The Science and Politics of Water Management

Water plays an essential and irreplaceable role in all life on Earth. In this FIG we will study water from many perspectives, from its chemistry to the laws that regulate its use. Our study will include connections to the many ways that water flows in and around the city of Milwaukee. For example, what is in the Milwaukee River, how did it get there, and does it matter? How can it be that the city tap water is safe to drink when it is drawn from the same place that Milwaukee's wastewater is released back into the environment? We will see how laws, high technology, human behavior, and Mother Nature can all work together to keep this great cycle of water sustainable and safe, for humans and all other living things. In Chemistry 103 you will learn ways of seeing and understanding the world of water--and pollutants that degrade it--at the tiny molecular scale, from the scientific perspective. In contrast, Political Science 104 will help us understand the vital importance of government, at the local and national scale, in keeping water safe and available when and where it is needed.