Erin Brockovich, Now an Author, is Still Fighting for Clean Water

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The film Erin Brockovich was released 20 years ago, but despite Julia Roberts winning an Academy Award for her portrayal of the fiery environmental activist who took on a big corporation (and won), little has been done to remedy industry pollution in the decades since. Much of Brockovich’s charm—then and now—is the result of her every (wo)man appeal, proving that a “regular” person can successfully fight against polluting corporate giants.

This notion feels especially urgent today, and Brochovich’s new book, Superman’s Not Coming: Our National Water Crisis and What We The People can do About It, is intended to empower and educate communities to fight for clean water. Brockovich, who has authored four books since the film’s release in 2000, also launched her own consulting firm in 2005 to take on environmental contamination issues which, despairingly, continue to plague struggling communities across the country. In 2015, community water systems in the United States reported more than 80,000 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act, meaning that over 18 million Americans drink water that violates federal safety regulations.

In this guidebook, Brockovich shares examples of widespread water issues that continue to cause pollution, disease and negative health impacts, but perhaps more importantly, the book also inspires readers with tangible ways to bring about positive change. As the title suggests, Superman may not be coming to save us but Brockovich shows readers how they can become the superheroes we need to fight ongoing environmental injustices. Boswell Books, in sponsorship with UW-Milwaukee and the non-profit Building Brave, will proudly welcome Erin Brockovich for an important conversation 7 p.m. Wednesday, December 16.  This free virtual event will be led by Mary Burke, the founder of Building Brave.