The water watchdog.

Q: When you’ve discovered problems, how have you gotten them addressed? A: Science by itself is powerless when you’re dealing with government agencies. I had to cross the line and become an activist, fi ling Freedom of Information Act requests and working with politicians and people on the ground. You have to reach this critical mass where you can put enough pressure on these agencies to make them take action, and you will never do that with science alone. If you’re not going to fi ght to the bitter end, don’t get started. You have to decide: Are you willing to do whatever it takes to see this through, and can you accept the likelihood that you are going to fail? The odds are against you. I’m one of the lucky ones. It makes me feel so humble to think about all of those who put their professional lives on the line and whose careers were destroyed.