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Water Pollution

Violations of the Clean Water Act

Violations of the Clean Water Act

The
effects of water pollution have serious ramifications in addition to the
penalties and fines the EPA will impose on those who violated. Water pollution
is everywhere. Even desert states like Arizona and New Mexico have their fair
share of Clean Water Act violations.

In coal mining country, West Virginia,
there are several cases in which the drinking water is so toxic that it has
ruined peoples’ teeth. The effects of water pollution from coal mining and the
refinement of Coal have taken a toll on the health of West Virginians in the
coal mining counties.

These West Virginians have to apply a special lotion
after showering to avoid getting chemical burns from the polluted Water. Some
of these affected areas are not in some remote corner of the state, but near
the state capital of Charleston. Some West Virginians have to travel to the
next county or the county department of health to fill up their used milk jugs
for usable water.

Think about it, humans use water for drinking, brushing
teeth, showering, bathing, swimming, and washing clothing. Water is one of the
most important resources. Therefore, any violation of the Clean Water Act is to
be considered a serious offense not only against other people but to the
aquatic life on which people depend.

Saving the whales is not a cliche of the
environmental movement, the environment is shared by every living thing that
exists on this planet. Water is important. NASA scientists that are searching
for extraterrestrial life are looking for planets with water as a sign of
potential life. This fact should speak volumes of the effects of water
pollution.

Industrialization and modern living produces pollution and certain
technologies would be hard to live without; however, the water pollution facts
are frightening. The statistics are not only statistics, they are humans and
animals that have become sick as a result of water pollution. 

Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Texas are the have the most
recorded cases of Clean Water Act Violations. All of these states have mixed
economies of major cities, agriculture, and major waterways. Water pollution
facts on violations related to agriculture come from failures to curb pesticide
and herbicide runoff.

The EPA has certain levels of runoff that are acceptable
in the environment. Agricultural runoff is one of the hardest forms of water
pollution to control. Urban runoff is even harder to control because there is
no one to hold accountable for cars with leaky radiators and oil lines.
 Those
chemicals runoff into the environment and show the horrible effects of water
pollution.

Pharmaceuticals that were improperly disposed have been proven to
make fix unable to reproduce. Water Pollution facts have also linked water
pollution with malformed frogs living in Minnesota ponds and lakes.  

Water pollution facts can be researched. There are too
many cases of Clean Water Act violations that have resulted in irreparable
damages to the genetic makeup of countless species. People have been adversely
affected and a slap-on-the wrist fine does not sound bad after all the damage
that is done.   

All You Need to Know About The Clean Water Act & Its Amendments

All You Need to Know About The Clean Water Act & Its Amendments

The Clean Water Act laid the the foundation for the body of environmental laws pertaining to the fight against polluted water. The Clean Water Act first came into effect in 1972. Since then it has been amended during the same year it came into effect and further provisions have been added to the original act in 1977 and 1987.

The Clean Water Act targets polluted water at the surface. The Clean Water does not protect sources of ground water or water quantity issues. The Clean Water Act sets the framework for regulatory and nonregulatory measures to fight the trend of polluted water that threatens human recreation activities in or on the water and aquatic life.

Waterways are of economic importance to the United States and its people. They are sources of food, commerce, and recreation. Polluted water threatens to destroy the ability of Americans to enjoy their waters; therefore, the Clean Water Act was passed to protect the integrity of America’s water systems. 

The Clean Water Act fight polluted water by adopting a strategy that targets point sources of water pollution. The Clean Water Act targets point sources like industry, municipal and state governments, and agriculture. The Clean Water Act targets industry by focusing on the chemical aspects of polluted water. Certain water pollutants can be traced back to industrial facilities.

The Clean Water Act is enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency. They are able to construct enforcement policies to coerce companies into complying with the standards and provisions of the Clean Water act to make them do their part in the battle against polluted water. The targeting of industry allows the maritime and heavy industry to live in harmony without threatening each other’s industry.

Polluted water threatens maritime industries like fishing and shipping because chemical toxicity in water can kill fish and make America’s waters less appealing to navigate. Municipalities used to dump much of their garbage in nearby waters.

The Clean Water Act regulated the behavior and helps to fund municipal water treatment plants. Water treatment plants help to clean polluted water, many local industries bring their waste water to water treatment facilities to municipal water treatment plants to be recycled. The Clean Water Act made this type of municipal program by helping cities buy the expensive infrastructure.

The EPA is also responsible for mitigating polluted water runoff from agriculture. Farmers use pesticides and herbicides; they spray the chemicals on the soil. When it rains, the chemicals get washed up and slowly make their way to navigable waters. This was the focus of the Clean Water Act Program for the early years.

The Clean Water Act was later amended in 1977 and 1987 to include provisions that regulate the quality of water. The 1987 Water Quality Act responded to the problem of industrial storm water that carried deadly pollutants into larger bodies of water. Urban runoff is also a problem because oil, antifreeze, and other pollutants on the road flow into storm drains and pollute rivers, streams, and oceans.

Over the years, the EPA’s Clean Water Act program has become more holistic in its approach to the fight against polluted water. Taking the holistic approach is considered a good policy decision because the issue of water pollution is complex because bodies of water are interrelated as water travels through the water cycle.