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The health of Lake Whatcom, which resides in the city of Bellingham in Whatcom County, is declining. Lake Whatcom is the drinking water supply for about 100,000 residents of Whatcom County. That is about half the county's population. It provides drinking water for the City of Bellingham, the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District, several smaller water districts and associations, and a few hundred homes that draw water directly from the lake. Therefore its declination of health is impacting its quality as a drinking water resource.
Various pollutants entering the body of water are causing its health to decline, such as: phosphorus, bacteria, Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS), high concentrations of heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and pesticides. Now all these entering within the lake effect not only its quality as a drinking water resource, but also the living forms it habitats. It is important to realize that it is not only harming those who inhabit the water, but its surroundings which include the citizens of Whatcom County. The 100,000 residents could be harmed, especially since this is the source of their drinking water. Their drinking water is being exposed and harmed by chemicals that can very well harm them. The wildlife and fish are being exposed and harmed as well. Lake Whatcom is not so safe anymore. Click the links below to learn more about what is harming them and how!
Various pollutants entering the body of water are causing its health to decline, such as: phosphorus, bacteria, Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS), high concentrations of heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and pesticides. Now all these entering within the lake effect not only its quality as a drinking water resource, but also the living forms it habitats. It is important to realize that it is not only harming those who inhabit the water, but its surroundings which include the citizens of Whatcom County. The 100,000 residents could be harmed, especially since this is the source of their drinking water. Their drinking water is being exposed and harmed by chemicals that can very well harm them. The wildlife and fish are being exposed and harmed as well. Lake Whatcom is not so safe anymore. Click the links below to learn more about what is harming them and how!
Even if you are not a Whatcom County resident, this doesn’t mean you’re in the clear! Do you know where you get your drinking water from? Do you know if it is safe? What if similar circumstances are happening to your drinking water source? The thing is you never know so it is important to be aware of your surrounding environment! Living in the United States, we all believe we have the privilege of having safe and good quality drinking water. We especially never worry for we know water is all around us, so we don’t worry about losing our privilege to accessing the source. This causes us to be careless for we take what we have for granted and do not take care of it. Part of the reasons pollutants enter lakes, streams, oceans, and other water sources is because of us. So we need to start being aware of what’s happening around us, especially since it affects us and the environment. Everyone needs to be aware of how they take care of the environment and the resources it has to offer, for it all benefits us and our health. We cannot just take it all for granted and believe it is going to last forever, because it only will if we take care of it.
To learn more about Lake Whatcom and its role as a drinking water source and its various pollutants check out this link!
www.cob.org/services/environment/lake-whatcom
To learn more about Lake Whatcom and its role as a drinking water source and its various pollutants check out this link!
www.cob.org/services/environment/lake-whatcom