Our Toxic Watershed!The watershed of your drinking water is the journey that will most be travelled across land, through cultivated areas, washing through tree top leaves, driveways, causeways, chicken pens and you name it. The journey may be clean or it may be a toxic journey.
It is the goal of all regional water boards to own or at least to have lease on all watershed areas that lead to our drinking water resevoirs. But the goal is far from being ideal and as far as american water is concerned probably never will be a reality. The Los Angeles River watershed has diverse patterns of land use. Forest or open space covers the upper half of the water shed, while the remaining water shed is highly urbanized with commercial, industrial, or residential uses. There are 22 lakes within its boundaries. In addition, there are a number of spreading grounds in the watershed including sites at Dominguez Gap, the Headworks, Hansen Dam, Lopez Dam, and Pacoima Dam. The Los Angeles River is hydraulically connected to the San Gabriel River through the Rio Hondo, although this occurs primarily during large storm events. The LA River is mostly no more than a concrete channel travelling though the suburbs and across town collecting and washing rubbish and the like down stream as it flows. It is dependant on a good heavy storm to flush it clean once in a while. Although this tail end of the storm water is not part of the drinking water shed, it is pretty scary as to the toxicity of this once natural water way. The New York water shed boast the provision of a highly clean source for the drinking water of New Yorkers. Located well North of the city and with very strict water restrictions, but still with not total control of land ownership or lease of the watershed area, the trust of the land holders of this watershed area and the ability of the New York Water forces to police this area is what we depend upon for clean safe drinking water. Our water treatment facility's ability to remove toxic chemicals such as lead, mercury, arsenic and other toxins is minimal, and in some geographical areas, non-existent. Even the pipes through which clean water must travel may itself be the source of toxins. And on top of the attempt to filter or purify our drinking water, we have the addition of chemicals like chlorine and florine in an attempt to enhance or disinfect our water but in actual fact are increasing the toxic and carsenogenic potential of what we take for granted and use so much is all of our day to day lives. Carsenogenic means cancer causing. This is no joke and with the statistics of cancer on the increase for more than a century and also with cancers and leukemia strains of such a vast range, the true source of poisening that is tipping the immune system over the edge and turning a healthy body into a cancer cell producing machine does have a source. That is diet and at the basis of our diet is our drinking water. The safe guard and continual improvement of our water shed no matter what region you are in has to be addressed and will have to be so for generation after generation into the future for the eternity of man on this planet. Along with watershed management and far from being able to trust the watershed and policing of the water that flows from our taps, we must secure the health and safety of ourselves and the ones we love with good quality water filtration. Support you local water board and know that the rates you pay do go into ensuring that our water shed is kept clean and free from toxins, fertilizers, heavy metals and the like. Until then, ensure that you pretect your family with a high quality water filter and take the second vital step of restructuring your water ensuring that all the essential minerals and trace elements are part of the water you drink. I call this The ultimate Drinking Water! You can call it what you like.
Warmly, Mike King
This is what I do: rope access
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