(07.01, 07.02 HC) Before the 20th century, there was a wide…
(07.01, 07.02 HC) Before the 20th century, there was a widespread cultural practice in the United States of dumping waste materials into moving bodies of water. This practice removed the waste from the immediate location, but often the polluter lost track of any consequences to anyone or anything downstream. On June 22, 1969, the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland burst into flames when sparks from a passing train set fire to oil-based pollution floating on the water’s surface. The fire on the surface of the river, a tributary to Lake Erie, nearly destroyed two bridges that spanned it. The fire embarrassed members of Congress and highlighted the need for far-reaching legislation that could clean up the nation’s rivers, especially those that moved through metropolitan areas. The Clean Water Act (CWA) was passed in 1972 to regulate surface water and establish standards for water meeting needs for human recreation. The goal of the Clean Water Act was to have U.S. rivers and lakes pollution free by 1985, but almost 50% of rivers were still not up to the standard by that time. Legislation had helped clean up industrial wastes and sewage, but non-point pollution is still a problem for many waterways. Identify two likely non-point source pollutants of the Cuyahoga River. Describe two human activities that have impacted the health of the Cuyahoga River. Glycol ethers, which are solvents in brake fluids, are common endocrine disruptors found in wastewater run-off from roadways. Describe the effects an endocrine disruptor could have on human populations surrounding the Cuyahoga River. Explain the environmental effects excessive pollution can have on aquatic river systems. The Clean Water Act and subsequent legislation mandated that industries stop dumping wastes directly into bodies of water by building sewage treatment facilities to clean sewage water before it discharged into lakes and rivers. An average wastewater reclamation plant treats 42 million gallons a day. Calculate the amount of pollution-free water it could release into Cuyahoga River in a year.