A third of all Americans visit coastal areas each year. Farmers understand the importance of water, especially in the drought conditions many faced last year and are facing again this year. On the other extreme, farmers in North Carolina were confronted with severe Hurricane Floyd floods last year that overran manure lagoons on hundreds of North Carolina hog farms. The commercial fishing and shellfishing industries need clean wetlands and coastal waters to stay in business. Every year, the Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico, and coastal areas produce more than 10 billion pounds of fish and shellfish.
Manufacturers use about nine trillion gallons of fresh water every year.
We all pay when it is polluted. Contamination of drinking water sources means higher health risks and increased treatment costs. Closed beaches and contaminated rivers mean lost revenue for local businesses that serve tourists, anglers, and recreationists. Swimmers at polluted beaches and lakes face possible threats from viruses and bacteria. In 1998, about one-third of the 1,062 beaches reporting to the EPA had at least one health advisory or closing.