Measuring Water Quality

Realizing the need for continuing measures of water quality management through state, interstate, and other agencies, the U. S. Public Health Service in 1967 established a "National Water Quality Network." By 1962 more than a third of the planned 300 sampling stations were in operation. Detailed analysis of samples is helpful in determining long-range water quality trends, in selecting sites for water use, and in developing comprehensive water resource programs. Another indicator of water pollution introduced by the U. S. Public Health Service is its annual "fish-kill" count, running into the millions (7.8 million in 1963). The U.S. Public Health Service has also undertaken a Pesticide Control Project to determine the presence of herbicides and insecticides in surface streams and ground waters so that their damage, if any, can be accurately assayed.

Water pollution control programs are now being developed for at least eight major river basins: Hudson, Arkansas-Red, Colorado, Columbia, Great-Lakes-Illinois, Delaware, Chesapeake Bay, and Southeastern. As the nation grows, more and more developments in making pure water available will have to be undertaken. Industry will have to become more conscious of its responsibilities for water control and seek to provide clean, fresh water for economic as well as public health reasons. Water is now big business.

AIR POLLUTION

To sustain his life man needs on the average 4^1/2 pounds of water, 2 to 3 pounds of food, and 30 pounds of air day in day out. He has some choice of food and drink, but he must breathe whatever air is available to him; and in cities, this may well be partially polluted or unclean. The occurrence over the years of several clear-cut air pollution disasters, with outbreaks of sickness and death associated with air pollution, has indicated that this problem, growing in importance, must be faced.

Possibly the first recorded air pollution disaster occurred in the Meuse Valley of Belgium, in 1930, where many people died. In the United States an air pollution tragedy occured at Donora, Pennsylvania, in October 1948. Industrial waste so befouled the atmosphere that day was like night; 5000 people fell ill; 17 died. London, England, has reported at least two occasions, December 1952 and December 1962, when it was so blanketed by grime and soot that thousands of "extra deaths" occurred and had to be charged to the occasion.

Far more common than the disasters are the annoyances brought to many cities by their air pollution and smog problems. The city of Los Angeles has suffered from an annoying smog problem for a number of years. One factor in the problem arises from its location, because the mountains east of the coastal plains keep banks of air piled up over the city and county. Under these collect man-made pollutants from a populous and industrialized city. The Air Pollution Control District of Los Angeles estimates that gasoline-drive vehicles in the county pollute the air daily with 1180 tons of hydrocarbons, 300 tons of nitrogen oxides, and 8950 tons of carbon monoxide. Factories, refineries, and even backyard incinerators contribute to the smoky air pollution.

Speaking at the American Medical Association Congress on Environmental Health in May 1964, S. Smith Griswold (Los Angeles County Air Pollution Control Officer) said of the situation there

We have a basic understanding of what is polluting our atmosphere. Potentially we have the ability to assure an acceptable standard of air quality. Ignorance and apathy are the real limitations upon the control of air pollution. A community endures air pollution because it lacks leadership and the will to act."

Some of the contaminants in fresh air approximately 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen can be visualized as soot, dust, and smoke. There are, however, other contaminants that do not make themselves visible or even smell able. Some of these are the combustion products of gasoline; they intermingle in the atmosphere and in the presence of sunlight may form unknown aerosols. This complex chemical mixture, sometimes called synthetic or photochemical smog, seems to pose some menace to health.