- Each year 1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage, stormwater, and industrial waste are dumped into US water.
- Surface water from freshwater sources (from sources other than the ocean) accounts for more than 60 percent of the water delivered to American homes.
- According to the most recent surveys on national water quality from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, nearly half of our rivers and streams and more than one-third of our lakes are polluted and unfit for swimming, fishing, and drinking.
- Unsafe water kills more people each year than war and all other forms of violence combined.
Photo by Tyler Palmer on Unsplash
Current Problem
Water scarcity and insecurity has become a major issue in recent years as pollution threatens the safety of water sources across the world. The pollution of rivers and streams, some of our most vital freshwater sources, has led to growing public health concerns as water contamination has been linked to a variety of terminal illnesses. While there are many sources of water pollution, stormwater runoff flowing from the streets of major cities has caused serious contamination of freshwater resources as the growth of harmful bacteria threaten the viability of these sources.
With climate change, and the threat of extreme heat waves, looming on the near horizon and the almost certain dangers of water scarcity – it is necessary to mitigate the pollution of our currently available water sources, to ensure water access for future generations.
In major cities and highly paved regions, runoff from melting snow and rain is unable to soak into the ground and pours into rivers and streams, collecting debris, sediment, oil and trash, along with other not so visible substances, namely dissolved metals, nutrients, and chemicals. This leads to the growth of dangerous bacteria that has been linked to serious gastrointestinal, respiratory, and neurological illnesses. In addition, much of the wildlife that maintain important freshwater ecosystems as the change in pH from pollutants kills aquatic plants and toxins are absorbed into the bloodstreams of freshwater animals. In the face of rising temperatures and a vanishing water supply, it is necessary to clean up our rivers and streams to ensure that all people have access to clean, safe drinking water.
Emerging Solutions
Los Angeles
Los Angeles passed Measure W and approved $95 million towards a Safe, Clean Water Program that would implement new technology for urban runoff capture and management to increase water supply while protecting freshwater sources like the LA River from being contaminated. The program has approved nine new stormwater investment plans to capture and clean stormwater runoff, with particular focus on cleaning and protecting the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers from pollution. This program will help protect and revitalize local freshwater resources allowing Southern California residents to rely less on rapidly depleting dams and levee systems throughout the state.
California
The passage of AB 377 would usher in a new era for increased freshwater protection and revitalization. The bill (currently in committee) aims to minimize the bureaucratic red tape that stalls cleanup of contaminated sites and increases the enforcement of clean water standards, giving municipalities and local agencies the power to actually clean up polluted sites in a reasonable time frame. If passed, the bill would be a huge step towards arming water agencies with the tools to immediately address water contamination and pollution without having to deal with the administrative roadblocks that can often prolong the process. It would allow increased cleanup and prevention of river pollution and give local agencies the power to enforce clean water standards.
Additionally, the implementation of preventative technology, such as permeable paving techniques, must be utilized in order to mitigate stormwater runoff and stop contamination before it happens. Most traditional paving materials, such as concrete or asphalt, doesn’t allow water to penetrate through, causing excessive runoff. Permeable paving would allow water to seep through to the underlying soil and recharge the groundwater, preventing runoff in the process. Combined efforts to prevent the issue through increased implementation of permeable paving while speeding up water contamination clean up are proving to be important steps in solving the water crisis.
National
The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 revitalizes drinking water systems, ensuring that water supply and transport infrastructure is brought into the 21st century. On top of replacing all lead pipe systems and modernizing water supply technology, the bill authorizes funding for stormwater capture, clean up, and reuse as well as implements new systems for sewer overflow. This will have a huge impact on rivers and waterways across the country as decreased urban runoff will protect freshwater systems from dangerous pollutants.
Global
New technology is being implemented to clean the Ganga River in India, one of the world’s most polluted waterways. Sacred among Hindus around the world, the river is the site of many religious customs and has been subject to a wide variety of pollutants in recent years as a result of poor waste management in the region. In an attempt to clean up the vast amount of toxins and pollutants in the river an Indian company, Praj Industries, is using Zero Liquid Discharge, a new technology which would sit on-site at factories and manufacturing facilities and capture pollutants before they’re released. Through reverse osmosis and crystallization of pollutants, the water could be captured and reused without being dumped into important freshwater sources like the Ganga.
This represents a new opportunity for businesses and governments around the world to invest in this technology and prevent freshwater sources from dangerous urban runoff.
