Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.

In this episode, Justin interviews Ralph Exton, Executive Director of the Water Environment Federation, about World Water Day, March 22nd, and the importance of water governance. WEF is a UN Water Partner, focusing on water access and gender equality. Justin and Ralph discuss the Value of Water Campaign and the Circular Water Economy. Ralph mentions other water organizations that the WEF promotes and supports. They discuss how water governance is a board-level issue, along with cybersecurity and financial risk. They explore ways organizations can participate in World Water Day.

Listen for ideas on elevating water governance in your organization.

Key Takeaways:

[:01] About RIMS and RIMScast.

[:14] Public registration is open for RISKWORLD 2026, which will be held from May 3rd through 6th in Philadelphia. Visit RIMS.org/RISKWORLD to register.

[:27] About this episode of RIMScast. We will be joined by Water Environment Federation Executive Director Ralph Exton. He's here to talk about the circular water economy ahead of March 22nd, which is World Water Day. This is probably my favorite topic! But first…

[:59] RIMS Virtual Workshops. The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Course will be on April 21st and 22nd, and then again on June 9th and 10th. Registration links are in this episode's notes.

[1:13] On April 15th, we have a virtual workshop covering "Emerging Risks", led by Joseph Mayo. Register today and strengthen your risk knowledge. RIMS members always enjoy deep discounts on the virtual workshops.

[1:30] Webinars. The "Hard Hats & High Stakes: Women Leaders Shaping Construction Risk Management" Webinar, spotlighting women leaders in risk and construction, was rescheduled to March 20th.

[1:42] The registration link is in this episode's show notes. You will have to register again if you have previously done so.

[1:48] On April 16th, Zurich and World Travel Protection will present "Navigating the New Global Risk Landscape: Lessons for Business Travelers in Unstable Times". Register for these and other webinars by visiting RIMS.org/webinars and the links in this episode's show notes.

[2:05] On with the Show! Our topic is water risk management, and we are joined by the Executive Director of the Water Environment Federation, Mr. Ralph Exton. He has decades of professional experience with water risk.

[2:19] He is here to discuss what the Water Environment Federation refers to as the Circular Water Economy, WEF's Value of Water Campaign, responsible water risk management, and World Water Day 2026, which emphasizes water access and gender equality. Let's get to it!

[2:40] Interview! Ralph Exton, welcome to RIMScast!

[2:48] Ralph Exton, Executive Director of the Water Environment Federation, joins us for this World Water Day episode of RIMScast.

[3:29] Ralph Exton's career started with water. As a newly graduated mechanical engineer, his first assignment was to manage and supervise the water operations at an industrial facility. He says he had no idea what he was doing. He had wanted to work on robots.

[4:57] Ralph says it did not take long. Once you understand how important water is to an industrial operation, you realize how important water quality is to the environment. Everyone knows how important water is from a personal standpoint.

[5:28] When you understand those bigger factors, it becomes inherent in the way you think about your job and career. Ralph tells people, once you get your hands wet in water, they'll never be dry.

[5:55] Ralph's entire career has been water. The early part of the career was operational and industrial. Then he worked for water technology companies, and eventually for the largest water technology and servicing companies in the world. He lists some of the global companies.

[6:37] Ralph says that a couple of years ago, he was at a point in his career where he wanted to give back more and be more directly focused on the impact he could have on water and the environment.

[6:52] Ralph had spent a lot of time with the Water Environment Federation as a customer, a volunteer, and a board member. All those things throughout his career helped him considerably. It's such an important organization for making connections in the water sector and for learning.

[7:24] Ralph says that when the opportunity came up to be part of the organization that has been so important to his career for all those years, he jumped at it and was fortunate to be selected for this position. Ralph joined WEF in mid-2024.

[7:47] Ralph says he is thrilled with the opportunity for direct contributions to water and the environment. It has been fantastic. The organization has always done super important things. He gets to be a part of making those things a reality now, and it's great.

[8:17] World Water Day, March 22nd, is a big day for Ralph and for the WEF. This year, it emphasizes water access and gender equality. WEF is a strong supporter of water access, criminal justice, and gender equality. WEF is very proud to be a UN Water Partner.

[9:06] Access to clean water and sanitation is directly correlated with a higher level of education, gender equality, and economic stability. If you have one, you're going to get the other.

[9:24] In particular, ready access to clean water and toilets is crucial for women, especially at school age. If women aren't carting water all day long, they have more hours to spend with access to schooling and to join the workforce.

[9:51] Ralph says there's also a very high correlation between women in the workforce and economic well-being, not only of the family, but also economic well-being within the regional and national economies. The theme for this year's Water Day ties it all together.

[10:42] This is core to some of the work WEF does. WEF has a program called Charities of Choice.

[10:54] WEF supports and promotes several not-for-profit organizations that focus on philanthropic and charity work, domestically and in developing countries, that provide services that ensure that the water environment is enhanced or preserved and public health is protected.

[11:20] Ralph shares a couple of examples. Global Water Stewardship works to resolve sanitation issues in the developing world by educating people and engineering sustainable centralized solutions that keep waterways clean and communities healthy.

[11:38] Water for People is an international nonprofit based in Denver, Colorado. Their goal is to bring water, sanitation, and hygiene services to everyone and to make the solutions last.

[11:55] Engineers Without Borders builds a better world through engineering, through projects that empower communities to meet their basic human needs and equip leaders to solve some of the world's most pressing water challenges.

[12:14] Operators Without Borders looks to provide certified volunteer water and wastewater operators who can support utilities in developing countries, following emergency or disaster situations, to ensure that safe drinking water and wastewater services are resumed quickly.

[12:48] Ralph says WEF largely provides a platform and access to tens of thousands of people around the world who are part of WEF membership. WEF also has grants for water-related emergencies.

[13:42] Ralph says volunteer work is probably the biggest thing people can do to help. Making donations to any of these organizations is super important. Feet on the street is a big cost component of this work.

[14:10] The other cost component is training. If you send people to a location to solve a problem, and then they leave and don't provide training to the community, the solution won't last. Volunteers participating in some of these projects are a big help in making projects sustainable.

[15:06] Ralph says you can provide someone a meal, or you can teach them how to grow that meal. There are short-term and long-term aspects. Long-term, you have to make sure they have the infrastructure, training, knowledge, and resources to provide for themselves.

[15:51] The Value of Water campaign highlights the state-by-state economic benefits of investing in water infrastructure. The campaign is a coalition of the U.S. Water Alliance, the WEF, and other organizations. The WEF is on the Value of Water campaign steering committee.

[16:27] We're at a pivotal moment regarding water infrastructure. A recent study was on the U.S. water infrastructure, but the issue is global.

[16:46] The U.S. water infrastructure gets scored every couple of years on an A through F system. We don't score very well. The recent research has a powerful message. The funding gap is $1.8 trillion in water infrastructure between now and 2044.

[17:30] Ralph says that's an opportunity. The latest report from the Value of Water campaign shows what's...