Iowa’s water quality is among the worst in the nation. Water quality challenges impact the health and wellbeing of Iowans who require safe drinking water and clean lakes, rivers, and streams for recreation.
This public presentation by Prof. David Cwiertny will provide an overview of the current state of Iowa’s water resources, focusing on challenges at the intersection of water quality, public health, and quality of life in Iowa. Dr. Cwiertny will present an illustrated lecture followed by questions and comments from the audience.
In search of opportunities to improve water quality in Iowa, his talk will explore how neighboring states have addressed source water protection and consumer risks from unsafe drinking water through policy and related programs. There are things we can do today to improve Iowa’s water quality and improve the quality of life and public health of Iowans.
Dr. Cwiertny holds a B.S. in Environmental Engineering Science with a minor in Chemistry from U.C. Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. His research focuses on pollutant fate in natural and engineered aquatic systems, with particular expertise related to emerging pollutant classes and the development of technologies that promote water sustainability.
He currently serves as Director of the UI Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination (CHEEC) and the Environmental Policy Research Program at the UI Public Policy Center. He is also a core faculty member in the campus-wide Water Sustainability Initiative, a faculty affiliate of the UI Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute, and the founding Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology.
This event is live and in-person, and will be streamed live on the ICPL YouTube channel
Event cosponsors: Iowa City Public Library; 100 Grannies; Bur Oak Land Trust; Iowa Environmental Council; Johnson County Master Gardeners; One Mississippi; Sierra Club of Iowa—Iowa City Area Group; UMRRILO [League of Women Voters Upper Mississippi River Region Inter League Organization].