Protecting the Waters of the United States
Cities used to dump raw sewage in America’s rivers before the Clean Water Act. Chemical waste was discharged into streams, lakes, and oceans by industrial businesses. More than half of the country’s wetlands were destroyed since at least 1980 when records began. In the past 50 years, thanks to the Clean Water Act, our rivers […]
How Federal Institutions Follow the Clean Waters Act
The main federal law in charge of the improvement and upkeep of our nation’s waters is the Clean Waters Act (CWA). Its primary objective is to stop pollutants from being released into United States waters without a permit. According to CWA 301, it is illegal for anyone to release any type of pollutant into U.S […]
Everything You Must Know About Water Pollution
This widespread problem of water pollution is jeopardizing our health. Unsafe water kills more people each year than war and all other forms of violence combined. Meanwhile, our drinkable water sources are finite: less than 1 percent of the earth’s freshwater is actually accessible to us. Without action, the challenges will only increase by 2050, […]
Sources of Well Contamination and Their Dangers
People can consume harmful toxins and bacteria by drinking contaminated water. Municipal systems take care of this problem for their citizens through treatment and monitoring procedures, whereas private wells do not have the same services readily available. The lack of outside help comes with the owner’s responsibility to maintain cleanliness- specifically, being aware of possible […]
Why Testing the Quality of Your Water Is Important
In Connecticut, a condo’s drinking water contained lead at levels more than double the federal government’s acceptable amount. At a church in North Carolina, the water was contaminated with extremely high levels of potentially toxic PFAS chemicals. The water flowing into a Texas home had both arsenic and concerning amounts of lead. The three were […]
The Ongoing Battle Against Water Pollution
According to the World Health Organization, 3.5 million people die each year as a result of water-related illnesses, such as dysentery and cholera. The majority of those who succumb to infections linked to unclean water are children under the age of five, accounting for roughly 60% (2.2 million) of all fatalities. When you combine all […]
Congress Takes a Look at the Clean Water Funding Formula
The wheels are beginning to turn in Capitol Hill as lawmakers revisit the formula used to divide hundreds of millions of dollars in wastewater infrastructure aid among the states each year. The 1987 Water Quality Act was the starting point for what would become today’s primary federal funding source for wastewater treatment projects: Clean Water […]
