You can understand why the water quality of our urban water supplies is so important. After all, the majority of the United State's population now live in or near cities. Big cities mean big development over large areas, which can certainly have an impact on the local water supply.
It's not that hard to imagine that as cities grow, things happen that can harm the quality of the local water resources. That is why most governments must take measures to protect rivers, streams, lakes, and aquifers when small towns grow into big cities.
Here are some water-quality issues that relate to urban development.
Population Growth
Erosion and Sedimentation
Urban Runoff
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Sewage Overflows
Waterborne Pathogens
Toxic Metals
Pesticides
PCBs and Chlordane in Fish
Information in this section is from the U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 96-4302, 1996, "Everyone Lives Downstream" (poster). Poster is available by calling 770-903-9100.
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/urbanquality.html
Page Contact Information: Howard Perlman
Page Last Modified: Tuesday, 30-Aug-2005 09:04:37 EDT
