Water from Ponds, Lakes, and Rivers

Our surface water supplies are under increasing pressure from a number of pollutants as well as encroaching housing developments. Decades of abuse from all sorts of industry, municipal sewage systems, lax pollution controls, and careless human behavior have dramatically changed the ecosystems of our ponds, lakes, and rivers.

For example, the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio caught fire in 1868, 1883, 1887, 1912, 1922, 1936, 1941, 1948, 1952, and 1969. After the 1969 fire, Time magazine did a report on the condition of the river and stated:

This single event brought a number of other environmental problems to America�s attention and led to the passing of the Clean Water Act in 1972. Since then, stricter controls on the amount of pollutants that can enter our surface water have made a significant impact on the cleanliness and viability of our ponds, lakes, and rivers, but there are still many causes for concern.

Sources of Contamination

These sources and more still pose a significant threat to our nation�s waterways, and while the situation is far better than it used to be, there are many opportunities for improvement.

What can be done?

The solution begins with every single one of us making responsible choices about our daily living. You can:

These steps and more are an excellent way to lessen the impact of contamination of our surface water, but positive change can only occur if you�re willing to make some changes yourself.