The Water We Drink

Most of us take our drinking water for granted — switch on the tap, and out it flows. But in much of the world, that’s not the case. At home and abroad, tensions are mounting over water. In this episode, we take a closer look at the water we drink. We’ll hear stories about why water’s so important to our health; why we enjoy some kinds of water, but not others; how exactly water becomes clean enough to drink; and we’ll explore its ability to shape communities, and even politics, around the world.

Also heard on this week’s episode:

• Scooch over soda — the age of seltzer has dawned. We visit Brooklyn Seltzer Boys to hear about how fizzy water works, and why we love it.
• A chat with Mona Hanna-Attisha, the Flint, Michigan, pediatrician who blew the whistle on the city’s drinking water crisis. Her book is What the Eyes Don’t See.
• How private wells sparked “water wars” in a Washington state farming community.
• Scott Harrison talks about his transformation from hard-partying nightclub promoter to founder of the nonprofit Charity: Water. His new book is Thirst.
• In arid Phoenix, Stina Sieg describes the sweat-inducing adventure that helped her realize the importance of hydration.