In a small American town, prosperity seems to be just around the corner with the opening of a promising new water spring. However, the former chief proponent, Dr. Morton Stockman, learns that the springs are contaminated and presents a serious heath threat. However, that revelation and his determination to warn the public puts him against the political elite, including his brother, the mayor, who refuses to believe him. Driven with emotional conviction and a misguided faith in public opinion, Dr. Stockman is determined to get his warning out, but the realities about his community are out to frustrate him.