The history of National Water Quality Month originated when two US congressional acts that were passed in the early 1970s in an effort to protect our water sources. Starting with the Clean Water Act that was passed in 1972, the federal government began taking steps to curb water pollution by making it illegal to dump high amounts of toxic materials into bodies of water. This set the standard for making sure that surface water was up to certain standards before being used for human consumption and recreation. In 1974, the Safe Drinking Water Act was passed to further protect the quality of groundwater. From there, National Water Quality Month was founded in 2005 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and backed by the United Nations to promote civic discourse about how to conserve our natural water sources by starting conversations on what we can do in our own households and communities to ensure that we all have access to safe, clean drinking water for generations to come. What’s better than water?
The purpose of National Water Quality Month is to remind us what life would be like without easy access to clean water. There would be no fountains to quench your thirst when you’re out on a hot day. No more pools, and no more lakes and rivers clean enough for recreational activities. No more hour-long showers. No more drinking water straight from the tap, or even filtering it through your Brita. No more running water in your house, period. In short, our lives would be totally different, and not for the better.
National Water quality month reminds us to take a moment to consider how important these water sources are not just to humans, but also to the other inhabitants of these ecosystems—whether it be the fish that live in the waters or the plants and animals that rely on these lakes and rivers for water just like we do. By thinking about the little things that you do on a daily basis that could have a negative effect on water quality, you’ll be one step closer to making a difference.
There are easily thousands of factors that can have a negative impact on the quality of your local water sources ranging from industrial pollutants like metal particulate, oils, and other chemicals to the pesticides we use in our own backyards.
James L. Cummins is executive director of Wildlife Mississippi, a nonprofit conservation organization founded to conserve, restore, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plant resources throughout Mississippi. Their web site is www.wildlifemiss.org
