PBS recently announced a new six-part series loping at history and people behind some of mankind’s greatest innovations called “How We Got to Now With Steven Johnson”. In the segment “Clean” the episode will explore the history of clean drinking water and how it’s changed our world. This comes on the heals of Michael McGuire’s book The Chlorine Revolution: Water Disinfection and the Fight to Save Lives, which chronicles the history of disinfecting water systems with chlorine. 

The use of chlorine, which is still used today by Clackamas River Water and countless other drinking water providers, began in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1908. The treatment process was conceived by Dr. John L. Leal who determined that controlled additions of dilute solutions of chloride of lime (calcium hypochlorite) added to drinking water could prevent the spread of waterborne diseases.  Over the next few years, chlorine disinfection using chloride of lime were rapidly installed in drinking water systems around the world.

“How We Got to Now With Steven Johnson” airs on October 15th. Tune into the “Clean” segment to get a glimpse at the pioneering mind that gave us all the comfort of safe drinking water from source to tap. Check out the video below for a preview!