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It’s time to get serious about water quality
Julie Kraft
Oct. 23, 2022 7:00 am
Fifty years ago this past week, Congress passed the Clean Water Act — landmark legislation that would help clean up America’s waterways and protect them for future generations. The Clean Water Act’s goal was to make all waters of the U.S. fishable and swimmable by 1983 and eliminate water pollution entirely by 1985.
Clearly those were ambitious goals.
The Clean Water Act drove substantial improvement in water quality across the country, primarily by driving investment in wastewater treatment and introducing limits on discharges from polluting industries. However, it is evident that the Clean Water Act has failed to protect U.S. waters from other kinds of pollution — most notably fertilizer and bacteria pollution from agricultural production and other “non-point” sources of pollution.
Here in Iowa, we need more support to prevent water pollution, protect sources of drinking water, and increase opportunities for swimming and fishing. Supporting water quality restoration organizations like Wings2Water helps, as would implementing the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund.
Iowa voters created the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund in 2010. More than 63 percent of Iowans voted for a constitutional amendment to create the Trust Fund, establishing a permanent source of funding for clean water, outdoor recreation, and wildlife habitat. However, the Trust Fund requires a three-eights-cent increase in the state sales tax to receive funding. The Trust Fund has remained empty for a decade because the state legislature has not taken action to increase the sales tax.
Now is the perfect time to continue the legacy of the Clean Water Act. Another election is right around the corner on Nov. 8. Ask your state legislative candidates to support funding the trust. Tell them it’s important to you to provide safe, clean water for future generations of Iowans.
And get to know organizations like Wings2Water, which are working with others to restore water quality in our state, so we all can enjoy clean lakes, rivers, and streams in the near future. Wings2Water relies on corporate donations and crowdfunding at The Eastern Iowa Airport to support education and water quality restoration projects. Airport patrons are asked to “round up” their airport purchases with proceeds going to projects that help reduce water pollution and flood impacts. A little bit of your pocket change — combined with others’ change — can make a big difference in projects dedicated to cleaner water.
As outdoor water recreation opportunities increase in Iowa, now is the time to get serious about water quality in our state and do all we can to clean our waterways. Let’s not wait for another 50 years to pass.
Julie Kraft is director of organizational development for Wings2Water.org
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