What if water infrastructure could do more than deliver clean drinking water — what if it could transform economies, support food security, reduce climate migration, and unite communities across borders?

In this 3-part series, Urban Limitrophe explores the story of the TransAfrica Pipeline (TAP) — a visionary project to bring clean, desalinated water across the Sahel through a 7,000-kilometre pipeline powered by renewable energy. Through conversations with co-founders Dr. Romila Verma and Dr. Rod Tennyson, we unpack how water connects to everything: agriculture, innovation, migration, environmental justice, and community resilience.

TAP is more than a pipeline — it’s a call to imagine water systems built with care, creativity, and the future in mind.

Episode 1: How to Build a Continent-Sized Water System

How do you build a continent-sized water system?

In this episode, we explore what it takes to design a 7,000-kilometre pipeline to bring clean water across one of the driest regions in the world. Co-founders Dr. Rod Tennyson and Dr. Romila Verma share the origin story of the TransAfrica Pipeline (TAP) — a visionary infrastructure project that combines solar-powered desalination, salt recovery, and lightweight materials to deliver sustainable water access across the Sahel. From technical design to big-picture ambition, we dive into how TAP was engineered — and how it could change lives on a continental scale.

Episode 2: How Cities Can Rethink Water — With People, Planning, and Purpose

What does it take for cities to build water systems that truly serve their people?

Coming Soon

Episode 3: Why Solving Africa’s Water Crisis Matters Everywhere — and What We Can Do About It

Coming Soon

Guests

Dr. Rod Tennyson

Co-founder and Chair of the Board of Directors of TAP, Dr. Tennyson received his Ph.D in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Toronto. He was Professor and Director of the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, with research experience in advanced materials and aerospace structures, fiber optic sensor systems and pipeline integrity. He has published 215 papers in these fields, holds six patents on sensing systems and has received many awards for his pioneering work. Dr. Tennyson directs all research and engineering aspects of the TAP project and leads negotiations with funding resources, governments and NGOs.

Learn more: Trans Africa Pipeline

Dr. Romila Verma

A founding Director of TAP, Dr. Verma is an Instructor at the School of the Environment and Department of Geography at the University of Toronto. Her teaching and research interests are in the field of global water management, environmental science and climate change impacts. She is also the founder of Water Speaks, an organization committed to advancing and translating the voice of water through research, education and action.

Learn more: Trans Africa Pipeline and Water Speaks

Timestamps

Forthcoming

Shownotes

Trans Africa Pipeline
Water Speaks
Water Be Dammed
Story to Tell: Ground Zero For Anthropocene
University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies
The Green Revolution
Sponge Cities

Acknowledgements

Sponsorships

This episode is supported by the Nurubian, the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning.

Support

Music Producer: Imany Lambropoulos
Podcast Host and Graphic Designer: Alexandra Lambropoulos

Stay in the loop!

If you would like to be interviewed, have an interesting idea to share for an episode, or have any feedback on the podcast, please email at hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com or DM on social media!

If you enjoy the show, please share it with your family, friends, best friend, babysitter, barber ... leave a review, or you can buy me a coffee here!

Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter and follow the podcast on Instagram to stay in the loop for upcoming episodes and opportunities to engage with guests and the show.

social

Episode 29: How the Trans Africa Pipeline (TAP) Can Solve the Sahel Region’s Water Crisis | Dr. Rod Tennyson & Dr. Romila Verma