CONCLUSION - The Ripple Effect: The Fate of Freshwater in the Twenty-First Century - page 304

ters a priority. Without action, human and environmental health will suffer, and the na-
tion will set itself back in many significant ways.
When it comes to personal responsibility for water pollution, it bears repeating that
whatever substances we pour into our drains, flush down our toilets, or spray on our
lawns end up in the water supply. According to a study by Johns Hopkins University , 75
percent of ingredients washed from homes survive wastewater treatment. These chem-
icals impact the ecosystem, including humans.
Even seemingly benign products, such as perfume or soap, contain endocrine dis-
ruptors that are suspected of causing fish intersex and death and may impact human
health in ways that are not yet understood. Antibacterial soaps are increasingly popular,
but once chemicals in them, such as triclocarban, are flushed into streams, they may act
as immunosuppressants that weaken fish's ability to ward off disease.
When the USGS fish biologist Vicki Blazer explained how emerging contaminants
are suspected of killing fish, or causing intersex, in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, a
group of seventh graders wondered how they should respond. “Ask your parents about
the products they use,” Blazer said. ” 'Do we really need antimicrobial soaps? Does it
really matter if a few dandelions sprout on our lawn?' ” We know that these chemicals
affect fish, and the human endocrine system is similar to that of fish, Blazer said. “It is
possible that these chemicals could have some of the same effects on humans as on fish.”
In 2010, the Obama administration provided the EPA with its largest budget in his-
tory, $10.5 billion a year, a 34 percent increase over 2009, but it remains an open ques-
tion whether the agency will be able to shoulder its growing regulatory burden. While
EPA administrator Lisa Jackson appears to be doing the best she can at a time of divis-
ive politics and economic recession, she has been only partly successful in standing up
to powerful industrial lobbies, and needs to build greater public support for the envir-
onmental battles ahead.
Bold action is called for to protect water quality. To gain the public's trust and back-
ing, government leaders must do a much better job at educating taxpayers about why
water is important, which problems need fixing, and why they should be willing to pay
for them. As the water managers of Orange County, California, showed when they con-
vinced the public of the benefits of toilet-to-tap sewage recycling, the success of new
initiatives hinges on making a strong case to the citizens who will be asked to pay higher
water rates and back public bonds to underwrite river cleanups, treatment plants, and
other pollution controls.
The same could be said of government efforts elsewhere. India and China, which to-
gether comprise 40 percent of the world's population, have seen a spike in water pollu-
tion as they scramble for economic growth, but neither government has made meaning-
ful investments in pollution controls. The Asian Development Bank predicts the region