Bob Herbert writes, in The Corrosion of America, that, “Aging and corroded pipes are bursting somewhere every couple of minutes. Dilapidated sewer systems are contaminating waterways and drinking water. Many local systems are so old and inadequate — in some cases, so utterly rotten — that they are overwhelmed by heavy rain.”
This is creating a very dangerous situation throughout the US. And if you look at this “corrosion” and couple it to Fred’s post, below, about poverty, then
If this were a first-class society we would rebuild our water systems to the point where they would be the envy of the world, and that would bolster the economy in the bargain. But that would take maturity and vision and effort and sacrifice, all of which are in dismayingly short supply right now.
We can’t even build a railroad tunnel beneath the Hudson River from New Jersey to New York.
Improving water systems — and infrastructure generally, if properly done — would go a long way toward improving the nation’s dismal economic outlook. According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, every dollar invested in water and sewer improvements has the potential to increase the long-term gross domestic product by more than six dollars. Hundreds of thousands of jobs would be created if the nation were serious about repairing and upgrading water mains, crumbling pipes, water treatment plants, dams, levees and so on.
Millions of jobs would be created if we could bring ourselves to stop fighting mindless wars and use some of those squandered billions to bring the nation’s infrastructure in the broadest sense up to 21st-century standards.
I feel the same way as Liam in that I sometimes take my access to clean water for granted. Before reading this article, I was not well aware of how deteriorated and contaminated the nation’s water systems are. I was shocked to learn about how deficient and old they are and that our country has been unable to improve the infrastructure that will in fact enhance economic activity even after people have gotten sick from water contamination or suffered from tragic pipeline explosions. In my opinion, our country is very lucky to have enough water to begin with, for many other countries are experiencing extreme water scarcity and desertification. We should appreciate the resources that we have by improving the quality of the water that we use and the systems that transport it. In Herbert’s article, he writes that one survey shows that almost 70% of respondents generally take their access to clean water for granted. This number was not very surprising to me because it is easy to forget that the trustworthy water from your shower or kitchen faucet could easily become a danger to your health if it should become contaminated. It is extremely important for citizens and the government to recognize that clean water will not always be so readily available if the infrastructures are not improved. It is disheartening that steps are not being taken to accomplish this goal that will vastly benefit the health and economy of the country.
Hi, I think that it’s not just water, the middle to upper middle class takes EVERYTHING for granted. This is how privilege works. Well, maybe the middle class is a bit worried now since it’s dwindling.
Herbert’s point is that we’ve become complacent with what we have, how we live. He’s signaling an overall decline, much as Empire of Illusion does.
We’re very vulnerable right now.
Everywhere you look, it seems like the U.S is relying on outdated systems that need to be replaced ( from our educational system- http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20070716/ai_n19370238/, to our government systems – http://en.trend.az/regions/world/usa/1618753.html, to our reliance on coal-based energy). Still, it was shocking to read about how our country is relying on a water system that dates back to the civil war. If 70% of people say they take their access to clean water for granted, I wonder then, who in the population is truly suffering from this old and dangerous system?
I think water is going to be one of the biggest issues in the next few decades, not just here but globally. Billions of people already are suffering from lack of clean water, and I fear this number with continue to rise. Check out this link: (Billions without clean water: http://newscdn.bbc.net.uk/2/hi/676064.stm ). Drought is becoming more and more of an issue as well. My work this summer was on creating drought-resistant soybeans because it has been such a problem for Brazilian agriculture.
The U.S will be affected as well. (Study warns of water problems in Southwest: http://www.usatoday.com/weather/drought/2008-07-24-climate-change-worsen-drought_N.htm ) I watched this television series called EARTH 2100, which went through the life of a girl born in January 2009 and how her life would unfold in this new era. It was based on scientific predictions but also tried to appeal to a larger audience (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_2100) Anyway, one of the big things I remember was how they discussed the “drying up” of the American southwest as reservoirs start to empty.
And even in my own town there have been serious water issues. Liam talked about in his post about drilling for natural gas. This process, called hydraulic fracturing or fracking, has become a huge controversial debate in my area, which has large amounts of shale. Everywhere you look in my town you see signs that say “No Fracking Way!”. The main concern my area has with the process is the potential of groundwater contamination. There has also been the exploitation of small farmers, many who aren’t doing so well in New York right now. In desperation really, they sell parts of their land at to low a price to drilling companies who set up loud and noxious machine systems on their land. It’s becoming a big problem and the worst part is, nothing is being done to stop it, as the EPA and other government organizations continue to debate over whether it is a “safe” process. Currently, Congress is being urged to repeal the 2005 regulatory exemption that Liam talked about under the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The FRAC Act, introduced in June 2009, would also eliminate the exemption and require the disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing.
I think this all represents a larger problem in the way our country goes about solving problems. Instead of looking at a system that is dilapidated and harmful and trying to replace it, we instead try to “patch up” that old system or look for an easy solution. Even though drilling the shale in New York State would provide a large amount of energy, it is still an example of us turning to another unsustainable form of energy, with the harmful potential of groundwater contamination (as well as the “potential mishandling of waste, potential risks to air quality, and the unintended migration of gases and hydraulic fracturing chemicals to the surface within a given radius of drilling operations”- see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_fracturing ). What may look like easy situations now will always end up costing us.
Water is definitely a resource I have taken for granted for a large portion of my life. The big debate in western Massachusetts water politics is whether or not it should have fluoride in it. While I have not been directly affect by this weak part of our infrastructure, trusting the technology set in place by our great-grandparents doesn’t seem like a great idea. While we could use this issue as one to aid in our development and infrastructure, while bolstering our economy it seems that the short term logic being used in modern day politics will not put this into place. This summer I watch the HBO documentary Gas Land which is about the effect that drilling for natural gas has had on our country’s water supply in the areas where drilling occurs, and its potential effects in the north east. There were reports and footage of people being able to light their tap water on fire, and increased health risks of cancer and lesions in the brain, after gas companies had moved in a begun the Hydraulic Fracturing process. Much like the belief that global warming is a hoax it is more profitable for these companies to replace affected peoples water supplies with tanks, which they have to drive miles to fill in big inefficient trucks using more fossil fuels, than to find another way to produce the needed energy or attempt to drill for natural gas in a safe manor. Just as we have found in throughout the semester in this class those that are being most affected by this are from poor rural areas, and when they have gone to get something done about it they find that they have no political power. And to make it worse the Energy Policy Act of 2005 has exempt natural gas companies from operating within the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water act. A real danger in all of this is the drilling that gas companies want to do in the watershed that provides water for NYC, if it were to go wrong like so many have before it I can only imagine the massive changes in infrastructure that would cost millions of tax payer dollars. Water is essential to human existence, so access to clean water is vital.
The condition of water infrastructure in this country is truly astounding. Just like other problems in American society, instead of trying to solve the problem, we just try to patch them up. Brita, and other water-filtration companies are making a killing by providing Americans with clean water (a service that they are already paying the water companies for). With the increase in awareness about healthy food, healthy water must be taken into account as well. We use our tap water for cooking our food and therefore are consuming large amounts of potentially dangerous water.
Last summer, while I was staying in Gloucester, MA with my grandparents, there was an emergency boil water order. The city had found that there was bacteria in the water and told residents to boil water for one minute before drinking. This order lasted for a month. It is possible that the bacteria had been in the water for a long time before the issue was ordered, but there is no way to tell. Heres the link to the article: http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/08/boilwater_order.html
Another example of this water pollution is the movie, A Civil Action, a movie documenting the case of 20 people from the same area of town, dying of a rare cancer induced by local water pollution. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHRXGQhpib8&feature=related
A new, clean water system would not only create jobs for the american public, but also keep people healthier. But because of the incompetence of our government, it is unlikely that any large changes are coming.