Environmental Issues in the United States: Water Pollution
Approximately half of the country’s rivers and streams (more than 700,000 miles of waterways) and more than one-third of its lakes are polluted and unfit for swimming, fishing, and drinking. In the US, agricultural pollution is the major source of contamination in rivers and streams, the second-biggest source in wetlands, and the third main source in lakes as well as a major contributor of contamination to estuaries and groundwater.
- According to a report released in August 2022 by California’s State Water Resources Control Board, in the Western state alone, nearly one million people face possible long-term health conditions from drinking water containing unsafe levels of arsenic and nitrate. The audit found that 371 of California’s water systems contained high levels of toxic chemicals that can result in long-term, negative health risks including liver and kidney problems as well as cancer.
- According to a study published in The Lancet, water pollution alone killed more than 500,000 people in 2019 and makes about 1 billion people sick every year, especially among low-income communities. Every year, approximately 3.5 million Americans contract health issues such as skin rashes, pinkeye, respiratory infections, and hepatitis from sewage-laden coastal waters, according to EPA estimates.
- The Clean Water Act of 1972 established the basic structure for regulating the release of pollutants into the waters and regulating quality standards for surface waters.
- The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is the main federal law that ensures the quality of drinking water across the nation by protecting aquifers, the main source of drinking water.
Environmental Issues in the United States
Despite being an economically wealthy nation, the United States deals with several environmental challenges. These issues pose significant threats to public health, biodiversity, and the nation’s overall well-being, from climate change to pollution, habitat destruction, and resource depletion.
Understanding and addressing these challenges is important for sustainable development and preserving the planet for future generations. Let us learn more about the environmental issues faced by the country.