water Podcast is a must-listen.

Water is not just an environmental issue. It is an economic issue, a geopolitical issue, and a business opportunity.

Companies like Gradiant are proving that innovation in water is not only possible, but scalable, profitable, and essential.

This episode of the Salty Water Podcast gives you a front-row seat to how that transformation is happening.

New episodes of the Salty Water Podcast feature conversations with global leaders in water, desalination, reuse, and infrastructure.

Subscribe to stay ahead of the trends shaping the future of water.

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Salty Water Podcast | California Needs Desalination — So What’s Holding It Back?

California has 840 miles of coastline, a growing population of 40 million people, and increasing pressure on traditional water sources like the Colorado River.

So why isn’t seawater desalination scaling faster?

In this episode of the Salty Water Podcast, host Eric Jankel sits down with Mark Donovan, one of the leading experts in desalination and water reuse in North America, to break down what’s really happening behind the scenes in California’s water strategy.

Mark is a Principal at GHD, leads desalination and water reuse efforts across North America, and serves as Chairman of CalDesal. With more than 30 years in the industry, he brings a rare insider perspective on the technical, political, and regulatory realities shaping the future of water.

This conversation goes beyond headlines and digs into the real challenges, including regulatory barriers, public perception, environmental concerns, and the surprising truth about public support for desalination projects.

If you care about water infrastructure, climate resilience, or the future of cities, this is a must-watch episode.

00:00 Introduction and why desalination matters now 01:00 California’s water system and growing supply challenges 02:00 Mark Donovan’s origin story and early work in desalination 04:00 What CalDesal does and its role in policy and advocacy 05:00 Public perception vs reality, why most people actually support desalination 06:30 The regulatory challenges slowing down projects 07:30 Offshore desalination and new innovations 08:00 Carlsbad desalination plant success and lessons learned 09:00 The Colorado River problem and why it changes everything 10:00 Water exchange programs and new collaboration models 11:00 Current projects including Doheny and Monterey 12:00 How policymakers are thinking about desalination today 13:00 The future of desalination in California 14:00 Final thoughts and outlook

• Desalination is one of the few drought-proof water supply solutions available today
• A silent majority of Californians support desalination, but opposition often dominates the conversation
• Regulatory complexity, not technology, is one of the biggest barriers
• Large-scale projects like Carlsbad prove desalination can work at scale
• New models like water exchange programs could reshape how water is distributed across the state
• Innovation in offshore and subsurface desalination could address environmental concerns
• The Colorado River can no longer meet demand, forcing new solutions

The Salty Water Podcast explores the people, projects, and technologies shaping the future of water. From desalination and reuse to infrastructure and policy, we bring you conversations with the leaders solving one of the world’s most critical challenges.

New episodes feature experts from across the global water industry, sharing insights you won’t hear anywhere else.

🌐 Website: https://SaltyWaterPodcast.com

If you found this episode valuable: 👍 Like the video 💬 Comment with your thoughts on desalination in California 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on water, infrastructure, and innovation

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In Part 2 of this conversation on the Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel, Christopher Gasson, owner and publisher of Global Water Intelligence, returns to explore how artificial intelligence, infrastructure demand, and geopolitical conflict are reshaping the global water industry.

Building on Part 1, this episode goes deeper into the forces driving change across desalination, water reuse, and large-scale infrastructure projects. With more than two decades of experience tracking capital flows, policy decisions, and technology trends, Christopher provides a clear and grounded perspective on how the industry is evolving.

A major focus of this episode is the growing role of AI. While data centers themselves may not use as much water as expected, their need for speed, power, and rapid deployment is reshaping where infrastructure is built. In many cases, water is not a primary factor in site selection, which can create long-term challenges for utilities and regions already facing constraints.

The conversation also explores semiconductor manufacturing and the increasing demand for ultra-pure water. As chip complexity increases, so does the water intensity required to produce them. With tens of billions of dollars being invested in new facilities, often in water-constrained areas, this raises important questions about long-term sustainability.

Christopher also shares how AI is transforming the water industry itself. Through tools that analyze project pipelines, council meetings, and real-time data, new forms of intelligence are emerging that help investors, utilities, and operators better understand risk and opportunity.

Another key theme is the significant difference in project costs across regions. In some cases, water infrastructure projects in the United States can cost dramatically more than comparable projects elsewhere, even when using similar technology. Understanding these cost differences is critical for planning and investment decisions.

The episode concludes with a discussion on geopolitical risk, particularly in the Middle East. With reports of desalination plants being impacted by regional conflict, Christopher offers insight into what this means for long-term water strategy and global infrastructure planning.

This is Part 2 of a two-part episode. Be sure to listen to Part 1 for a deeper look at the hidden forces shaping the global water industry.

• AI and water demand
• Data centers and infrastructure pressure
• Semiconductor fabs and ultra-pure water
• Real-time intelligence and decision-making
• Regional cost differences in water projects
• Middle East conflict and water infrastructure
• Future trends in desalination and reuse

The Salty Water Podcast with Eric Jankel explores the people, projects, and ideas shaping the future of water, desalination, reuse, and infrastructure worldwide.