White River Alliance Launches First Season Of “The Collective Tap” Podcast Series

The White River Alliance (WRA), the premier organization for regional water resource protection in Indiana, has launched its first season of “The Collective Tap,” a new podcast series examining our relationship with water and various water issues affecting Indiana. The series features conversations with state and national experts on topics connected to water such as local food and beverage production, health risks, energy supply, riverside mining, rare aquatic species and more. “The Collective Tap” will release new seasons throughout the summer and fall, each containing five episodes.

Season one, “The Spigot: Water at home,” centers around themes of water access and equity, lawn watering and landscaping/conservation, and personal health and safety. Topics are explored by two curious, non-water expert hosts who engage guests in discussions about affordable access to water, the obsession with green lawns and its impact on our water supply, and the overall condition of the water we use every day to clean our homes, cook food, shower and drink.

“We launched this podcast to educate Hoosiers and give them a new appreciation for our most critical resource – the one that is at the root of everything we do, from work and play to energy and food,” said Jill Hoffmann, Executive Director of White River Alliance. “Without water, everything else ceases to be important, so we want to challenge people to think about what a day without it would look like.”

Dr. Thomas Duszynski, Assistant Clinical Professor and Director of Epidemiology Education at the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, agreed.

“Water has been recognized as necessary for life on this planet for thousands of years, not only for drinking, but also for maintaining our hygiene,” Dr. Duszynski said. “As our population grows and our climate changes, water is going to become more important than ever.”

To help the public visualize the many water dependencies that exist, 15 art canoes are being installed in locations across five Indiana counties to help highlight specific water issues discussed in the podcast’s various episodes and seasons. Designed by central Indiana artists, the canoe artwork coupled with their location will raise awareness that, while people may not see water everywhere, it is a critical part of our economy, heritage and our own existence. The canoes will be on the landscape for at least the next six months while the podcast will remain available indefinitely.

WRA wishes to express its appreciation for their proud watershed sponsors, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Cummins Inc., Ingredion Inc., Duke Energy, and Citizens Energy Group, for supporting the project due to its importance, subsequent awareness, conservation impact and connection to their missions.

For more information on “The Collective Tap” and featured guests, please visit www.TheCollectiveTap.com.

About The White River Alliance

The White River Alliance exists to improve and protect water quality on a watershed basis in the White River region in central Indiana. The Alliance supports local governments and other key stakeholders by helping them improve water quality protection, leverage financial resources, educate large numbers of people and cooperate across political or social boundaries. The collective assets of the Alliance lead to an innovative regional approach to understanding and addressing water quality and land use changes. In addition to the The Collective Tap and White River Art Canoes, the Alliance’s programs include the national Clear Choices Clean Water program, which encourages residents to take individual action to improve water quality and increase water conservation, as well as several other local and regional public engagement and professional training programs including the statewide Indiana Water Summit. For more information, visit www.thewhiteriveralliance.org.