Water Pollution Here in Wisconsin - Essay Example

Water pollution here in Wisconsin Surface water supplies to Wisconsin cities and adjacent suburbs comes from lakes streams and rivers which have suffered constant pollution from sewage and other industrial wastes which are dumped/discharged into them. It is however worth noting that treatment plants have been built within the cities besides having well framed regulations concerning environmental pollution by industrial discharge. The increase in population as well as industrial production could be pointed as a major contributor to the overall pollution of water and the sources over years and the main challenge that imposition of the regulations formulated faces (Asplund et al, 7-12). It is also to be noted that higher efforts and commitments to treating waste water by the authorities and industries responsible, the ever increasing volumes of wastes from the industries and settlements overwhelm the efforts of treatment (By Amy and,Christi, para 1-6). On the other hand, weaknesses in enforcing the legal framework to curb such pollutions coupled with the compromises that result from negligence in the individual industries complicates the process and thus resulting to the ever increasing problem of contamination of water sources. In general, water protection efforts within the city suffer a myriad of issues which includes deep rooted corruption, political pressures, lack of and compromise in health standards, poor inspection and monitoring processes, ineffective riles as well as problems of increased sedimentation. The outcome of such mass pollution of the water sources within the city can be attributed to so many problems basic to which is the health complication to the residents. The discharge of contaminated water into the water sources that serve the city and the suburbs around pose a great risk to the welfare of the people within Wisconsin. Besides the aquatic life in the rivers, streams, and the lakes within the city are exposed to great risk. Fish in particular would be exposed to such risks of death from the contaminated water and this would have adverse effects not only to the populations which rely on the fish for food but also towards the economy at large (Weigel and Dale 691-708). However, the main question that remains critical is on what role the government should play in fight against water pollution within the state and the associated effects? Besides, what are exact effects of water pollution in the city with special regard to aquatic life? Finally, how does fish from contaminated water pose a health risk to the populations living within the city? In the effort to control the increased effects of water contamination to aquatic life, studies have been done. The findings have been instrumental in explaining exactly what the contamination of these water sources affect the fish and among the findings, change in the aquatic environment were the main effects identified. Industrial affluent change the temperatures of water, reduce the capacity of water to absorb oxygen as well as direct poisoning on the fish and the young one hence putting the whole aquatic life into a risk (Cole and Warrick, 280). From extensive research that has been done in the past, mercury has been shown as the main contaminant to the water sources in Wisconsin. Although mercury exists freely within the natural environment, in traces referred to as background levels, mercury emissions from human sources exacerbates the levels to toxicity. The burning of fuels (fossils), leakages from public waste water treatment facilities, leakage from waste water pipes, and smoke from factories known to use mercury within the industrial processes and the improper disposal of such gadgets that use mercury like thermometers have been pointed as major contributors to the water pollution in the city especially with the mercury compounds. This particular type of water pollution causes fish to have very high levels of mercury compounds which then make the fish and their products unsafe for human consumption (Navarro, 287-306). Lakes and rivers within the city have been tested and confirmed to contain very high levels of mercury. Humans suffer from mercury as it is a neurotoxin thus affecting nervous system s well as human brains with increased risks being posed on infants and fetuses. Besides, chronic levels in exposure to mercury cause mental problems like retardation as well as lack of general physical coordination in humans. It is to be noted that the problem with water sources being contaminated with mercury deposits dates many decades ago although the main sources of the mercury deposits have kept changing. For instance, within the past two decades, much of the mercury came from disposal of batteries and paints which contained traces of mercury as fungicides. The responsibility of the government can therefore be seen with better legislations which have contributed much to reduction in water pollution from the batteries and paints but the challenge has ever been on the rise from other sources of contamination (Singh et al, 74-86|). The paints that contained mercury were banned while the industries that produced batteries adopted other products instead of mercury. Mercury rain however poses the major challenge to the government and the authorities responsible in supplying residents with clean water. One would note that there have been extensive efforts towards curbing the increase in water contamination within the state especially through the mercury compounds as discussed. In the 80s, the government legislated on a bill to curb increased emission of mercury into the atmosphere in order to contain the challenge of mercury rain which increased in the contamination of water within the state. Research in the time associated the increase in acid rain with human related activities such as burning of fossil fuels which would contribute towards rise in amounts of mercury level in the atmosphere and hence, introduction and enforcement of such a law would work greatly to control the rise in water pollution levels within the state. As Reopelle (para 1-6) shows, ‘Wisconsins Environmental Decade’ intends to introduce such a bill in the legislature as was in the 80’s in order to contain the situation with water pollution from going to toxic levels. This however comes to support the position of this paper that the government and such environment regulatory bodies have the capacity to contain the situation as it is through proper legislation and enforcement of the laws. Although the responsibility of environmental management rests with all members in a society, it is paramount to appreciate the critical role that authorities play in formulating and implementing policies and rules such as are meant to ensure environmental management. Besides, the environmental authorities have the sole responsibility of ensuring that all life in the environment is safeguarded through such means as ensuring aquatic environment are conserved (Baer, para 1-7). Although there are costs that are uncured through community mobilization as well as awareness creation, the government has the most significant role to play in ensuring that the public takes an active role in the process of ensuring water pollution is dealt with (Benson, 14). This is justifiable through the analysis of the effects sited above concerning mercury pollutants whose effects go beyond threatening aquatic life to causing adverse effects to humans. The government incurs high costs in attending to the health needs of the residents especially in the instance of water borne infections outbreaks. For instance, an outbreak of diarrhea and cholera would be fatal to the state and the government is mandated to oversee health well being of the citizens. This being a core function therefore requires that the government institutes frameworks that would contribute towards ensuring that residents access clean and healthy water for domestic consumption and for agricultural purposes. Fishing is equally an economic activity that residents of the state engage in and whenever the aquatic life is under threat, the government stands to lose on earnings from fisheries. It is therefore an equal justification as to why the government should take leading role n safeguarding water from pollution even through environmental authorities. Environmental and natural resources boards equally play an important role in ensuring supply of clean and healthy water to the residents in any state and there are equally responsible in ensuring this is achieved. However co-working with the government over regulating water pollution is the most preferable mechanism through which the boards would participate in the role. Finally, taxation on waste disposals has also been seen as a right way through which the government would curb improper waste disposal into water ways. It is fundamental to understand that issues of corruption and institutional weaknesses in addressing the menace can rightfully be addressed by the government as against any other stakeholder. The government should therefore take an active role in restructuring the institutions within the state in order to restore effectiveness and efficiency in legislations on water pollution as part of the broader efforts in conserving the environment. Conclusion The foregoing discussion shows that Wisconsin state have had the problem of water pollution over decades now and great efforts have been put towards resolving the problem. Water gets polluted right from the surface water reservoirs through industrial effluents and waste water discharge from domestic purposes and the agricultural purposes. Sedimentation and leakage of harmful substances from agricultural chemicals also constitute of much of the contamination of water today. However, history shows that in many decades now, the state has suffered water pollution from mercury compounds as resulting from burning fossil fuels and such industrial productions as thermometers. However, upon imposition of correct rules, industrial use of mercury in manufacture of batteries and improper disposal of these products has been curbed. This therefore supports the solution proposed by this paper that government should take an active role in legislation in order to have proper water treatment and right waste disposal. Besides, regulations should target air pollution which causes water pollution through acid rain. Works Cited Asplund Tim, “Wisconsin Water Quality Report to Congress - Year 2012”2012. Print. 13 May, 2014. Baer Stephanie K. “Wisconsins beach water is second worst in nation, new report says” 2013. Web. 13 May, 2014. http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/wisconsins-beach-water-is-second-worst-in-nation-new-study-says-b9942543z1-213154571.html Benson, Marissa. "Wisconsin: Cleaner Air and Water Come at a Cost." Fedgazette 15.5 (2003): 14. ProQuest. Web. 6 May 2014. By Amy Dockser Marcus and,Christi Harlan. "`Pollution Exclusion Loses in Wisconsin." Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition ed.: 0. Jun 22 1990. ProQuest. Web. 6 May 2014 . Cole, Arch, E. and Warrick, Louis F. “Water Pollution Studies in Wisconsin Effects of Industrial (Pulp and Paper Mill) Wastes on Fish” Sewage Works Journal (1935). 7(2), pp. 280-302 Navarro, Andrés. "Review of Characteristics of Mercury Speciation and Mobility from Areas of Mercury Mining in Semi-Arid Environments." Reviews in Environmental Science and Biotechnology 7.4 (2008): 287-306. ProQuest. Web. 6 May 2014. Reopelle, Keith, “mercury rain: Smokestack mercury pollution poisoning wisconsins waters and gamefish” (nd). Web. 6 May 2014. Singh Aditya et al. A MODIS approach to predicting stream water quality in Wisconsin./ Remote Sensing of Environment (2013.)128: 74–86 Weigel, Brian M., and Dale M. Robertson. "Identifying Biotic Integrity and Water Chemistry Relations in Nonwadeable Rivers of Wisconsin: Toward the Development of Nutrient Criteria." Environmental management 40.4 (2007): 691-708. 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