appreciating the method of ensuring safe drinking water write letter to editor
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To the Times: The water crisis in Flint, Mich., shines a
much-needed spotlight on public
drinking water quality. Public outrage
surrounding this crisis is understandable
when regulations and standards
intended to protect public health are sacrificed to save money. In this case,
lead is causing irreparable harm to
10,000 Flint children with developing
brains and will continue to impact the
unborn, infants and children for the
foreseeable future. We may not know the full costs for
years as the ripple effect could result in
a generation in need of increased social
services and broad social costs as well
as a less productive workforce. The
World Health Organization links lead poisoning to impaired mental
development (including lower IQ),
behavioral problems (such as
hyperactivity, shortened attention span
and antisocial behavior), and physical
effects (like stunted growth, kidney damage, hypertension, hearing
problems, and anemia). A recent Vox
review of Pennsylvania Department of
Health data reveals 17 cities in the state
where over 10 percent of children
tested positive for dangerously elevated levels of lead in their blood.
While the whole story has yet to be
written, it is abundantly clear that we
cannot wait to re-examine procedures.
We must increase protections at the
local, state, and federal levels. There is, however, a related issue that
affects much of our state, especially
suburban and rural communities.
Pennsylvania is one of just two states
with no construction standards for
private water wells. According to the Penn State Extension, 3.5 million
residents, mostly in rural areas, rely on
well water. That is 34 times the
population of Flint. Coupled with the
20,000 new wells drilled each year,
unsafe well water can quickly become a major statewide public health concern. A recent study by the Pennsylvania
General Assembly’s Center for Rural
Pennsylvania notes that 40 percent of
wells have at least one water quality
issue due to poor construction,
including bacteria, lead, arsenic, and radon contamination. Improperly
constructed water wells and old
uncapped wells can provide easy access
for polluted surface runoff,
contaminants, and bacteria from septic
systems to get into a resident’s, or even a neighbor’s, drinking water supply.
much-needed spotlight on public
drinking water quality. Public outrage
surrounding this crisis is understandable
when regulations and standards
intended to protect public health are sacrificed to save money. In this case,
lead is causing irreparable harm to
10,000 Flint children with developing
brains and will continue to impact the
unborn, infants and children for the
foreseeable future. We may not know the full costs for
years as the ripple effect could result in
a generation in need of increased social
services and broad social costs as well
as a less productive workforce. The
World Health Organization links lead poisoning to impaired mental
development (including lower IQ),
behavioral problems (such as
hyperactivity, shortened attention span
and antisocial behavior), and physical
effects (like stunted growth, kidney damage, hypertension, hearing
problems, and anemia). A recent Vox
review of Pennsylvania Department of
Health data reveals 17 cities in the state
where over 10 percent of children
tested positive for dangerously elevated levels of lead in their blood.
While the whole story has yet to be
written, it is abundantly clear that we
cannot wait to re-examine procedures.
We must increase protections at the
local, state, and federal levels. There is, however, a related issue that
affects much of our state, especially
suburban and rural communities.
Pennsylvania is one of just two states
with no construction standards for
private water wells. According to the Penn State Extension, 3.5 million
residents, mostly in rural areas, rely on
well water. That is 34 times the
population of Flint. Coupled with the
20,000 new wells drilled each year,
unsafe well water can quickly become a major statewide public health concern. A recent study by the Pennsylvania
General Assembly’s Center for Rural
Pennsylvania notes that 40 percent of
wells have at least one water quality
issue due to poor construction,
including bacteria, lead, arsenic, and radon contamination. Improperly
constructed water wells and old
uncapped wells can provide easy access
for polluted surface runoff,
contaminants, and bacteria from septic
systems to get into a resident’s, or even a neighbor’s, drinking water supply.
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