The Most Important Question

#91: Why is Drinking Water So Unaffordable for So Many Americans?


Listen Later

We’re back!

In Episode 91, Quinn & Brian ask: Why is drinking water so unaffordable, or unavailable, or just filthy for so many people?

Our guests are: Nina Lakhani & Mary Grant. Nina is environmental justice reporter for The Guardian US and Mary Grant is the Public Water for All Campaign Director at Food & Water Watch. They’ve bottled up their empathy and their anger for good, and we think they fit right in on the show.

If it wasn’t already obvious: water is important. It’s one of the few things we actually need to survive, believe it or not. We’ve all heard of problems in Flint, but that’s not some crazy anomaly. It’s just the one town that got the most media attention, and even then, there are still huge problems with their water supply.

The inequitable access to basic resources has been normalized in our country, but let's be clear about one thing — it’s NOT normal, and it doesn’t happen at anywhere near this scale in other developed countries. So, want to Make America Great Again? Well, let’s start by just getting us to a C average in basic human rights.

Have feedback or questions? Tweet us, or send a message to [email protected]

New here? Get started with our fan favorite episodes at podcast.importantnotimportant.com.

INI Book Club: 

  • The Dictionary

  • https://bookshop.org/shop/importantnotimportant

  • Links:

    • Call your Senator and tell them to fight for a second Coronavirus Relief Package that includes a national moratorium on water, power, and broadband shutoffs: 202-609-9041

    • Tell your representative to support for the Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act (HR 1417, S611)

    • www.foodandwaterwatch.org

    • Read Nina’s articles: theguardian.com/profile/nina-lakhani

    • Nina on Twitter: @ninalakhani

    • Mary on Twitter: @MaryGrant_Water

    • The Human Utility

    • Navajo Relief Fund

    • Connect with us:

      • Subscribe to our newsletter at newsletter.importantnotimportant.com

      • Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp

      • Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett

      • Follow Brian: twitter.com/beansaight

      • Like and share us on Facebook: facebook.com/ImportantNotImportant

      • Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com

      • Artwork by Amrit Pal

      • Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

        ...more
        View all episodesView all episodes
        Download on the App Store

        The Most Important QuestionBy Important, Not Important

        • 4.7
        • 4.7
        • 4.7
        • 4.7
        • 4.7

        4.7

        118 ratings


        More shows like The Most Important Question

        View all
        The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

        The New Yorker Radio Hour

        6,826 Listeners

        On the Media by WNYC Studios

        On the Media

        9,237 Listeners

        The Gray Area with Sean Illing by Vox

        The Gray Area with Sean Illing

        10,729 Listeners

        Reveal by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

        Reveal

        8,454 Listeners

        Living on Earth by World Media Foundation

        Living on Earth

        466 Listeners

        Pivot by New York Magazine

        Pivot

        9,622 Listeners

        This Week in Virology by Vincent Racaniello

        This Week in Virology

        2,055 Listeners

        Pod Save America by Pod Save America

        Pod Save America

        87,529 Listeners

        The Daily by The New York Times

        The Daily

        111,948 Listeners

        Lovett or Leave It by Lovett or Leave It

        Lovett or Leave It

        25,143 Listeners

        Today, Explained by Vox

        Today, Explained

        10,282 Listeners

        Consider This from NPR by NPR

        Consider This from NPR

        6,381 Listeners

        The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

        The Ezra Klein Show

        15,950 Listeners

        On with Kara Swisher by Vox Media

        On with Kara Swisher

        3,483 Listeners

        Better Offline by Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts

        Better Offline

        608 Listeners

        Not Right Now by Important, Not Important

        Not Right Now

        51 Listeners