subject: The Fight Against Water Pollution [print this page] The issue of water pollution has slowly become a very serious threat to mankind. Everyday, more and more pollutants contaminate our waters, and that leads to a variation of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera and E.coli infection.
To combat the effects of water pollution, preventive measures have been set in place by the government. One particular regulation is the implementation of stormwater systems. These systems are aimed to keep the amount of stormwater run-off at a minimum.
Stormwater run-off is simply water that comes from naturally occurring precipitation, such as rain or the melting of snow, which fails to infiltrate or penetrate into the ground because the water is being impeded by impervious surfaces. Impervious surfaces are usually man-made surfaces resulting from urbanization, such as roads, rooftops, buildings, or sidewalks.
Given that some of the precipitated water is evaporated into the atmosphere, the remaining amount of stormwater run-off still dictates the quantity of contaminants that get washed along into our sewers and drainage systems. The increased amount of impervious surfaces as a result of modernization has tremendously affected the amount of stormwater run-off in the United States alone.
Pathogens and bacteria are born when stormwater fails to soak into the ground or evaporate, and instead simply washes over the impenetrable surfaces where pollutants have been deposited by daily human activity. Without a proper stormwater system, these contaminants can infiltrate our water supply and bring about the propagation of any number of waterborne illnesses.
A good stormwater system is not only limited to physical, engineered solutions such as building dams or sediment filters. It also encompasses certain operational and procedural practices such as limiting the amount of chemicals used during construction, or not using pesticides that contain chemicals that are hazardous to the environment..
Stormwater solutions are now required by the Environmental Protection Agency before any construction project is initiated. In accordance to state and local laws, building contractors need to acquire special permits to show that they comply with stormwater system regulations, and contribute to the general protection of the environment. The EPA aims to regulate stormwater and maintain a suitable, life-sustaining water supply throughout the country.
by: Chris Cole
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