The New York Times reported that their reporters found over 500,000 violations of the Clean Water Act by various industries. Reporters filed Freedom of Information Act requests in every state to build a data base for permit reports. The study revealed that permits had been violated and in many cases, no action had been taken by regulators.
The newspaper reported that EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said water issues were at the top of her agenda and enforcement should be increasing.
Some states seemed to be more lax than others. The federal agency has authority to step in if they think a state is not able to properly provide oversight of water permit issues.
According the newspaper article 19.5 million people fall ill each year in the United States from drinking water that is contaminated with bacteria, parasites, and viruses. There were also a number of examples of reports that people have suffered due to high metals and other toxins found in drinking water.
Environmental Risk Managers Facts and Figures On Water
- Each year hospitals dispose of 250 million pounds of pharmaceuticals in sewer systems.
- Each year there are 240,000 water main breaks in the United States.
- Cities loose any where from 10 to 40% of their drinking water to leakage.
- Water leakage can create or exacerbate an existing environmental problem. Sewer back ups, vapor intrusion, structural deterioration….
- 71% of the earths surface is covered by water.
- Only 2.5% of the earth’s water is fresh water. 66% of the fresh water is locked up in glaciers, snow, permafrost or is contaminated leaving only 1% readily available for human consumption. 20% of that fresh water lies in the Great Lakes basin.
- 1.2 billion or 1 in 6 people on earth have no access to clean water. 1.3 million children under the age of 5 die each year of water born diseases. 1 child dies every second – equal to 18 fully loaded jumbo jets crashing every day.
- Water is life! 60% of the human body, 75% of the brain and 82% of our blood is water.