Putting Drinking Water First: Protect ALL of our Water

By Lynn Thorp, National Campaigns Director I wonder how long we are going to have to find new ways of saying “all means all” and of proving that protecting our drinking water is a no-brainer.  Clean Water Action has worked tirelessly for over ten years to close gaps in Clean Water Act protection which have left the drinking water sources for over 117 million people in our country vulnerable to pollution and destruction.   The Clean Water Act is meant to protect ALL of our water, and we know that our drinking water sources are especially precious. We are seeing movement on this problem. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a review of the science on this subject and they have sent a draft policy to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget for review.  They’ve also improved the interactive maps which demonstrate how many streams are connected to drinking water sources.  You might be surprised to find out that your drinking water source does not have the protection you think it does.  You can learn more about the science that is the foundation for protecting ALL of our water here.  Please also take a moment to comment to EPA’s Science Advisory Board about your thoughts on this as they review this scientific report. You can check out the maps which show the extent of the problem here, and read yesterday’s blog post from Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Nancy Stoner. Streams and wetland are vital parts of our nation’s water infrastructure.  Let’s put drinking water first and start protecting them again.