
Interviews
Throughout the Year of Public Water we will be conducting interviews with experts in the field, delving deeper into the story of NYC’s drinking water. These interviews will be accessible through various platforms and on this site.

Diane Galusha
The Fight for Water Access: Liquid Assets and New York City’s Watershed
Writer, water access advocate, and founder of the Historical Society of Middletown, NY, Diane Galusha wrote the book on New York City’s watershed, Liquid Assets: A History of New York City’s Water System, after years of working closely with/in affected communities. Chloe Kellner speaks with Galusha about her time working with the Catskill Watershed Corporation and the landmark MOA.

Camila Calhoun
The Community That Watershed Development Forgot: Eminent Domain and a Town Called Olive
Writer, water access advocate, and founder of the Historical Camila Calhoun wrote “A Town Called Olive: A Perspective on New York City’s Water Supply” in 1997. The essay chronicles the story of the forgotten town of Olive in the Catskills, where her ancestors were uprooted for the sake of expanding NYC’s drinking water. Chloe Kellner spoke with Calhoun in July 2020 about watershed consciousness and the impact of the Ashokan Reservoir on different generations.

Bahar Behbahani
all water has a perfect memory
Mary Mattingly interviews artist Bahar Behbahani via zoom about her research-based artistic projects that explore underground water systems and water engineering in Persian gardens, including all water has a perfect memory created at Wave Hill, Bronx NY.