Recent current events in the beginning of 2023 have raised concerns and questions about some of the most basic, fundamental resources commonly shared.
Considering water is something we all need and use daily, the raising worry of this resource’s lowering levels is leaving environmentalists and citizens with the simple question – what’s going on with our water?
From the Western regions of the Colorado River to the newly contaminated small town in Northeastern Ohio, learn about these water pollution and contamination updates happening across the U.S.
The Concern: Lowering Water Levels in Lake Powell
Combined with troubling climate change and weathering patterns, this 23-year megadrought of the Colorado River is nothing new to environmentalists and locals within this Western region.
This month Lake Powell, one of the nation’s second-largest reservoirs and part of the Colorado River, has reached a new record-breaking low. The lake now reaches just 3,522 feet above sea level, dipping below the previous record reported in April 2022.
At 22% full, the reservoir is expected to continue declining until around May, when whatever snow or ice collected from the winter season will melt downstream and make its way down the river.
Glen Canyon Dam & Other Surrounding Environmental Impacts
Lake Powell is located near the Utah-Arizona border, a part of the Colorado River that influences water resources to more than 40 million people across seven states.
Not only are these Western states (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, California, and Nevada) dealing with an alarming decline in the reliability of water resources, but this impact is further threatening the ability to generate hydropower of Glen Canyon Dam.
The Glen Canyon Dam is currently balancing around the “minimum power pool” level, leaving the dam at risk of not generating hydropower.
More specifically, if the water level in Lake Powell falls another 150 feet from the current level, the reservoir will hit “dead pool” – meaning the Colorado River and all ancillary streams will no longer run through the dam and supply the surrounding municipalities and agricultural areas out West.
An emergency release was put into effect to increase the water level of the dam and maintain its proper functioning. Environmental officials have stated that without this emergency release established last year, the Glen Canyon Dam would be way below its concerning level by now.
Because of this, many environmentalists and industry leaders are weighing out the future impacts and effects this will have on the Colorado River resource as a whole.
“I think it would be foolish for us not to at least study the idea of fully phasing out that reservoir because it just is becoming more and more likely that it’s going to drop into a dead pool scenario,” says Eric Balken, executive director of the environmental advocacy group Glen Canyon Institute.
The Concern: Chemical Contamination in East Palestine, Ohio
On the topic of water and environmental contamination, you may have recently read about the train derailment and hazardous spill happening in the small town of East Palestine in Ohio.
The accident itself luckily resulted in no injuries or human fatalities but is currently experiencing severe damage to the water, air, and environment of East Palestine and surrounding Ohio areas.
As the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Transportation Safety Board are actively monitoring and assessing this train accident, many struggling to establish damage and safety control over the hazardous chemicals entering the town’s ground and water.
Investigators reported about three dozen train cars derailed overall, 11 of which were carrying hazardous material, such as toxic chemical vinyl chloride.
Controlled Burns & Uncontrolled Concerns
Additionally, the EPA released a partial Norfolk Southern manifest that detailed other hazardous chemicals on the train. This included:
Vinyl chloride
ethylene glycol monobutyl ether
ethylhexyl acrylate
isobutylene
When inhaled, all chemicals listed have been reported to induce symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, vomiting, rashes, coughing, and cancerous harm.
Shortly after this hazardous spill and train derailment, the Norfolk Southern train had to undergo an extensive “controlled burning” of all chemicals and materials in this accident to prevent further chemical spillage or leakage into the environment.
This controlled burn urged an emergency evacuation in the town, which raised more concern and questions to the East Palestine community.
Since this hazardous spill in Ohio:
Wildlife officials have reported the death of over 3,500 fish since the first week of the spill.
State water agencies like Greater Cincinnati Water Works are collecting samples of the Ohio River to screen for any toxins or chemicals carried downstream in the water from this accident.
Despite ongoing advances and information in this case, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is monitoring the air quality of the surrounding municipalities using state-of-the-art technology.
The EPA is also assisting in screening homes for contaminants, testing groundwater, and drinking water, and will actively continue to monitor surrounding fish and wildlife.
Moving Forward with Efficient Environmental Solutions
No matter if you see the glass of dwindling water resources as half full or half empty, there’s one inconvenient, unavoidable truth related to all these (undesirable) environmental reports: we need more water.
Luckily, advancements in environmental funding and technology are opening the opportunity for these regions and municipalities to contribute to this conservation and preservation of water.
For instance, the Biden Administration recently announced its $2 billion funding to states and territories to address and solve the contamination of chemicals (such as PFAs) in drinking water.
This announcement comes at a time when safe and clean drinking water has become a strict necessity and rare commodity for some cities and regions within the U.S.
While screening for per/poly-fluoroalkyl substances (fluoride chemicals used in water treating processes), this federal grant will promote access to safe and clean water in small, rural, and disadvantaged communities while supporting local economies.
In 2020, 2.45% of community water systems (1,165 systems) were in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act. 6% of all Clean Water Act permittees (21,035 companies or persons) were in Significant Non-compliance.
While many emergency regulations and environmental policies are shaping the way states will conserve and utilize their water resources, this progression is far from over. The environmental tragedies and damage we’re witnessing today will eventually impact further environmental outlets and resources.
No matter the business or industry you serve, environmental advances and efforts can be made each day to not only correct or solve the issue of these environmental tragedies that occur, but to further contribute to a foreseeable future of health and safety for ourselves and Planet Earth.
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