| Reader Views is happy to chat with Dennis Edwards. | | | | a gallon of premiumgas. National Resource Defense |
| In his recent novel he has the reader realizing that | | | | Council studies found many bottled waters to have |
| "water" could be the "oil" of the next 100 years, | | | | significantcontamination. The International Council on |
| anissue too real to be fiction. Welcome to Reader | | | | Bottled Water Association ( providesstatistics on world |
| Views Dennis. | | | | wide use. |
| Juanita: You have written a very thought provoking | | | | Some suggestions for immediate action: advocating |
| and intriguing novel. It weaves a fictional talearound | | | | for alterations in the type of plastic used forbottled |
| current environmental/political/social issues. What | | | | water might make some difference as the present |
| inspired you to write "The Caduceus"? | | | | containers are not designed for reuse. |
| Dennis: First, I am fascinated by a small town in | | | | Improving consumer awareness would also educate |
| northern Arkansas called Eureka Springs that has | | | | the public when making water purchases. |
| 62 identified springs. Starting in the late 1800's, people | | | | Thedifferences between spring water, filtered water, |
| from all over flocked to the area for healing. | | | | mineral water and sports enhanced water arevague |
| One day during my visit to Eureka Springs, The | | | | and in some instances hard to determine. When |
| Caduceus was "hatched" when five water issuesthat I | | | | possible, drink water from your tap. It islikely more |
| had been mulling over came together in story form: (1) | | | | regulated and pure than bottled water. When dining out, |
| the world's declining water supplies; | | | | request your server not to bringwater to the table |
| (2) the government's current method of supplying the | | | | unless you intend to drink it. Millions of gallons of clean |
| military with water in Iraq--bottled water; | | | | water are poured downsinks day after day in eating |
| (3) the stories I continued to hear of healing using | | | | establishments. Many states in the U.S. Southwest |
| Eureka's spring water; (4) a conspiracy that Iperceived | | | | have instituted waterconservation policies and |
| was developing around the enormous profits by water | | | | programs that have excellent guidelines for protecting |
| bottling companies enhanced by aworldwide lack of | | | | our water resources. |
| regulation of that industry; and (5) the legends that | | | | Juanita: The characters in your book find out that the |
| surround the Caduceus as asymbol and as an ancient | | | | water cartel is actually misusing Dr. |
| healing device. | | | | Allenton's research by altering water to induce violent |
| Juanita: Please tell us what exactly a Caduceus is and | | | | aggression. How real is the threat of |
| how it is used in your book. | | | | waterweaponization and how concerned should we |
| Dennis: A Caduceus is one or two snakes wound | | | | be? |
| around some type of rod. It is both an ancientsymbol | | | | Dennis: Studies have already been conducted abroad |
| for healing and a healing device. Many branches of the | | | | placing trace minerals in the water ofprisoners to alter |
| medical profession use the Caduceusas their symbol. | | | | moods. In the past, the U.S. military has experimented |
| In my book the main character, Francis Allenton, a | | | | on enlisted men withmind/mood altering substances. |
| water scientist, builds a large | | | | Historically, we can see that any scarce resource is an |
| Caduceus modeled after an artifact he had been | | | | impetus forconflict and there are people ready to profit |
| allowed to view in Greece. He believes that hisworking | | | | from that scarcity. Just consider that the U.S. |
| Caduceus will enhance the healing properties of water | | | | military'suse of bottled water in Iraq. If you do the math |
| drawn from a secret spring. | | | | using the 160,000 troops plus civilian workers, andadd |
| Juanita: The idea of the Caduceus being used as a | | | | the Iraqis whose water infrastructure has been gone |
| healing device is very fascinating. Where didthis idea | | | | since we bombed their cities, and all ofthese consume |
| come from? | | | | several liters of bottled water per day, the amount of |
| Dennis: Many sources: Greek legend tells of Asclepius, | | | | money already being spent onbottled water is |
| the father of medicine, using his staff torescue a | | | | staggering. That much money coupled with little or no |
| snake in mortal combat with another. Grateful, the | | | | regulation spells opportunityfor the unscrupulous. |
| snake climbs his staff and tells him thesecrets of | | | | Juanita: We are living in a time that seems to be |
| healing. The Romans had the staff of Hermes that | | | | defined by war and fear. How real, in youropinion, is the |
| had two snakes instead of one. Biblicalhistory relates | | | | threat we hear in the media of the possibility of |
| Moses commanded by God to "build thee a fiery | | | | terrorists poisoning our water supply? |
| serpent and all those who touch itshall be healed." This | | | | Dennis: Public water supplies may be vulnerable to |
| was interpreted as a serpent of brass or copper | | | | attack by terrorists. Many public holding lakesand |
| fashioned around Moses'staff and possessing healing | | | | reservoirs are unprotected. However, the larger threat |
| properties. The Caduceus was worshipped for | | | | to our water supply is the denigration ofpublic regard |
| hundreds of yearsfollowing the Exodus. Another | | | | of cheap and available public water systems. |
| source goes back even further and says that the | | | | In times of national emergencies, a supply of bottled |
| Caduceus was ahieroglyph for an interstellar traveler | | | | water is essential such as when allcapacity for public |
| who seeded the universe with life. Some note that the | | | | water was damaged following Hurricane Katrina. |
| doublehelix design of the Caduceus mimics the DNA | | | | However, bottled water shouldbe a public health |
| molecule. Additionally, in a lab setting, a Caduceuscoil | | | | alternative, not a daily purchase. |
| with copper wound around a ferrite core and | | | | Juanita: Dennis, your book will be enjoyed by a large |
| energized has produced strange properties. | | | | cross-section of readers, from thosewanting an |
| Juanita: Dennis, you have a passionate commitment to | | | | exciting mystery novel, to nature lovers and |
| natural resources. Why do you think ourwater supply is | | | | environmentalists, to those in the |
| one of the front running issues we will be dealing with | | | | 'conspiracy community.' What thoughts would you like |
| in the years to come? And,is there any chance of | | | | your readers to be left with after readingyour book? |
| stopping the exploitation of our natural waters? | | | | And, when can they expect the sequel? |
| Dennis: If you compare international oil and water | | | | Dennis: I would like readers to become aware and |
| profits, water already earns 40% as much | | | | active in the future of water, both in their |
| aspetroleum. The scarcity of clean water is a serious | | | | owncommunities and abroad. In addition to the strong |
| issue. World wide changes in climate andalterations in | | | | profit motives, little control over the bottled |
| drinking water supplies impact all nations. As any thing | | | | waterindustry exists, and the cast off plastic |
| essential for life becomesscare, there are those who | | | | containers are becoming a disposal problem. Only |
| will profit from that scarcity. Men have known for a | | | | whenpeople become aware and active concerning the |
| long time the valueof water or as Benjamin Franklin | | | | vanishing resources of our world, can we alterpolicies |
| once said, "We know the worth of water when the | | | | and regulations. Water is taken for granted, yet water |
| well is dry." | | | | will soon become the petroleum of thefuture. |
| Juanita: With the obvious climate and environmental | | | | I do not have a release date for the sequel "Ancient |
| changes that are occurring, much fear isbeing created | | | | Water". The setting for Dr. Francis Allenton is |
| surrounding these issues. Do you think any of these | | | | Paris where he believes he can escape the water |
| changes could be intently createdto induce fear in the | | | | cartel. However, the cartel, especially Purlough,and his |
| public so a carefully crafted solution can be offered? | | | | new nemesis, Adam, play a continuing role in Francis' |
| Dennis: Looking back over the past decade, it is | | | | endeavors. Cassidy joins Francis andthey share an |
| certainly credible that people have beenmanipulated to | | | | intense concern for Mother Earth when water |
| buy bottled water and not to trust their local water | | | | recovered from deep space may beintroduced to the |
| supply. Bottled water has createda vast sea of | | | | world's oceans. The entity that did not destroy Francis' |
| cast-off plastic containers and disposal concerns. In | | | | Caduceus continues tohold it hostage. This second |
| reality, most municipal watersupplies are more | | | | book explores the complexity of water in space. The |
| regulated than bottled waters. | | | | belief that allwater on earth is stellar water has fueled |
| Juanita: Water is a hot topic issue here in the United | | | | much speculation about the origin of life on this planet, |
| States. Are other parts of the worldconfronting these | | | | andthe search for life in space depends on sustainable, |
| same problems? | | | | liquid water. We know that water is in space, acomet |
| Dennis: About six months ago Paris, France, was in the | | | | is not much more than a vast dirty snow ball. The real |
| news when the city government initiated apublic | | | | question is: is space water H2O, wateras we know it |
| relations campaign reassuring the citizens that their tap | | | | on earth? "Ancient Water" examines these issues as |
| water was safe contrary to thepublicized advertising | | | | well as grapples with theconsequences of trying to fix |
| by water bottlers that it was somehow unsafe. | | | | the world's contaminated water supply. |
| Developing countries, includingmany in Africa, are | | | | Juanita: Thank you for your insightful interview and |
| having tremendous difficulties obtaining clean water. | | | | compelling novel. I'm sure your readers willbe on the |
| Multinational concernshave bought well rights and are | | | | edge of their seats anticipating the sequel. Do you |
| pumping wells dry to make soft drinks and bottle | | | | have any last thoughts you would liketo share with |
| water. Theindigenous people are losing water supplies | | | | your readers? |
| to these companies and cannot grow crops or | | | | Dennis: We take water for granted yet nothing that |
| waterstock. The era of free water is quickly coming to | | | | lives on this earth could do so without liquidwater. Like |
| an end. | | | | many of our natural resources, clean, free water is |
| Juanita: It is incredible that the bottled water industry | | | | becoming a relic of the past. It is nottoo late to begin to |
| has gone so long without addressing issuesregarding | | | | change our consumer habits toward water. We often |
| protecting the environment. From disposal concerns to | | | | relegate water to no morethan a medium to carry |
| depleting our water supplies, theproblems seem | | | | human waste, yet when the availability of water |
| endless. Where can your readers get more | | | | declines, we realize ourabsolute and complete |
| information on these issues? And, pleasegive | | | | dependency. At one time in our history, native people |
| suggestions of what we can do right now to make a | | | | used spring water forhealing. It wasn't that they felt |
| difference? | | | | somewhat better because they spent time in the |
| Dennis: Readers can find shocking statistics on the | | | | water, water healedthem. Natural water, the stuff of |
| state of world and U. S. water interest at the | | | | life in the universe, still has that healing capacity, but |
| Earth Policy Institute ( . People are paying 1, 364 % | | | | only in clean,naturally occurring deep water springs. We |
| more for water than itcosts to make and bottle. | | | | are made of water and we owe it respect. |
| Presently a gallon of premium water costs more than | | | | |