The New York Times blog has a good article on the problems that exist within our public water infrastructure. Four well-respected experts give their take on the issues involved and possible solutions to fix the problem.
There are two main issues. One is the lessening over the last couple decades of federal aid to cities and states for the maintenance of drinking water infrastructure. The other is the weakening of clean water regulations and envorcement during the Bush Administration, as well as the weakening of the EPA.
One thing we all should know by now. Bottled water is NOT the answer. Paying more for water than you do for gasoline for your car is beyond stupid, especially when the water in question came out of a tap somewhere else and much CO2 was put into the air to bottle it and transport it. And then there is the problem of the waste caused by the bottles, many of which now form the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
If our federal government were effective, it would use those stimulus bucks putting people to work on this issue. But then, our federal congresscritters depends on companies like Nestles’ for campaign contributions, so I don’t see any huge changes happening soon, though the Obama administration is making a few of the right noises. However, noise and action are two different things, as we found out at Copenhagen.
