Water Contamination in America: Health Risks, Regional Disparities, and the Need for Regulatory Reform
Overview
This paper examines water contamination as a critical public health issue affecting Americans, with particular focus on hazardous contaminants such as lead, nitrates, and endocrine disruptors. The author argues that inadequate regulatory efforts and insufficient funding have resulted in substandard water quality, and compares contamination levels between California and New Mexico to demonstrate regional disparities. The paper advocates for increased government attention and resources to eliminate water contaminants and protect vulnerable populations.
What this essay covers
- Introduction establishing water contamination as a health crisis with examples from Flint, Michigan and fracking regions
- Analysis of specific contaminants and their health effects, particularly nitrates causing blue-baby syndrome and lead causing neurological damage
- Comparison of water contamination levels between California and New Mexico, attributing differences to regulatory failures and funding shortages
- Conclusion arguing for government intervention and increased resources to ensure water safety
Preview
Water Quality: Discussion 1
Water contamination has endangered the health of Americans. For instance, water contaminants such as lead have been found in regions where hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") is used in extracting natural gas or oil. Hanna-Attisha et al. (2016) explain that other contaminants found in the water include endocrine and radium disrupters that were reported in 2017 by Yale University. Over the last ten years, increased water pollution cases in American cities and towns such as Michigan and Flint have been carefully investigated over drinking water safety. Unfortunately, the efforts put in place to regulate water sources have failed. For instance, the lack of funding resources is the primary reason for the provision of substandard water quality (Ramey, 2018). As a result, concern has risen, especially where vulnerable populations are burdened with the demand to examine water systems to enhance safety. In such regions, assessment of risk should be conducted frequently.
The following figures show a list of water contaminants in California.
The contaminants shown in the figures above have adverse effects on consumers. For example, nitrates are hazardous to unborn babies because they restrict the oxygen amount in the brain, therefore, causing the "blue-baby" syndrome (Jones, 2018). Besides, lead accumulation in the body damages the central nervous system.
The following figures show a list of water contaminants in New Mexico.
California has a high level of water contaminants than in New Mexico.