Running Head: WATER POLLUTION EFFECTS IN THE U.S.

Water Pollution Effects in the U.S.

Julia Sandor

Arizona State University

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Abstract

The following essay shows the reader different sides of the ongoing argument of water pollution

in the United States. Water pollution has been damaging the environment for decades and the

government has set out regulations and rules to prohibit these issues. Some people believe that

these regulations are not enforced and handled properly and that new programs and laws should

be put in place. Different acts have been set up such as The Green New Deal and The Water

Quality Act, but nothing has come from them. There are many different viewpoints on the topic

of pollution and this essay tries to persuade the reader to help enforce laws and rules rather than

sitting aside and waiting for it to happen on its own.

​ nited States, water pollution, environment, government, Green New Deal.

Keywords: U
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Water Pollution Effects in the U.S.

Water pollution has been an ongoing issue for centuries, regardless of one’s own beliefs

and ideas. In recent discussions of water pollution, a controversial issue has been whether the

government regulations and laws set out to protect the United States from water pollution are

being enforced and executed well enough. On the one hand, some argue that although water

pollution is an issue, it should not use an extensive amount of money to fix the damage. On the

other hand, however, others argue that water pollution should be stopped by further restrictions

and better enforcement. My own view is that water pollution is a growing issue that is leading to

more environmental problems which will greatly affect our country. By enforcing acts such as

The Green New Deal, uncovering pollution issues when they are happening, and fixing some of

the problems we still have today, we will be able to find a solution to the problem of water

pollution.

There have been numerous issues in the United States that have led to water pollution.

The ​Journal of Environmental Management s​ aid whether it simply be littering or it is farming

with the toxic chemicals it uses, the spread of pollution is growing, (Sun, S., Delgado, M. S., &

Sesmero, J. P.).There are very few ways to stop the spread, but these few ways continue to be

blocked by the government. There are new acts being proposed, candidates advocating for a

healthier earth, water quality proposals, and many other strong deals that are trying to be

enforced. In order for these to work, they need to be accepted by the government and the highest

officials. Otherwise, our own actions won’t mean anything to the earth.

One of the newest deals that have been proposed to the White House is The Green New

Deal. The Green New Deal’s mission, as said in ​A Green New Deal​, is to “meet the level of
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progressive ambition looking to transform the economy and the environment in ways that

achieve sustainability, equity, justice, freedom, and happiness,”(Carlock, section 2). This means

that they want to help the economy and the environment by achieving great goals. It has multiple

solutions that reach all levels of people in society. From local problems to state problems to even

federal problems, this deal touches upon each one in order to fix the overall pollution issue in

America. It calls for renewable and clean energy which will allow everyday things, such as

electricity and water, to be used efficiently. (Carlock, section 4) It will even protect over two

million miles of new waterways, to keep it clean and affordable for people all over the country.

They plan to clean up hazardous and intoxicated sites for cleaner areas. And it wants to get rid of

all the waste and toxins in due time. All of these ideas and plans will take a while, but the Green

New Deal needs to be put into action for us to start acting on the initiatives.

Although the deal has many qualities that would bring people to support it, some people

have a different viewpoint. Some believe that with this deal, it will be putting millions of people

out of work. Since it is taking jobs away from people who do un-environmentally friendly

practices, such as coal mining, they think this will hurt America’s economy. What you may not

know is that the Green New Deal has made it a goal to “create 10 million new jobs over the first

10 years through employment and training programs associated with Green New Deal grants and

projects,” (Carlock, section 3). This shows that the people, like the coal-miners, will not be left

empty handed, for they will be provided with an opportunity from this deal. The Green New

Deal is offering a plan to help the United States stay green and end pollution. Even though some

will contradict the topic, the deal proves that it will have a positive impact on the environment

and the Americans living in it.

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Another issue that is a literal growing problem is the rising level of water. In states all

over the country from Florida to California, the sea and lakes are rising at a fast rate. The rising

rates are due to “storm surges, subsidence, water storage, and many other factors,”(U.S.

Climate). ​If the government doesn’t step in to fix the regulations put on our water, the levels will

increasingly rise over the years, leaving us with extreme damage. The Environmental Protection

Agency sets many regulations on the ocean water and drinking water in our country, but they are

rarely enforced. For example, there is a sea level rise viewer on the EPA’s website which depicts

possible outcomes of the rising water levels. This could potentially wipe out coastal cities all

along the east and west, (​Sea Level Rise Viewer​). ​Changes in earth’s normal patterns cause the

change in the water levels. Fossil fuels and other toxins leave the water bothered. This causes

different and unnatural changes to take place in our oceans and other bodies of water. For

example, after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017, the treatment of this island has been

poor. Two years later and there is still a lot of work to be done. A lack of government help and

aid is responsible for this natural disaster not being fixed. The unsolved problem on the island is

bound to cause more problems in the future.

Even though people see the rising water levels and pollution as a major issue, some see it

from a different point of view. Different scientists are trying to persuade the government to

adopt diverse research. In the ​Los Angeles Times​ an article said, “some pollution is good for

you,” ​(Rust, 1)​. The background they’re using is being compared to other Environmental

Protection Agency standards, and if the government chooses to side with them, it will affect the

oceans and the earth as a whole. The effects it would have would be indescribable. Eventually,

houses will be destroyed, major flooding would change coastal states, and many of our water
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resources would be in jeopardy. Regulators have tried to protect the people in the long run, but

disputes like this are causing the government to rethink certain regulations. The amount of

regulations we have now is already too little, so this is only going to impact the United States in

a negative way. Instead of listening to discredited sources and scientists, everyone should listen

to the intellectual journals and viewpoints of credible sources and scientists.

Continuing with the thought of regulations on water, a big issue that has been going on

for years is the Flint Water Crisis. The Flint Water Crisis started in 2013 when an official

decision to use the Flint River as a source of water to save costs while they waited for a new

water system to be built. This drastically hurt the city. The amount of trash and pollutants that

are thrown into the river from previous years was indescribable. An online source said this ended

up increasing the lead in the water, which was distributed to all the houses in Flint, (Denchak,

2018) How is this acceptable to the government? One of the worst things that happened to one of

our own states nearly five years ago still is not fixed. That is a major crisis that needs to be

handled. Not to mention, The National Resources Defense Council said,“the incidence of

elevated blood-lead levels in children citywide had nearly doubled since 2014,”(Denchak, 2018).

If it is directly affecting children, the future of America, this should be acknowledged. Yet,

people will still disagree on this topic.

Many argue that this is only a problem in Michigan and that it will not spread throughout

the country. They believe that research will find many other solutions to the problem in a matter

of time. To refute that, Michigan is not the only state with water issues. Arizona is another state

with unhealthy and insufficient water. Its main water source is experiencing shortage due to

climate change, which means it is leaving the state with a lack of water,​(​McGlade, C.). There is
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so much arsenic in the water, but the EPA set a regulation that it is not enough to not be used. An

article stated, ​“the three Arizona systems were among 60 others around the country with water

samples that fell outside a new safe range for two hazardous chemicals,”(​McGlade, C.). ​ ​Many

believe that it cannot be used because the chemical imbalance is too high. Whatever and

wherever the case may be, water pollution is affecting numerous states across the country and the

lack of regulations and guidance is a leading factor.

Over the years, there have been numerous factors that have produced water pollution in

America alone. Through natural disasters and hardships, although we have fixed some, there are

still various amounts of work to be done. Along with that, the government has not enforced any

new rules and regulations which shows America that they do not care. There have been pushes

and proposals to help change the environment, but they are usually ignored or set aside for a

different time. With that, there will be no change because no effort was put into it. If there were

more enforcement and acknowledgment, people would not have to worry about this situation.

Officials and candidates are advocating for new environmental laws to be enforced and put in

place, but we shouldn’t wait for them to make a difference. This starts now with the help of our

own government, EPA, and the Council of Environmental Quality. If we wait any longer

changes won’t be made or seen until the next century. Everyone needs to take action now in

order to help stop pollution in the United States.

Water pollution is still going to be a controversial issue. Through decades of work, bills,

acts, and laws, the issue will still remain. The question is, how are we going to find a solution? It

is still wondered if the government regulations and laws set out to protect the United States from

water pollution are being enforced and executed well enough. People will still argue that
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although water pollution is an issue, it should not be given extensive thought. This is not backed

up by research or scientific evidence, so it is not reliable. However, others, like myself, argue

that water pollution should be stopped by further restrictions and better enforcement.

Enforcement of these restrictions will benefit everyone in the country in numerous ways. I will

not change my view that water pollution is a problem in America, but I hope other people will

change their view and agree with me as well.

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References

A Green New Deal. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.dataforprogress.org/green-new-deal#greenprint

Denchak, M. (2018, November 16). Flint Water Crisis: Everything You Need to Know.

Retrieved from ​https://www.nrdc.org/stories/flint-water-crisis-everything-you-need-know

McGlade, C. (2016, May 20). Chemicals in 3 Arizona water systems exceed new EPA

guidelines. Retrieved from

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-water/2016/05/19/arizona-water-syst

ems-epa-water-guidelines-pfos-pfoa/84619410/

Rust, S. (2019, February 19). Scientist says some pollution is good for you - a disputed claim

Trump's EPA has embraced. Retrieved from

https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-secret-science-20190219-story.html

Sea Level Rise Viewer. (n.d.).

Retrieved from ​https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/slr.html

Sun, S., Delgado, M. S., & Sesmero, J. P. (2016). Dynamic adjustment in agricultural practices

to economic incentives aiming to decrease fertilizer application. ​Journal of

Environmental Management,​ ​177,​ 192–201.

https://doi-org.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.04.002

U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://toolkit.climate.gov/topics/coastal/sea-level-rise