While the issue with water access and contamination is something that can be viewed from a global perspective, it can also be seen as an issue that is of the same utmost importance in the United States. The United States have fallen victim to many cases of water shortages and contaminations. These problems affect people in the U.S. who don’t have clean and/or affordable access to water.
Recent events have showed people that even the most richest and powerful countries can fall victim to nature’s problems. California, the 3rd most largest state and the most populous U.S. state, is currently going through a major drought. California is going through a exceptional drought, which is the highest category that a drought can get, and is the worst drought that has been recorded in California history. This problem doesn’t just affect those living in California, but everyone across the United States. The drought is a major problem when it comes to our food and crops because California is home to 70% of America’s vegetables and other foods and resources. In the process farms and factory use up to 85% of California’s water. Many people wonder how California can be going through a drought when more than half of the state is right next to the Pacific Ocean. Lack of rainfall is seen as one of the causes of the drought.
Other water problems that affect the U.S. is the negotiations that happen between beverage companies and places with access to water. The company Nestlé, is responsible for owning land in Colorado where they have access to extract 650 Million gallons of water from the Arkansas River to be taken away to a factory in Denver where it is later sold in the western U.S. Nestlé owns many brands of water. This is a problem because US consumers purchase about 28 Million of bottles every year, but they only recycle about 23% of them. The bottles that aren’t recycled are left on the streets, landfills, oceans, and release toxins into the earth.
Some people living in the U.S. have even gotten cancer due to dangerous pollutants and chemicals found in the water. Chemicals that cause cancer are known as carcinogens. Some carcinogens that are found in water are benzene, chlorine, fluoride, arsenic, and lead. These hazardous chemicals can end up in people’s water supply due to factories releasing dangerous toxins into the air and then those toxins come back down to the rivers and streams through rain.
The issue with water access and contamination is something that can be caused from both nature and man. It can be caused of lack of rain and dry hot weather, or the greed of humans with no respect to the environment. But one thing that is for certain, is that this problem affects the people in the U.S. who need water to make a living and to survive.
Recent events have showed people that even the most richest and powerful countries can fall victim to nature’s problems. California, the 3rd most largest state and the most populous U.S. state, is currently going through a major drought. California is going through a exceptional drought, which is the highest category that a drought can get, and is the worst drought that has been recorded in California history. This problem doesn’t just affect those living in California, but everyone across the United States. The drought is a major problem when it comes to our food and crops because California is home to 70% of America’s vegetables and other foods and resources. In the process farms and factory use up to 85% of California’s water. Many people wonder how California can be going through a drought when more than half of the state is right next to the Pacific Ocean. Lack of rainfall is seen as one of the causes of the drought.
Other water problems that affect the U.S. is the negotiations that happen between beverage companies and places with access to water. The company Nestlé, is responsible for owning land in Colorado where they have access to extract 650 Million gallons of water from the Arkansas River to be taken away to a factory in Denver where it is later sold in the western U.S. Nestlé owns many brands of water. This is a problem because US consumers purchase about 28 Million of bottles every year, but they only recycle about 23% of them. The bottles that aren’t recycled are left on the streets, landfills, oceans, and release toxins into the earth.
Some people living in the U.S. have even gotten cancer due to dangerous pollutants and chemicals found in the water. Chemicals that cause cancer are known as carcinogens. Some carcinogens that are found in water are benzene, chlorine, fluoride, arsenic, and lead. These hazardous chemicals can end up in people’s water supply due to factories releasing dangerous toxins into the air and then those toxins come back down to the rivers and streams through rain.
The issue with water access and contamination is something that can be caused from both nature and man. It can be caused of lack of rain and dry hot weather, or the greed of humans with no respect to the environment. But one thing that is for certain, is that this problem affects the people in the U.S. who need water to make a living and to survive.