San Joaquin Valley Drinking Water Pollution Case Study

Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to establish the concentrations of contaminants that are permitted in public drinking-water systems. A public water system is defined by EPA as a “system for the provision to the public of water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances, if such system has at least fifteen service connections or regularly serves at least twenty-five individuals” (63 Fed. Reg. 41940 [1998]). Section 1412 of the act, as amended in 1986, requires EPA to publish maximum-contaminant-level goals (MCLGs) and promulgate national primary drinking-water regulations (maximum contaminant levels [MCLs]) for contaminants in drinking water that might cause

Due to its physical characteristics (no odor, no color, and no flavor), arsenic exposure is often unnoticed, especially when ingested through drinking water. Therefore, the key to prevention of Dermatofibroma is understand the risk factors whether environment such as chronic arsenic exposure due to the ingestion of naturally-contaminated water, groundwater contamination due to leaching of arsenic from rocks and soil frequently results in concentrations above 50 mcg/L, which are associated with carcinogenesis in humans. Occupational exposure via inhalation of arsenic-containing vapors occurs during smelting, mining, refining, electroplating, and manufacturing of decorative-glass, pesticides, gallium arsenide computer microchips, and pressure-treated wood. Documented regions with natural groundwater arsenic contamination include Millard County, Utah; Lane County, Oregon; Lassen County, California; Fallon, Nevada; Fairbanks, Alaska; and New Hampshire, also persons living in the southwestern United States are at higher risk for being exposed to elevated levels of arsenic in drinking water. (Sarina B Elmariah MD PhD, Robert Anolik MD, Ruth F Walters MD, Karla Rosenman MD, Miriam K Pomeranz MD, Miguel R Sanchez MD, Dermatology Online Journal 14 (10): DOI: 10.1111/jdv.13092 24 19 July 2015, Invasive squamous-cell carcinoma and arsenical keratosis.). There currently is no concrete clinical-pathological evidence

People hear about issues and events that happen in America every day. Unfortunately every issue or problem does not receive the necessary media attention. One of the roughest cities in the United States, Detroit, Michigan is being affected by pollution. Detroit Wastewater Treatment Facility is the largest source of discharge into the river with 47 billion gallons of diluted sewage water dump into the Detroit River. 10.1 millions of toxic substance was dumped in the great lakes (Matthews, 2013.para.7). Due to the unstable environment Asthma, Cancer, and birth defects are at its peak. This is because of the factories built in the city next to the lower class neighborhoods. There has been cases where a local neighborhoods has been affected by

There are three main mechanisms by which the chemical composition of groundwater, which is our natural source of drinking water, may be changed: by natural processes, by man's waste-disposal practices such as those for sanitary wastes, liquid industrial wastes, solid wastes, and radioactive wastes, and by spills, leaks, and agricultural activities and other sources unrelated to disposal. The degree of risk posed by contaminants varies according to many factors. These include the volume and toxicity of the contaminant, its concentration in the aquifer, its persistence in the environment, and the degree of human and environmental exposure to the contaminant. In addition, the number of persons affected, or likely to be affected, over time and the percentage of available groundwater both locally and regionally should be taken into consideration. If the contaminants in the groundwater exceed the standards set for drinking water by the federal government, for example, then the water is hazardous for the use for which it was designated under the standards. These standards include, however, only a limited number of chemicals, and thus they do not necessarily protect humans or the environment against either the short-term or the long-term effects of every contaminant that might be found in

As the world responds to climate change, one of the greatest personal challenges is an intellectual one. Where ought one to direct the limited amount of time and energy one has to most effectively engage the challenge of climate change? This question begins with how one gathers and processes information. There are so many particulars to understand and so many locations that demand attention. Where should one begin?

The Midwestern region of the United States, such a small corner of the world, is notorious for its prosperous agriculture and its abundant livestock population. Citizens of the Midwest, and consequently, the United States, rarely have to worry about where meals will come from or when the next time water will be available. Water fountains are a common sight within public places, specifically schools and workplaces, and each system reliably produces water at the touch of a button, every time, without fail. However, what happens when the dependability of water in the Midwest is compromised? Over the past decade, the water quality in Flint, Michigan, a town very close to Iowan homes, has seen a rapid decadence, given that the Flint River has been exposed to “the presence of fecal coliform bacteria, low dissolved oxygen, plant nutrients, oils, and other toxic substances,” though the main focus has

One of the reasons why the San Joaquin Valley is highly susceptible to water contamination is because of agriculture pesticides such as the nitrogen-based fertilizer called “nitrate.” Nitrates, once they 've entered the body, are converted to “nitrites” (Basic Info. About Nitrate in Drinking Water). If a baby younger than six months consumes water with more nitrate than the

The residents of Flint, Michigan were continuously looking to the government for a solution to this crisis. However, another issue involved in the crisis is that the government was treating the wrong problem.However, many are puzzled as to why numerous residents are ill because the MEDQ rebutted that it would be multiple years before the chlorine would cause dramatic effects. The Detroit Free Press states “children were developing rashes and suffering from mysterious illnesses” (“Flint Water”). Until early 2015, the government believed that the cause to the Flint Water Crisis was due to an excess of antibacterial substances. One particular household observed changes in the smell and taste of their water. This motivated LeeAnne Walters, Flint resident, to have her water tested. The American Chemical Society (ACS) states the results “All 32 samples from the Walters ' home contained lead concentrations above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency action level of 15 micrograms per liter. Four samples were above 5,000 micrograms per liter, the threshold for hazardous waste. And one sample contained 13,200 micrograms per liter.” Due to this analysis, the EPA believes that the extremely high levels of lead can be the cause of the mysterious illnesses. In the end, the profound cause of the Flint Water Crisis appears to be increased exposure to lead.

San Diego is a great place to live due to the climate and employment and education opportunities, overall a health conscious city. Areas that need improvement include decreasing the need for food stamps, assisting the homeless in obtaining necessary shelter, improve the drinking water quality, and improve the awareness of the emergency plans amongst San Diego residents. Based on the information San Diego is essentially a lively city in need of a few improvements. The most important issue that needs address is the homeless situation. Being a city with many military bases/agencies, and having the largest number of homeless veterans in the nation, San Diego needs to reach out to these individuals and offer assistance so these folks can get the training needed to be successful in life. Also, drinking water quality must be improved. The governing agencies should implement efforts to address better regulation of water quality. Addressing the increasing number of people requiring food stamps would be a high priority also. Having a well-nourished community will promote good health and is the number one defense against illness. Of minor note is the need to improve the awareness of the emergency preparedness plans present in San Diego County. Planned community will be able to survive any natural disasters. Community Diagnosis

Water sustainability is an ever-growing problem because of the increase in population, and over consumption used by agriculture, industry, and domestic which are using more water than we are able to supply. According to CBS News, California’s water shortage has been a big issue since 2011. Climate change has a lot to do with the amount of water we have available to us because the amount we need does not cut out to the amount needed to satisfy the population. Therefore, conservation is key; we must take into consideration the amount we use in a daily basis. Both you and I can easily save water we have, directly and indirectly like what we consume with what we eat, buy and use, which would overall improve water sustainability.

Often while driving through the valley you may start to smell a particular difference in the air, and not in a good way. Perhaps you didn’t know that San Joaquin Valley is one of two districts in the county to be classified by Enviornmental Protection Agency (EPA) as “extreme nonattainment” ("The Air District’s Mission"), which means it is considered to have the worst air quality; worse than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards as defined in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970 ("Google"). Also, San Joaquin County is one of the nine areas in the country to be designated as a “serious nonattainment” area for particulate matter ("The Air District’s Mission"). Although the air quality is not great here in the valley since

The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed to withdraw certain federal water quality criteria in California about lead, chlorodibromomethane, and dichlorobromomethane. The agency is proposing to amend the federal regulations to withdraw some human health water quality criteria and certain freshwater acute and chronic aquatic life water quality criteria. The ruling does not apply as of now because it is just a proposal and entitled 40 CFR Part 131 [EPA-HQ-OW-2017-0303; FRL-9971-30-OW] RIN 2040-AF71 Proposed Withdrawal of Certain Federal Water Quality Criteria Applicable to California: Lead, Chlorodibromomethane, Dichlorobromomethane.

Los Angeles County ranks among the 10% worst air quality polluters in the US. The hustle and bustle of public transportation and smog released by an over-populated commuter based region, have significantly lowered air quality standards. Henceforth, health concerns have risen for all Angelinos. Research has observed that there is a serious influx of pollutants in the air that could have damaging results both on adults and children alike. However, different forms of renewable energy over the years have facilitated an alternative to this issue. A movement away from an urban sprawl Los Angeles to new urbanism has allotted us better living and breathing conditions over the last several years.

I live in Moreno Valley, California where the water quality is 50 on a scale of 100 (with higher being better). I myself have a water cooler dispenser like you would see in an office building being when I moved here I was told not to drink the water. Nevertheless, presently in my local area there are issues of water quality and a few issues of water quantity. For example, Moreno Valley drainage system is polluting our waterways, climate change is intensifying California droughts, human population and wasteful water consumption are further adding to the water source depletion. But in Moreno Valley we rely on a mixture of groundwater, the State Water Project, and the Colorado River as our primary source of drinking water. At the current state

All around the world, countries are fighting to keep their drinking water clean. Whether it’s streams, rivers, or lakes, countries have taken great measures to maintain high quality drinking water for both human consumption and animal consumption. Countries must first understand the sources of the polltion, then determine the best methods to eliminate the pollution. Clean drinking water is a valuable resource and a the key to human survival. Plants and animals also depend on water for their growth, so all water must be kept clean. The major contributors to water pollution can be classified in three categories, industrial, agricultural and municipal.