Pennsylvania Calls for More Water Tests

In an article addressing both the role of policy makers in public health and the vital importance of water safety, the New York Times addressed a new push from environmental regulators in Pennsylvania to examine the state's rivers. These regulators fear that the increase of natural gas drilling in the area has caused an increase in radioactive materials in rivers there.

According to Michael Krancer, who is the secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, that state has been trying to both monitor the safety of the water supply and not interfere with the success of the natural gas industry.

In conjunction with this department, the state of Pennsylvania sent a letter to water treatment centers through the state (25 known) urging them to increase their levels of treatment. This happened after an earlier article in the times that revealed the large amount of radioactive waste being discharged from sewage treatment facilities in Pennsylvania. These facilities were not designed to remove radioactive materials, thus leading to a very dangerous contamination of the environment and water supply.

Another issue here is that many of the water treatment plants were taking the heavier biosolids (which can include radioactive elements) that settled out of the treated solutions and were selling them as commercial fertilizers. An official from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said that they were looking into having the plants revise this policy, though they described it as a "guideline" rather than a mandate.

To me, this seems like a waste of the power that comes with the department. In some instances, it is important to utilize "nudges" in promoting health, but in an instance of such potential danger to the public (which they also have no control over, or probably knowledge of), it's a time when policy makers should step in with laws and regulations. This article also made me think about the risk associated with living in developed counties where we take things like safe water for granted. There still need to be policies and regulations implemented to ensure that the water supply remains safe, despite increased natural gas drilling, etc.