#08: 確保您飲用水的政府工程師 / Civil Servant Bringing Safe Drinking Water to your Tap

(Episode is mostly in Chinese)  Today's topic is drinking water (飲用水)! In the United States, we are (for the most part) incredibly lucky to have safe, potable water by a quick turn of the faucet. Curious about which government entity regulates and establishes federal standards for drinking water? Historically, it's been the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). The states and public water systems are then tasked with enforce the standards and regulations. George Chien (錢宗駒) is an engineer with the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA). A native of Taiwan, he came to the US fifteen years ago to pursue an interdisciplinary graduate degree in Environmental Engineering and Management. In our chat today, George shares with us his perspectives on being a civil servant, and also teaches us the steps of bringing water from reservoirs through to your tap.  A written interview with George about civil service in CA: https://www.twreporter.org/a/opinion-us-civil-servants. Cynthia's book recommendation:  What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City, by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha. This book is one of my favorite reads from 2018. If you're at all interested in water/health/environmental policy or local/state/federal policy making, this is a great account. It's written in a memoir-style by the pediatrician who correlated the blood lead level rise in her patients in Flint, MI. She sprinkles personal stories as well, for those interested in hearing immigrant stories (like me!). She was born in the UK to Iraqi parents, she grew up in the Detroit area and has strong ties to Michigan.   *** Say hi! 來打招呼！ Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @twdiaspora. [email protected] www.taiwanesediaspora.com