Although I would like to start my speech with something more pleasant or encouraging, I am here to discuss one of the most critical public policy concerns our country faces today. Water pollution is getting out of control, and this problem affects people’s lives in both noticeable and unnoticeable ways. Statistics state that “more than 700,000 miles of waterways, about 51 percent of assessed river and stream miles, are impaired by pollution,” and this is “in addition to another 55 percent of lake acres” (Ali, 2022, para. 2). One of the least impactful effects of this issue is that many streams and rivers are forbidden for swimming because of not meeting quality standards (Landrigan et al., 2020). However, one of the worst consequences communities face is that drinking water of poor quality causes skin diseases, cancer, malnutrition, diarrhea, ad other dangerous conditions (Lin et al., 2022). These facts probably sound effective and strong enough to justify the need for successful interventions.
Overall, well-developed public policy solutions may help the United States combat the identified issue. For example, the Clean Water Act “is the principle law governing pollution control and water quality of the Nation’s waterways” (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, n.d., para. 1). Noticeably, many people critique this act, mainly because it fails in its implementation stage and does not achieve many long-term objectives (Moore, 2022). It is essential to value this opinion because it helps the act’s sponsors and developers spot possible weaknesses and make the program more efficient. Generally, the Clean Water Act is good at raising public concern and participation (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, n.d.). Particularly, it encourages communities to oppose those facilities that pollute waters.
It is hard to disagree that such a promotion should indeed be the basis of an act that seeks to improve people’s lives and reduce water pollution. According to Ali (2022), those individuals who care about their health and the health and safety of their loved ones should take an active role in assisting authorities in their fight against dishonest and unscrupulous facilities. In the greatest American speeches of the past, it is stated that unity, involvement, and common efforts are the strongest power (NCC Staff, 2017). Therefore, if indifference grows, it is unlikely that our children will live in a pleasant and friendly environment or have access to high-quality and safe water.
Many of us may agree that there is an extremely successful policy that currently helps keep our drinking water clean and make sure that what we buy in bottles meets quality standards. Passed in 1974, the Safe Drinking Water Act protects public health, and research shows that its implementation is quite effective (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2015). Thus, many sources of water, such as reservoirs, lakes, rivers, springs, and others, are included in the act’s protection program. Many actions of the SDWA focus on both “naturally-occurring and man-made contaminants that may be found in drinking water” (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2015, p. 1). As a result, now Americans can enjoy the safest drinking water in all areas of the country, meaning that the act works greatly, and even more citizen involvement may enhance its positive effects (Weinmeyer et al., 2017). To conclude, I would like to encourage you to be more active in helping our government fight water pollution.
References
Ali, S. (2022). About half of US water ‘too polluted’ for swimming, fishing or drinking, report finds. Changing America. Web.
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. (n.d.). Clean water act (CWA). BOEM. Web.
Landrigan, P. J., Stegeman, J. J., Fleming, L. E., Allemand, D., Anderson, D. M., Backer, L. C., Brucker-Davis, F., Chevalier, N., Corra, L., Czerucka, D., Bottein, M. D., Demeneix, B., Depledge, M., Deheyn, D. D., Dorman, C. J., Fénichel, P., Fisher, S., Gaill, F., Galgani, F., … Rampal, P. (2020). Human health and ocean pollution. Annals of Global Health, 86(1). Web.
Lin, L., Yang, H., & Xu, X. (2022). Effects of water pollution on human health and disease heterogeneity: A review. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 975. Web.
Moore, J. (2022). The clean water act’s midlife crisis. Center for Progressive Reform. Web.
NCC Staff. (2017). Looking at 10 great speeches in American History. National Constitution Center. Web.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2015). Understanding the safe drinking water act [PDF document]. Web.
Weinmeyer, R., Norling, A., Kawarski, M., & Higgins, E. (2017). The safe drinking water act of 1974 and its role in providing access to safe drinking water in the United States. AMA Journal of Ethics. Web.