For High Country News, Sarah Trent focuses on the way that Vancouver, Wash., city officials communicated with the public about the results of their tests on the city’s water for the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS and the risks they pose, especially to young kids. She spoke with local parents about the communications they received and how they interpreted the information, and contrasted the city’s communications with scientific realities and communications best practices. She wove together voices of city officials, researchers, public health experts, and ordinary people in a cohesive story that raises an important set of questions: Do you know what is in your water, and should you trust what your city is telling you about it? Image: Aman Sachan via Wikimedia Commons
