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Show To sum up, pollution abatement measures should be considered an integral part of any water resources development planned as a com- prehensive water resources program and these measures should be coordinated with the mul- tiple-use principle as a whole. Plain common sense, as well as cost in dollars and cents, makes this essential. Cost of Pollution Even from the economic standpoint, the effect of pollution on public health should be accepted as the most important consideration. Aside from the cost of medical care, lost man-hours of work, and loss of lives resulting from epidemics caused either by polluted streams, lakes, or bays, or from mosquito-breeding bodies of water, there are other major social and human costs that are real costs even though intangible and largely impond- erable. The direct and indirect costs of a single epidemic from contaminated water are so ex- tensive, and its secondary effects and reactions are so ramified, that no attempt has ever been made to assess them in money. Estimates of the additional cost of providing a pure metropolitan water supply and maintain- ing navigation are also impressive. For example, in the Washington, D. C, metropolitan area be- tween $300,000 and $400,000 could be saved annually by reasonable abatement practices. This saving would be derived from lower capital and operating costs in water purification, in the removal of sediment by dredging, and mainte- nance costs of shore installations and navigation facilities. In many parts of the country the rivers and streams furnish the finest natural recreation grounds available for hundreds of miles. Swim- ming, boating, sports fishing, camp, and resort locations are adversely affected or eliminated by pollution. These natural recreation grounds not only give people living nearby the chance to enjoy a pleas- ant evening or perhaps a Saturday or Sunday in beneficial relaxation, while their children have fun in natural and healthful surroundings, but they have considerable economic importance. They are closely associated with the vacation- travel business. Water pollution may result in complete suspension of this industry along the affected areas, with heavy financial losses to the community, and to those people engaged in cater- ing to tourists. If these are multiplied to arrive at an estimate of damage from pollution in the Nation's large river valleys, the amount would be staggering. Combined with other damages it can safely be placed in the tens of millions, going a long way in balancing the estimated cost of cleansing the country's waterways at present prices. Obstacles to Progress From what has been said, it! follows that development of our water resources requires a close consideration of pollution and pollution abatement possibilities from every angle-eco- nomic, social, physical. The geographic river basin offers the most natural area for such co- ordinated attack. The facts on pollution in each of the river basins under development must be determined beforehand. No river, lake, or bay can be ef- fectively cleared of pollution without knowledge of when, where, and how the pollution occurs, and how much there is. The Public Health Serv- ice, in cooperation with State, health, and other anti-pollution groups, is surveying pollution con- ditions throughout the country, river basin by river basin, to determine: (1) the sources and amounts of pollution, (2) the desirable stream uses, (3) water quality requirements, and (4) the needed corrective actions. This analysis of national conditions, river ba- sin by river basin, will not only produce the information necessary if we are properly to in- clude pollution abatement in other water re- source developments, but at the same time provide a needed reference in measuring the progress of abatement. It will also form a frame- work for additional data now badly needed. The present lack of such detailed data should not, however, postpone remedial action. Con- 191 |
