Can you share a bit about your journey and what led you to work in water?

I’m Susan Springsteen, a Director on Global Water Works’ Non-profit Board, http://www.globalwaterworks.org and co-founder and CEO of global innovator and manufacturer, H2O Connected, http://www.h2oconnected.com . We build smart water technology focused on one overlooked yet significant global problem: water waste through toilets.. Our multi- patented products under the LeakAlertor brand detect, alert, diagnose, and quantify nearly every type of water loss problem that occurs in a tank toilet so that property owners and managers can save water and save money. The problem is massive. Most people don't realize that a faulty fill valve can waste over 200 gallons a day and a running toilet can waste 5 gallons a minute….and since there is no water on the floor, many of these issues go undetected…..until now!! We’re based in Coatesville, PA, where we manufacture

locally and intentionally hire from the community. My mission is simple: stop invisible water waste, protect property owners, and steward one of our most precious resources—water.

I didn’t plan to enter water—it found me. After a ceiling flooded in my business partner’s home multiple times from an undetected toilet tank leak, we discovered there was no practical solution to detect slow, silent leaks inside the tank. The more I researched, the more I realized this was a massive, unaddressed problem. Toilets are the #1 source of in-building water loss, yet no one was solving it in a simple, reliable, practical, scalable way. That frustration became a calling. I stepped into the water sector because the problem was real, costly, and solvable.

Why are you so passionate about stopping unreported toilet leaks?

Because they’re invisible—and expensive. A single running toilet can waste over $100 a day. In one pilot hotel, we detected 90,000 gallons lost in just 30 days. Nationally, up to a trillion gallons of water are wasted annually. Most of that loss is undetected. LeakAlertor changes that by turning hidden waste into actionable data. When you stop a leak, you save water immediately. That’s measurable stewardship. It’s environmental impact and financial savings at the same time—and that excites me.

Why would you encourage young women to pursue careers in water?

A: Water touches everything—health, housing, hospitality, agriculture. It’s foundational. And it’s ripe for innovation. This sector needs smart, resilient leaders willing to solve real problems. Building hardware is hard—but that’s where meaningful impact happens. Women bring collaboration, long-term thinking, and purpose-driven leadership, all of which

water desperately needs. If you want a career where your work visibly matters, where technology meets sustainability, and where impact is tangible, water is an incredible place to build.

What type of Community would you like to help build?

I’m thrilled to be part of the Global Water Works community because water problems are multi-stakeholder by nature. Utilities, property owners, technologists, nonprofits, municipalities, educators—we all hold part of the solution. What Global Water Works does so well is create a space to connect water stakeholders, so they can collaborate on challenges and celebrate successes. I believe communities like this and the Water Tower are essential to keep us learning from each other’s efforts, and to avoid working in silos or duplicating impact efforts.

We thank Susan and our Partner, Global Water Works, for supporting Women Leading Water and sharing their perspective with our community!