*By Christian Smith*
Clean water advocate and movie heroine Erin Brockovich is raising red flags over the state of the nation's water supply. She told Cheddar that it's time for the public to take notice of a problem they've largely been ignoring.
"The issue has always been there ー we just either haven't talked about it or it hasn't been exposed," Brockovich said. "We have 18 million miles of lead pipes we're going to have to replace; we're going to have to look at our water infrastructure, we're going to have to look at our municipalities."
The activist, whose life was immortalized in an eponymous film starring Julia Roberts in 2000, cited a whole system of failures that have damaged America's water ー most notably, the ongoing Flint Water Crisis, in which dangerous levels of lead were detected in the Michigan city's water supply. In Brockovich's view, the Environmental Protection Agency is understaffed and underfunded, creating a cascade of mismanaged utilities.
In an effort to give consumers more control over purifying their own water, Brockovich is endorsing a water filtration product for the first time in her storied career. She is partnering with AquaTru, which makes a countertop reverse osmosis water purification system.
Reverse osmosis is the same purification process that most major bottling companies use to filter their water bottles. It removes dozens of contaminants using a variety of filtering materials such as a carbon and even coconut shells.
Whether or not consumers buy a reverse osmosis filtration system, Brockovich wants everyone to educate themselves about the water running from their taps.
"The call to action is: Know your water," Brockovich said. "Don't assume anymore."
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/consumer-advocate-erin-brockovich-discusses-the-global-water-crisis).
Ahead of National Dog Day on Saturday, Alina Hauptman from Best Friends Animal Society joined Cheddar News to discuss adopting a dog from a shelter and what the organization is doing to help pets that have survived the Maui fires.
Jack Dunn, bartender at Great Jones Distilling Co. in Manhattan, spoke with Cheddar News about the history of the whiskey sour and the process involved in making it.
Today is National Whiskey Sour Day and Cheddar News is celebrating! Michelle Castillo spoke with Celina Perez, head distiller at Great Jones Distilling Co. in Manhattan, to discuss how the business got started with a state-of-the-art operation and the process involved in making their fine whiskey drinks.
After decades in the ring, a Connecticut man is celebrating after obtaining his first boxing title, thanks to his wife who had a personal battle of her own and guided him.
A Jersey Shore man has painted sea shells -- nearly 500 of them -- to raise awareness around epilepsy that have traveled as far as Asia and Australia.
Joe Biden and Donald Trump are the most likely nominees for the 2024 presidential election, but you won't see many new books about either this fall. A Barnes & Noble official says there's “an exhaustion of interest" in political titles right now, even in books about Trump, Biden's immediate predecessor in the White House.
Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte goes on sale Thursday in the U.S. and Canada, as it does each year when the nights start getting longer and the fall winds gather.
Wondering what to watch this weekend? This week we have a wacky combo of a bat mitzvah battle, Jake Paul, and a weird medieval podcast.
A man in Georgia set a Guinness World Record for having the most Batman memorabilia.
Cheddar News explores how you can enjoy a more affordable getaway while staying local. The TWA Hotel at JFK Airport in New York City offers a day getaway with convenience and nostalgia as added ingredients.
