Posts Tagged ‘ New York Times water study ’

Pollution on Tap

December 17th, 2009. By Hunter West

You would think that a developed nation with the size, strength and clout of the United States of America would excel at the basic provision of clean drinking water for its citizens. Indeed, when Americans see images of under-developed countries around the world, with residents having to grapple with filthy sources of water for drinking, washing and bathing—our hearts go out to them. 

Little do most Americans know that such images hit just a little closer to home. 

The Clean Water Act passed in 1972 was an attempt to upgrade the nation’s aging sewer system. Over two decades in the 1980s and 1990s more the $60 billion was distributed by Congress to various cities and municipalities around the country in an attempt to shore up antiquated sewers. 

But it doesn’t seem to have helped. According to a recent New York Times investigation, sewers around the country are frequently overwhelmed resulting in raw sewage spilling into waterways. 

In the last three years alone, according to the Times investigation, more than 9,400 of the 25,000 sewage systems that exist in the US have reported violations via the dumping of Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: New York Times water study, Tap Water, Water Pollution
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