The
New York Times ran an article May 21, 2019, reporting on the polluted drinking
water in many parts of California. Two states so far, California and Michigan,
have confessed that some populated areas in these states have water polluted to
the point of being undrinkable. Every state could likely say the same.
According to Saving Our Oceans, by R.L. Coffield, the list of unscrupulous companies that have
contaminated drinking water for literally millions of people is shocking. It
seems there are endless accounts of “manufacturing, mining and waste disposal
companies – and dozens of others – who are among the country’s worst water
polluters.”
“Hundreds of
these companies have been contaminating drinking water throughout the country
for decades with everything from arsenic and lead, to mercury and chromium –
most coming from improper dumping and waste disposal….” (Environment, “Industrial waste pollutes America’s drinking water.”)
“Mining and smelting operations are responsible for contaminating water with
heavy metals in almost every state in the nation.”
Example: “In Ringwood, New Jersey, Ford Motor Co.
dumped more than 35,000 tons of toxic paint sludge…poisoning groundwater with
arsenic, lead, and other harmful bacteria. Today, more than 43 years after the
dumping ended, those toxins are still in the groundwater and threaten a
reservoir providing water to millions of residents in New Jersey.”
Example: “In North Carolina, the state has told
residents living near coal-fired power plants their water contains elevated
levels of chromium-6 and other chemicals.”
Example: “Anaconda Aluminum in Montana produced
manufacturing wastes that contaminated local water sources with lead and
chromium. Gulf States Utilities in Louisiana discharged toxins into marshlands
polluting waters with benzene and other chemicals, and the Conklin Dumps in New
York leaked volatile organic chemicals into groundwater.”
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Photo compliments of NRDC.ORG |
Various industries located on or near the Ohio River
which borders six states and provides drinking water to nearly 3 million
people, have dumped over 600 million pounds of toxic substances into the river.
These toxins cause extraordinary health problems in
people and animals. Dioxins (byproducts of incinerators) are the most commonly
released chemicals. “They are known carcinogens and exposure has been linked to
health effects such as heart disease, diabetes, and reproductive issues. Almost
every living creature on Earth has been exposed to dioxins, according to the
National Institutes of Health.” (“Industrial waste pollutes America’s drinking
water.”) And how much of all these poisons traveling downstream make it out to
sea? We already know that fertilizer runoff provides a gross amount of
contaminants to the Gulf of Mexico helping to create the world’s second largest
dead zone – 8,700 square miles.
There
are other “more modern” examples of toxin pollution, such as PFOS and PFOAS (forever chemicals are found in the blood of
more than 99 per cent of Americans) along with radioactive waste. By the
time one reads about Naegleria fowleri (brain-eating bacteria found in water)
and vibrio vulnificus (flesh-eating bacteria found in food and water) the idea
of a house-hold water filter begins to sound necessary and the cost quite
reasonable.
There
are many “natural” sources of water contamination also. Trevor Nace, a science
writer, describes the “Nine Deadliest Rocks and Minerals on Earth” (Forbes). Sometimes these rocks and
minerals are water soluble and can leach into water. Others, like arsenic, a
rather common but deadly toxin, comes from water flowing through arsenic rich rocks and
soil. Some areas experience quite a bit of arsenic in the water which is why
well owners especially in these areas should have their water checked
regularly. Not all well owners are aware of this, unfortunately. And just because
a neighbor’s well water tests fine, doesn’t mean the next door neighbor’s well
will.
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