In the 1950's the problem that surfaced in the water was synthetic detergent.
This product was used in households to wash laundry.
The promise of a brighter cleaner wash made these detergents an instant success.
The detergent replaced common biodegradable soap in households and in industrial applications.
However, when the foam from these detergents affected our water supply, the government realized that detergents were dangerous to our environment.
These new detergents that promised a whiter wash were non-biodegradable.
Bacteria could not change them into a simple substance that could be integrated into nature.
The public was alarmed when masses of foam appeared on the surface of the water and in groundwater.
Streams and lakes became billowy towers of foam.
The drinking water in communities was foamy.
Something had to be done.
In 1960, Researchers and chemist provided a formula to detergent manufacturers that made detergents less foamy.
The solution to less foamy detergents worked great but created another more ominous problem.
The new improved detergentscontained phosphates.
Phosphates stimulate the growth of plants.
Algae, green plants and other vegetation in rivers and lakes grew large and reduced the amount of oxygen available for growth.
Lack of oxygen killed the plants and also the fish.
Wildlife began to die.
Thenchemical manufacturers introducedweed killers and pesticides into the environment with the promise of helping agriculture.
These productspoisonedfish, birds and in some cases, man.
In 1956the first official case of mercury-affected "disease" was documented in a small village in Japan.
This disease is now referred to as the Minamata disease.
Large amounts of mercury were found in the waters ofthe United States, Canada and other locals.
Mercury, a powerful toxin, accumulates in fish and poses the greatest risk of nerve and brain damage to pregnant women and children.
The problem of water pollution is a worldwide concern.
Unfortunately as civilization progresses, the problem with pollution also increases.
As the population and the number of industries grow, so does the rate of pollution.
The regulations for storm water run off are the result of the 1972 Clean Water Act andthe 1987 Water Quality Act.
To guarantee the integrity of our water system the EPA developed a federal program under the Clean Water Act to regulate storm water discharge from industrial facilities, construction sites and municipal sewer systems.
The Clean Water Act is the foundation for state and municipal storm water management programs and guides the permitting process and water quality standards within each state..
These evolving regulations make it difficult for industries as well as environmental specialist to stay abreast of the changes that occur at the municipal level.
Environmental professionals are required to deal with many aspects of pollution control.
It is the changes at the municipal level that are more likely to adjust to meet specific problem within a geographical area than any changes at the national level.
It is because of these constant changes that businesses face complex storm water compliance issues.
The statues on the municipal level might impose standards and schedules for industrial and municipal storm water that are geographically specific.
However the national standard is consistent and is known as the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
The permitting program controls pollutants discharged into surface water such as lakes, ponds, streams and even the ocean.
The reality is that it is residential discharge of non-point pollution that is the greatest threat to our water.