1-2 Journal: How Do Environmental Issues Impact You Personally?
Environmental Issues, SCI 219
09/05/2021
Ashley Allen
Enduring and urgent challenges, not only in America but all throughout the world, is water
quality. Agriculture-related pollution is the main factor contributing to water contamination in
the United States. All of our main waterways, including rivers, lakes, and streams, are
contaminated by agriculture. Wetlands in the US are another source of the problem, and as lakes
are one of our main supplies of freshwater when not near an ocean, they are the third major
contributor to the problem. M. Denchak (2018).
In the US, farming has also grown to be a significant problem due to rains and crops. For
instance, when it rains on agricultural areas, all of the insecticides, chemicals, and livestock
manure get carried into our waterways and eventually end up in the United States' major water
supplies. Nutrient contamination is the leading global source of water pollution overall. When
substantial levels of nitrogen and phosphorus are introduced into our water and air, they remain
contaminants in the water and are permitted by law. (nrdc.org,2018).
Our neighborhood, which is bordered by corn fields and cattle, is quite agricultural. Being distant
from a city might seem to aid with water contamination, but that is far from the truth. Our water
is filthy because of how much agriculture pollutes it. We filter it, but occasionally even that is
insufficient. We need to change our filters more frequently than is suggested, and we can't use
water directly from the tap in our humidifiers since the pollutants would make the device brown
and eventually cause it to malfunction. Our plumbing that exits to the main drain also has a
problem. There are no septic systems in any of the homes in the town, but all of the water is
piped in.
Several individuals have told me they have water problems throughout my three years here, but
there is no one to aid them. The majority of people in our country just stated, "A little dirt is
healthy for you," without realizing that these are alien contaminants brought about by the
chemicals in our animals' feces and our field crops. It also doesn't help that the water we receive
from the treatment facility is stored outdoors, where it is exposed to the weather and adjacent
wildlife. This is because the town claims that storing our water inside would be too expensive.
Although only employing one to four people during the whole year, the Toluca water treatment
plant reportedly generates between $500,000 and $1 million in income annually. n.d.
(manta.com).
References:
https://www.manta.com/c/mmqr2ss/toluca-water-department
