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Commentary: Nature violates Clean Water Act

Posted by: Maven on January 29, 2010 at 8:10 am

From Wayne Lusvardi at the Cal Watchdog blog:

“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently issued a stop order to the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority in Southern California delaying construction of a water treatment facility to clean up contamination from the local groundwater basin because the clean water produced will be unsafe for wildlife although safe for humans to drink.

The problem is selenium, a naturally occurring element in the soil that humans ingest in trace amounts in vitamin supplements, Brazil nuts and other foods but is harmful to small organisms and fish. The selenium in the San Gabriel Water Basin is naturally occurring and is not added to the water as part of the treatment process, is not a by-product of that process, nor does it come from a chemical spill, agricultural irrigation water runoff, or industrial contamination. As Dan Colby, chemist for the water quality authority explained “Mother Nature is in violation of the Clean Water Act!” … “


Continue reading this commentary at the Cal Watchdog blog by clicking here.

January 29, 2010 · Filed Under Water Quality

Comments

One Response to “Commentary: Nature violates Clean Water Act”

  1. dfb on January 29th, 2010 11:06 am

    I disagree with Wayne in two regards.

    First, it is better to delay a little and get it right the first time than institute a plan that turns out to be wrong and costs more money in the end. The last thing SGV Water, Long Beach, California, or the EPA wants or needs are unintended consequences due to the accumulation and bioaccumulation of selenium. That was the issue with Kesterson and remains an issue in the San Joaquin Valley.

    Second, the fact that selenium was not taken account of is an issue that is spread around all the various agencies on the local, state, and federal levels. Selenium is a known potential issue in California and should have been included in the earlier studies. It is not that mother nature violates the Clean Water Act, it is the actions of people who modify mother nature to our needs and whims and cause an element or compound from one place where it is harmless to move to another location where it can do a ton of damage. The laws and regulations are in place to limit such issues to occur in a vacuum. Hence the delay that will occur to make sure the agencies and downstream municipalities all understand the risks involved. :-)

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