Underconstruction

CHINO BASIN WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

WATER SUPPLY PROTECTION BEGINS AT HOME

In order to protect our water supplies from the effects and ravages of pollution, our federal and state legislators have adopted many laws and implemented hundreds of enforcement rules and regulations. One law commonly referred to as Proposition 65, which was passed by Californians in the late 1980’s, has been said to go so far as to provide for punishment of witnesses to acts of pollution, when said witnesses fail to report the incident within 72 hours of becoming aware of the incident. What more can be done to stop water pollution from adversely affecting our daily lives and ruining the futures of our children?

Almost daily our local newspapers run one or more stories relative to new substances or compounds determined, or suspected, to be detrimental to the health and well being of our populace. In the 1960’s, the predominately agricultural pesticide DDT was determined to have long-lasting health related impacts. Then in the 1970’s, PCB’s, mainly found in transformers and other electrical components, were determined to be cancer causing. Today our national news frequently contains article pertaining to chemical pollutants such as MTBE’s (found in our fuels), Perchlorate (a component in rocket fuel), Chromium (frequently used as a cooling tower corrosion inhibitor) and Selenium (a naturally occurring chemical which is necessary in small doses, but which causes deformations and mutations when occurring in large concentrations) which are invading both our surface and groundwater supplies. More locally, pollutant concerns relating to TDS (total dissolved salts) and nitrates (typically derived from 3 sources: (1) naturally occurring as plant material decomposes, (2) processed nitrate fertilizers, and (3) manure, frequently are topics of heated disagreement and make noteworthy news). Given all the publicity it is no wonder our children often ask us, what is being done to protect our water supplies for their futures?

As first mentioned above, our legislators are working hard to provide local governmental agencies such as ours with the legal tools and mechanisms to take monumental steps towards protection and preserving our surface and ground water supplies. Further, scientists from private industry as well as various levels of government are always looking for new and inexpensive means to stop, detect, and when at unsafe levels, remove pollutants of all types.

What more can be done? Well we have news for you; you can do more to stop the pollution of our limited water supplies! Only you and your actions can really help to bring about an economical solution to our pollution woes. For instance, you can insure that your waste petroleum products are recycled, that the insecticides and pesticides used in and around the house are properly applied (and that subsequent waste materials are disposed of according to label recommendations), and that when purchasing water softeners you should shy away from those that use salt as the “softening” chemical agent.

Do your part and more for a cleaner and healthier environment. Contact the Chino Basin Water Conservation District for additional methods designed to preserve and protect our water supplies from the ravages of pollution and to conserve good quality water for your future.