In the article “Fouling Our Own Nests”, Robert Glennon claims that existing water supply is running low due to its severe contamination with extremely poisonous substances and chemicals, which expose humans to many fatal diseases. Unfortunately, humans are the creators of these chemicals and substances; therefore the pollution of one of the most important resources for survival is not a natural occurrence. Without clean water, the lives of humans are at risk, therefore exposing this crucial water pollution problem allows the population to see the consequences of their actions and strive for a safer, cleaner water supply. As a sub-claim, Glennon states how water quality is poor due to the dumping of deadly substances and chemicals like human …show more content…
All these substances have harmful secondary effects to humans and can lead to death. As a ground, Glennon states that in the Lower Colorado River, there were nitrates and fecal coliform bacteria (Escherichia coli) found, which are present in human and animal feces (Glennon 8). Escherichia coli causes around “900 deaths each year” and when children are exposed to large amounts of nitrates the “blue baby syndrome” can occur, where “oxygen levels in the blood drop to dangerously low levels” (Glennon 8). Dumping of nitrates and feces does not just contaminate water, but affect the health of the younger population. The fact that Glennon illustrates how contaminated water can cause the death of many people, including children, inspires people to take action and start a rescue plan for water. The children, along with the rest of the population, have to pay the consequences for the inconsiderate decisions of a group of people managing the disposal of substances and chemicals. As a qualifier, Glennon states how the contaminant “ammonium nitrate fertilizer revolutionized farming” and allowed crops like “corn” to grow much more efficiently, but later rebuts how it severely poisons the water …show more content…
Most families are not aware of the water quality coming from their wells. Glennon states as a ground that in a recent study of domestic wells in Tulare County, “one-third of the wells tested positive for E. coli and more than 40% had nitrate levels exceeding the national drinking standards”; let’s not forget private domestic wells supply water to “more than 45 million Americans”(Glennon 10). Glennon uses statistics and numbers to allow his audience to visualize the amount of people that are affected in a community; it is not just one or two families but 45 million people. Supposedly, the “Safe Drinking Water Act mandates that municipal water suppliers annually test their supply for an array of chemicals”, guess that is out of the picture (Glennon 10). However, Glennon makes sure people are aware of how unregulated and dangerous private domestic wells are by illustrating the result of USGS’s largest 18,000 private wells study where “Atrazine, a widely used herbicide, was detected in 24 percent of the wells and levels of MTBE, chloroform, and arsenic exceeded the standards in 11 percent of the wells, while nitrates exceeded the standards in 8 percent of the wells” (Glennon 10). The study fills the audience with discomfort, believing the water provided to their families is safe and clean, when in reality it is their daily dose of