Giving Compass' Take:

• Angely Mercado at Grist, interviews Erin Brockovich about her new book, detailing the underlying causes for America's water crisis, reasoning that poor water protection policy has lead to contaminated drinking water in communities across the U.S.

• What is the role of donors in protecting communities from dirty drinking water? What organizations are currently working on this and where are there opportunities for donors to get involved? 

• Read more about making an impact for clean and safe drinking water in America. 

Longtime activist Erin Brockovich believes that many water contamination incidents might never come to light, were it not for the heroic efforts of everyday people worried about their families and neighbors. Throughout her more than two decades of activism, she has seen how government agencies and elected officials have been slow to respond, leaving it up to those most affected by contaminated water to demand better oversight only after their health has already been endangered.

In the early 1990s, Brockovich was working as a legal clerk in the small town of Hinkley, California, when she came across documents about a real estate case involving the utility company Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). She noticed that blood samples were included in the paperwork.

I recently spoke to Brockovich, whose new book Superman’s Not Coming was released last month. It outlines the ways that failing infrastructure and outdated water protection policies in the U.S. have allowed communities all over the country to drink contaminated water. Brockovich describes the ways that grassroots efforts can sound the alarm about polluted water, draw national attention, and hold officials and corporations accountable.

Read the full article about America's water crisis by Angely Mercado at Grist.