By James Laughlin
As we end the Year of Clean Water, I thought it might be worthwhile to take a look at where things stand after 30 years of life under the Clean Water Act.
According to a recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency, 91 percent of people served by public water systems now drink water meeting all federal health based standards - up from 79 percent in 1993.
While that's a nice improvement, it also means that 9 percent of people are drinking water that doesn't meet the health standards.
According to the Clean Water Network, approximately 40 percent of the nation's waters still do not meet basic safety standards; many beaches are too polluted for swimming; and contaminated fish continue to threaten human health.
One of the byproducts of modern society is pollution. As our population expands, so does our need for all the wonderful toys of the 21st Century. Our cars, green lawns, and junk-food society all place demands on our water supply. A substantial portion of the trash and pollution we generate either winds up in the air we breath or the water we drink.
EPA lists some interesting statistics about the kind and amount of pollution that threatens our water systems. They include:
Over-application and abuse of pesticides and fertilizers — 67 million pounds of pesticides annually;
Overburdened land fills - 230 million tons annually; 5 pounds per person per day;
Huge volumes of animal waste - half a million animal factory farms produce 130 times the amount of waste of the human population; and
Careless or ignorant activities at home, work, and play - 12 million recreational and house boats and 10,000 boat marinas release solvents, gasoline, detergents, and raw sewage directly into waterways.
This pollution is caused by humans, but choices we make in our communities and as individuals can help limit pollution and greatly reduce threats to our drinking water. According to EPA, there are four basic protective barriers for keeping water safe to drink:
Prevention: Keep contaminants out of the drinking water source to protect the environment and reduce the need for costly treatment.
Treatment: Public water systems treat nearly 34 billion gallon of water daily. The total miles of water pipeline and aqueducts equal approximately one million miles - enough to circle the globe 40 times.
Monitoring: A key component of water safety is knowing what is in the water. The quality of water should be monitored at the source, at the treatment plant, in the distribution system and even at the tap.
Individual action: Don't contaminate! Reduce or eliminate pesticide application. Reduce the amount of trash you create. Recycle used oil. Reduce paved areas. Keep pollutants away from boat marinas and waterways.
For more ideas and resource materials on protecting drinking water, see www.epa.gov/safewater or call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791. Also visit EPA 's Year of Clean Water Website at http://www.epa.gov/water/yearofcleanwater.
James Laughlin, Editor
