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Downstream: An Engineered Pathogen. A Global System. One Last Chance.
What begins as a small fish kill at a wastewater plant in South Carolina sets off a chain reaction that reveals a terrifying the infrastructure we trust—the pipes beneath our feet, the plants that keep our water clean—may already be compromised.
Retired wastewater engineer Campbell Lake thought he’d left the industry behind for good. But when a former facility he once warned about goes dark, and strange biological signals begin appearing in treatment systems across the country, he’s pulled into a mystery that stretches far beyond regulatory failure. Alongside a brilliant but unorthodox team of scientists, operators, analysts, and hackers, Campbell uncovers something no one saw an engineered microorganism optimized not to destroy—but to take over.
As the crisis deepens, water systems in major cities begin behaving strangely. Data goes missing. Blowers spin without commands. Samples come back too perfect. And then the signals start.
From the swamps of Louisiana to abandoned hydrological models in the Balkans, Downstream takes readers on a pulse-pounding journey through crumbling bureaucracies, hidden black sites, and the terrifying possibility that the world’s most critical systems may already be thinking for themselves.
With the clock ticking and infrastructure buckling under its own automation, Campbell and his team must confront a sobering the water isn’t broken. It’s adapting.
Perfect for fans
Michael Crichton, Daniel Suarez, Neal Stephenson, Blake Crouch, Andy Weir, or anyone who loves scientifically grounded thrillers with big ideas, real-world systems, and explosive implications.
A uniquely researched
Written by a real-life wastewater systems expert, Downstream blends accurate environmental engineering with speculative biology and AI—creating a gripping, plausible thriller that moves from grounded to global, from microbial to existential. Operators, engineers, and system thinkers will recognize the tools, the terminology, and the terrifying implications.
Retired wastewater engineer Campbell Lake thought he’d left the industry behind for good. But when a former facility he once warned about goes dark, and strange biological signals begin appearing in treatment systems across the country, he’s pulled into a mystery that stretches far beyond regulatory failure. Alongside a brilliant but unorthodox team of scientists, operators, analysts, and hackers, Campbell uncovers something no one saw an engineered microorganism optimized not to destroy—but to take over.
As the crisis deepens, water systems in major cities begin behaving strangely. Data goes missing. Blowers spin without commands. Samples come back too perfect. And then the signals start.
From the swamps of Louisiana to abandoned hydrological models in the Balkans, Downstream takes readers on a pulse-pounding journey through crumbling bureaucracies, hidden black sites, and the terrifying possibility that the world’s most critical systems may already be thinking for themselves.
With the clock ticking and infrastructure buckling under its own automation, Campbell and his team must confront a sobering the water isn’t broken. It’s adapting.
Perfect for fans
Michael Crichton, Daniel Suarez, Neal Stephenson, Blake Crouch, Andy Weir, or anyone who loves scientifically grounded thrillers with big ideas, real-world systems, and explosive implications.
A uniquely researched
Written by a real-life wastewater systems expert, Downstream blends accurate environmental engineering with speculative biology and AI—creating a gripping, plausible thriller that moves from grounded to global, from microbial to existential. Operators, engineers, and system thinkers will recognize the tools, the terminology, and the terrifying implications.
499 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 24, 2025
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November 4, 2025
Wooooof. what can I say without giving away the plot. Feels very chat gpt written. sentaient programed nanobites in the water?? but they're calling it a pathogen. Wish I could give it less stars
Displaying 1 of 1 review