2011 Let’s Talk About Water Symposium

Oct 15, 2011 | PROTECT Events and Presentations

This symposium presented an in-depth discussion and critical thinking about the complex water issues facing society, particularly toxic chemical pollution of drinking water. A film screening was hosted and followed by an informal discussion over lunch, and then an extended moderated panel discussion.

Film Screening: “A Civil Action“, a true story about lawyer Jan Schlichtmann (played by John Travolta), who represented a group of families whose children have died due to TCE (a toxic chemical) dumped into their drinking water by a factory.

Panel Discussion: Panelists included:

  • Attorney Jan Schlichtmann
  • Water pollution experts including Bob Zimmerman from the Charles River Watershed Association, Joel Schwartz from the Harvard School of Public Health, Stephen Estes-Smargiassi from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, Jose Cordero from the University of Puerto Rico (previously director of the CDC National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities),   and Phil Casanova from Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northeastern University.
Organizers
Ferdi Hellweger, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University
Rick Hooper, Executive Director, CUAHSI
Linda Lilienfeld, Project Director, Let’s Talk About Water
About Let’s Talk About Water

Many films about water are being made all around the world. Using these films to spark debate, Let’s Talk About Water is an event team available for university campuses and other community settings, to create a neutral space for spirited discussion of problems and solutions about water.

Photos from the event can be found here!