Documentary film explores challenges facing public water infrastructure

1:51 p.m., Sept. 18, 2012--The Student Programs Committee of the Delaware Environmental Institute (DENIN) at the University of Delaware is kicking off the academic year with a free outdoor showing of the documentary film, Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure, on Monday, Sept. 24, at 8 p.m. on the North Green.

Produced by Penn State Public Broadcasting, Liquid Assets explores the history, engineering, and political and economic challenges of the nation’s public water and wastewater infrastructure. 

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June 5: Blue Hen 5K

University of Delaware graduates planning to attend Alumni Weekend are encouraged to register for the annual Blue Hen 5K walk and run, which will be held Sunday morning, June 5.

June 6-9: Food and culture series

The 20th annual June Lecture Series at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UD in Wilmington will be held June 6-9. Titled 'June a la Carte,' this year's program focuses on great political documents, feminism, world politics and a Newark cuisine sampler.

• June 6-9: Food and culture series
• Through June 30: 'Saving White Clay Creek'
• July 22: WWE Heatwave Tour
• Through Sept. 16: Women of color in academia

The pipes and drains that bring fresh water to homes and workplaces and carry wastewater away were largely installed about 100 years ago. Their deterioration often escapes public notice since they are mostly hidden underground, but crumbling and leaking water systems pose a major threat to public health.

Following the screening, Gerald Kauffman, director of the Institute for Public Administration’s Water Resources Agency, will lead a discussion of the film. Kauffman, who is also an instructor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is teaching a course in water resources engineering this semester.

Junior Amy Snelling, chair of the DENIN Student Programs Committee, said that the group selected the film as a natural extension of its Bottled Water Awareness Campaign begun last spring.

“In our campaign, we point out to people that drinking commercially bottled water is both environmentally damaging and economically unwise, since bottled water costs about 700 times more than tap water,” she said. “But at the same time we really need to be careful to properly maintain our public water systems.”

To encourage fellow students to eschew commercially bottled water and drink more tap water, the Student Programs Committee has handed out more than 300 reusable, collapsible water bottles on campus. More bottles will be available at the screening on a first-come-first-served basis.

In case of rain, check the DENIN website for an alternate location.

Article by Beth Chajes