“The Register’s Editorial: U.S. Needs to Get Serious about Water Pollution.” The Register’s Editorial: U.S. Needs to Get Serious about Water Pollution. N.p., July-Aug. 2014. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.

About half a million residents in Toledo Ohio were told that it was unsafe to drink or bathe in their water. This event was said to be a wakeup call for the entire United States. This is a big issue for many bodies of waters that go from Minnesota, California, Cape Cod and Chesapeake Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. Toledo gathers their water from Lake Erie. Lake Erie tends to have algae plume. The algae plume is not expected to go away anytime soon. This unsafe water can affect around 11 million people that live near by the lake. The dead zone size in the Gulf of Mexico was at more than 5,000 square miles. That is about the size of Connecticut.

I think that this is one of the biggest issues of water pollution. The fact that it is unsafe to drink and bathe in the water is bad.  Also, the fact that it is a big issue for many bodies of water is not helping. We depend on these big bodies of waters for us to be able to drink, use, and consume. Even though the algae plume is not expected to go away anytime soon, we can help prevent more algae from coming. By preventing more algae plumes it can help the 11 million of people that leave near the lake

“Groups Enforce Clean Water Act to Clean Up Pollution at Three Coal Ash Sites in N.C. (09/04/2014) – Insurancenewsnet.com.” -Groups Enforce Clean Water Act to Clean Up Pollution at Three Coal Ash Sites in N.C. (09/04/2014) – Insurancenewsnet.com. N.p., Aug.-Sept. 2014. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.

Duke energy now has a lawsuit in federal court against them to clean up a toxic coal ash pollution. Duke has three facilities contaminated that are contaminating rivers and ground-water supplies. This is the water that provide drinking water to thousands of North Carolinians. This lawsuit was was filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of Cape Fear River Watch. Cape Fear plant has poor condition rated dams that has high hazard. Duke energy has already pumped over 60 million gallons of polluted coal ash water into the river. The Buck coal ash lagoons are as well contaminated. The lagoon contains pollutants such as cancer-causing hexavalent chromium. Many citizens nearby have expressed concerns about the impact of the coal. A recent bill that was established by North Carolina would require the removal of all the coal.

The amount of gallons that have entered the river I think is too much. This should have been stopped a long time ago. The main reason that this should have been stopped is because thousands of residents depend on this water. The fact that the lagoon has cancer causing chemicals is also harmful. I think the Southern Environmental Law Center made a wise choice in filing a lawsuit. The best thing to do is remove all pollutants in the water. With this being done people will be able to drink water again without worry

Beckman, David S. “The Threats to Our Drinking Water.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 06 Aug. 2014. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.

In the United States people generally do not have to worry about the tap water they drink. However, water supply have been interrupted twice this year. First, in January 300,000 people were exposed to contaminated water supply in Charleston West Virginia. The water was contaminated after a chemical leaked from a ruptured storage tank into El River. Second, 400,000 people were said to be unsafe in Toledo, Ohio. In Lake Erie, there has been a presence of microcystin. Microcystin is a toxin released by algae blooms. Due to this issue a lot of citizens have been going to the stores to buy bottled water. The United States is aware of the fact that water pollution is not a “set it and forget it.” These two events are refocusing the United States on how important it is to protect our waters.

I think that the United States should have not waited for these major events to occur to realize that our water is valuable. There is pollution all over the United States. Water pollution is affecting many people. I think one way to prevent a leakage it to check on it frequently. If people were checking it once every two weeks, they should change it to once a week. It’s small things like this that can help our country from having polluted water. We can’t wait until water is already polluted to do something about it. We should do something ahead of time to prevent it from happening. If we had done something before, 1,000s of people would not have to depend on bottled water, which is something else that is harmful to our environment.

Wang, Ucilia. “The Great Salty Mess: Pollution Threatens US Fresh Water Resources.” Theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 21 Aug. 2014. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.

The drought that is going on in the United States has increased salt concentration.This is not good for many industries that depend on clean water. Now, businesses have to focus not just in the use of water but managing the watersheds as well. According to USGS growth levels of salts in surface water across the country this is a big issue. Approximately 71% of the salinity can be caused by natural resources. The rest of the 29% are manmade. Communities all over the country are having to adapt. For example, in Texas people are no longer relying on the Rio Grande because it is getting too salty. Instead, they are now depending on water pumps.

The amount of salt in our water is not good. It is especially not good for it to be in major bodies of water that we get our water from. Having too much sodium in our system can harm us. I don not think that it is fair that communities are being forced to adapt to the new ways of getting their water.

Beckman, David S. “The Threats to Our Drinking Water.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 06 Aug. 2014. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.

In the United States people generally do not have to worry about the tap water they drink. However, water supply have been interrupted twice this year. First, in January 300,000 people were exposed to contaminated water supply in Charleston West Virginia. The water was contaminated after a chemical leaked from a ruptured storage tank into El River. Second, 400,000 people were said to be unsafe in Toledo, Ohio. In Lake Erie, there has been a presence of microcystin. Microcystin is a toxin released by algae blooms. Due to this issue a lot of citizens have been going to the stores to buy bottled water. The United States is aware of the fact that water pollution is not a “set it and forget it.” These two events are refocusing the United States on how important it is to protect our waters.

I think that the United States should have not waited for these major events to occur to realize that our water is valuable. There is pollution all over the United States. Water pollution is affecting many people. I think one way to prevent a leakage it to check on it frequently. If people were checking it once every two weeks, they should change it to once a week. It’s small things like this that can help our country from having polluted water. We can’t wait until water is already polluted to do something about it. We should do something ahead of time to prevent it from happening. If we had done something before, 1,000s of people would not have to depend on bottled water, which is something else that is harmful to our environment.

1.”Guest Opinion: Waters of the US Rule Is about Control, Not Conservation.” The Laurel Outlook. N.p., 3 Sept. 2014. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.

Montanans are one of the highest groups that value there water. Things might start to change in Montana. Montana’s water conservation model would be flipped if the EPA gets their way. This is an attempt to expand the power of the federal bureaucracy. If this happens they will be able to control what happens on private land. This could also affect Montana’s economy considering that agriculture is the their most important industry. If this act was to move forward, EPA would treat landowners as a suspect in a crime.Many believe that this is not about protecting water. Instead, they believe it is about gaining control.

I believe that the EPA should leave everything the way it is. They should not have control of private lands. If it was public, then yes I would understand but it’s not. By doing this it could affect their economy. The United States has all states in debt as it is. It would not help their economy at all. I agree that this is not them being concerned about the water. This is them wanting control which they should not have. Montana is a state that values their water, so I believe the EPA should just let them be and focus on more important issues.