Access to and the provision of safe drinking water is essential for human life, yet provision of such services is challenging, even within the USA. In this course, we examine the physical, technical, political, economic, and social factors that affect the provision of water in rural and disadvantaged communities. Interdisciplinary teams of students will work together over the semester to study, visit, and make recommendations as to how to address problems from a specific nearby public water system (i.e., the "study site" or "field site").