Water Is For Fighting explores the complexities of water in the Western United States. Our first season, focuses on the South Platte River in Colorado: a critical water source for over 4.5 million people. The story of the South Platte River is told at the intersection of natural and human history, socio-economics, law, science, and folklore. Through it all is Americans’ complicated love affair with wilderness and the Myth of the Frontier. Ultimately, we demonstrate how this mythos turned water into such a contentious resource, and why, in the West, “whiskey is for drinking, and water is for fighting.”

Water Is For Fighting explores the complexities of water in the Western United States. Our first season, focuses on the South Platte River in Colorado: a critical water source for over 4.5 million people. The story of the South Platte River is told at the intersection of natural and human history, socio-economics, law, science, and folklore. Through it all is Americans’ complicated love affair with wilderness and the Myth of the Frontier. Ultimately, we demonstrate how this mythos turned water into such a contentious resource, and why, in the West, “whiskey is for drinking, and water is for fighting.”

Water Is For Fighting: Trailer

In our first episode we examine how the history and legend of pure Rocky Mountain water blinded many Denver residents to water contamination issues. Not until the Flint Water Crisis did authorities start investigating potential lead poisoning within the Denver Community. A brief history on the vital role the South Platte River played in the lives of native tribes and in the founding of Denver provides context for the modern issues still effecting the Denver water systems. The recent detection of lead in the drinking water, caused by the corrosion of lead service lines into private homes and businesses, precipitated a legal battle and a large-scale Lead Reduction Program spearheaded by Denver Water.

In our first episode we examine how the history and legend of pure Rocky Mountain water blinded many Denver residents to water contamination issues. Not until the Flint Water Crisis did authorities start investigating potential lead poisoning within the Denver Community. A brief history on the vital role the South Platte River played in the lives of native tribes and in the founding of Denver provides context for the modern issues still effecting the Denver water systems. The recent detection of lead in the drinking water, caused by the corrosion of lead service lines into private homes and businesses, precipitated a legal battle and a large-scale Lead Reduction Program spearheaded by Denver Water.

Part 1: The City

In our previous episode, we discovered how aging infrastructure has contributed to a growing concern of the general public's surrounding water quality. In this episode, we address those concerns head on by diving into the science behind water treatment to answer several questions about what exactly is in the water.  Again, we go back in time to understand how water quality was handled historically and how contemporary engineers and scientists are now hard at work mitigating many factors that make it challenging to make our water safe today. Part of that challenge is simply helping citizens better understand how water treatment works and combatting widespread misinformation. 

In our previous episode, we discovered how aging infrastructure has contributed to a growing concern of the general public's surrounding water quality. In this episode, we address those concerns head on by diving into the science behind water treatment to answer several questions about what exactly is in the water.  Again, we go back in time to understand how water quality was handled historically and how contemporary engineers and scientists are now hard at work mitigating many factors that make it challenging to make our water safe today. Part of that challenge is simply helping citizens better understand how water treatment works and combatting widespread misinformation.

Part 2: What Is In the Water

Water Is For Fighting is a five part documentary podcast series that explores the complexities around water management in the Western United States. For this season, we’re focusing on the South Platte River in Colorado, because it’s a resource that 4.5 million people rely on every day. For most of us, access to clean drinking water is a given, but our relationship with the natural environment is far more intimate-- whether you know it or not. With a growing population, increasingly destructive wildfires, and changing climates, big decisions are being made about the future of this finite resource. In each episode, our team guides you through the remarkable and intricate water delivery system in the Denver Metro area, from the watersheds, to the dams and reservoirs, the water treatment plants and through the pipes in your own home all of which guarantees that clean water is accessible. You’ll learn about the complicated intersections of water rights with socioeconomics, public health, aging infrastructure, science, and public policy.

Water Is For Fighting

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