The Paradox of Water - by Bhawani Venkataraman

About the Book

"Water is a molecular marvel. Its seemingly simple formula--H2O-- dictates the properties that make water essential for life and easily contaminated. Herein lies the paradox of water: we cannot live without it, but it is easily rendered 'unsafe.' The Paradox of Water explores the intersection of the scientific, social, and policy implications around access to safe drinking water. Drinking water is the smallest fraction of water used by a nation, yet access to safe drinking water supports educational opportunities, helps overcome gender inequities, lowers familial stress, and enables more socially and economically productive uses of time"--

Book Synopsis

Water is a molecular marvel. Its seemingly simple formula--H2O--dictates the properties that make water both essential for life and easily contaminated. Herein lies the paradox of water: we cannot live without it, but it is easily rendered "unsafe." The Paradox of Water explores the intersection of the scientific, social, and policy implications around access to safe drinking water. Drinking water is the smallest fraction of water used by a nation. Yet, the quality of this fraction is what dictates whether a community is healthy, educated, and economically sustained.

Bhawani Venkataraman argues that a deeper understanding of the chemical nature of water is crucial to appreciating the challenges around access to safe drinking water. Drawing on recent research and case studies from the US and abroad, this book offers students an understanding of:

• the processes and oversight needed to ensure the safety of drinking water
• the role of the precautionary principle in managing drinking water
• potential solutions for expanding sustainable and equitable access to safe drinking water

From the Back Cover

"Is any resource more vital and less understood than water? The Paradox of Water is eye-opening and mind-opening, helping us see what we otherwise might not see and also think about what we otherwise might not think about. As a civic educator looking for ways to make social issues accessible and engaging, I am thrilled to have a resource that illustrates the scientific, political, and personal implications of the elixir of life."--Sanda Balaban, Director, YVote/Next Generation Politics

"Water may very well be the most important commodity of the future. In this book for readers of all backgrounds, the chemistry of water is detailed in an accessible manner along with historical and recent examples of water mistreatment. The book can serve in educational settings and as a contextual resource while it is also a call to action to protect our water."--Michael T. Wentzel, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Augsburg University

"The very properties that make water essential for life provide the mechanism by which biological and chemical pollutants contaminate it, threatening human health and the health of ecosystems. This book will serve as a foundation text for any educator who wishes to dive into that very paradox while exploring topics such as access to clean water, how we reuse and repurpose water, how climate change and pandemics threaten our water supply, and how social, political, cultural, and economic factors all intersect when we consider the importance of water in our lives."--Davida S. Smyth, Associate Professor of Microbiology, Texas A&M University-San Antonio

About the Author

Bhawani Venkataraman is Associate Professor of Chemistry at Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, The New School. She teaches courses that connect chemistry to social and environmental issues.