As seen on standard.co.uk:

Just add H2O to shape humanity’s past, present and future

by James Salzman

In 2010 the United Nations passed a resolution declaiming that “safe and clean drinking water” was a universal human right. A noble sentiment but words that gurgle straight down the plughole since the UN also estimates that half the world’s population will live in “water scarce areas” by 2030. The point the well-hydrated delegates were trying to get across is that the liquid we have seen more than enough of recently is in fact scarce and getting scarcer.

James Salzman’s book is a look at this everyday commodity most of us take for granted and which proves, on further examination, to be far from unremarkable after all. Salzman is American so the majority of his examples come from that side of the Atlantic; nevertheless, there is more than enough floating about in this book to satisfy a thirst for detail.

As seen on WUNC.org:

Drinking Water

Thursday, November 29 2012 by Frank Stasio and Nicole Campbell

When your body’s feeling crummy, someone will likely tell you to remedy it by drinking more water. Whether it’s for clearer skin or lower anxiety, people have a lot of faith in the healing power of this liquid. But water isn’t a plentiful cure-all everywhere. For many people living in places bordered by water masses, it’s hard to gain access to this necessity. In his latest book, “Drinking Water: A History” (The Overlook Press/2012), James Salzman explores the cultural, historical and political implications of water around the world. James Salzman is a professor in environmental policy at Duke University’s School of Law, and he joins host Frank Stasio today in the studio.

As seen on TheWashingtonPost.com:

Our water system withstood Hurricane Sandy, but the threats aren’t over

By James Salzman, Published: November 9

James Salzman, an environmental law professor at Duke University, is the author of “Drinking Water: A History.”

As the fury of Hurricane Sandy crashed into the Northeast last month, online postings along the storm’s path recounted the collapse of one service after another — no lights, no heat, no phones, no subway and, ultimately, no Internet. But amid the darkened buildings and flooded subways of Lower Manhattan, one service remained largely intact and, as a result, largely ignored: the water supply. As Mayor Michael Bloomberg confidently tweeted, “NYC Tap Water is absolutely safe to drink.”