Changemaker Rehab

George McGraw is a leading expert on water and sanitation in the United States and around the world, and is often featured in global media including Forbes, CNN, NBC, and more. He currently serves as the Founder & CEO of DigDeep, the only WaSH (water, sanitation and hygiene) organization solely focused on the USA.

Show Notes

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George McGraw is a leading expert on water and sanitation in the United States and around the world, and is often featured in global media including Forbes, CNN, NBC, and more. He currently serves as the Founder & CEO of DigDeep, the only WaSH (water, sanitation and hygiene) organization solely focused on the USA.

In 2019, he co-authored the ‘Closing the Water Access Gap in the United States’ Report, an explosive study that revealed over 2.2 million Americans currently live without a tap or toilet at home, with race being the #1 predictor of water insecurity.

In 2022, he was the lead author on Draining: The Economic Impact of America’s Hidden Water Crisis which illustrated that the water access gap causes a loss of $8.58 billion per year in the US economy.

The report also found that there is hope: for every dollar invested in closing the water gap, the US economy would see a nearly 5:1 return.

In this episode, 

How George discovered that water poverty affects over 2.2M in the US, many of which live on less than 4L of water per day and the mental, physical, financial and psychological disadvantages of not having access to clean, running water.

George shared the ways DigDeep has worked with communities in Navajo Nation, West Virginia, and the Texas-Mexico border to provide clean water to hundreds of families, and shares stories about the magic of being present and building long-term relationships with each person and their uniqueness.

These relationships and other social change principles are what George drew on to innovate affordable water delivery systems and develop unique, inclusive solutions for each community. George offers inspiring insight into the meaning of social entrepreneurship and how to be a leader through challenge and hope. 

If you are a human in need of clean water, please contact info@digdeep.org. 

If you are interested in supporting Dig Deep, head to digdeep.org and join in today. 

Follow Heather on Instagram.

Heather's personal website.

Learn about Causeartist here.

Check out more Causeartist podcasts here.

What is Changemaker Rehab?

Changing the world is overwhelming and exhilarating. Join me Heather McDougall as I host bold leaders, entrepreneurs, artists and changemakers on the front lines of the world’s most pressing challenges, from planetary sustainability and human justice to the reformation of economic wealth and impact. Discover what it means to be empowered by your mission rather than consumed by the magnitude of the problem you’re trying to solve. Together, step by step, we stand on the legacy of others and create the world we dream about.