國家地理:拉響關(guān)于水質(zhì)的警報(bào)(6)
New York already is one of 10 states (along with the District of Columbia) that require universal blood tests for lead before age three. Now, newly armed with data on lead sources, the state has an opportunity to protect the 2.7 million children in public schools (including my daughter) and to become an example for other states.
紐約已經(jīng)是十個(gè)（包括哥倫比亞特區(qū)）要求在三歲前進(jìn)行大范圍血鉛檢測的大州之一。對于鉛的源頭，紐約州現(xiàn)在有了最新數(shù)據(jù)，有機(jī)會(huì)保護(hù)公立學(xué)校的270萬名兒童（包括我的女兒），并成為其他州的典范。
Lead makes headlines, but it's not the half of it. The more we look for pollution, the more we'll find, and the list of contaminants is long: Coliform bacteria near dairy farms in Wisconsin. Nitrates from fertilizers in Iowa's rivers. Lead, mercury, and uranium in fracking fluid in places like Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and North Dakota. Toxic chemicals such as those in Teflon that are so ubiquitous they're found in the blood of 98 percent of people in the United States and nearly every country in the world.
雖然鉛污染成了頭條新聞，但那也只是冰山一角而已。我們越深入探查水污染，發(fā)現(xiàn)的問題就越多，甚至能把污染物列成一長串：威斯康星州乳牛牧場附近的大腸桿菌；愛荷華州河流中的肥料釋出的硝酸鹽；在俄亥俄州、俄克拉荷馬州、賓州和北達(dá)科他州等地水力壓裂法的水中，含有鉛、汞、鈾；而有毒化學(xué)物質(zhì)如鐵氟龍是如此無所不在，以致于有98%的美國人血液中含有這類物質(zhì)，世界上幾乎所有國家也都有這問題。
The problem may feel overwhelming, but together we can solve it. We need to start with the basics, like replacing lead pipes and fixing deteriorating mains. Then we can modernize our aging water infrastructure with more filtration or treatment processes to better purify wastewater before it enters the drinking water system. We need to better regulate pollutants, strengthen protections for drinking water, and improve testing. A bonus: We can do all of these things and create good-paying new jobs in communities throughout the country.
這個(gè)問題可能令人不知所措，但我們可以攜手解決。首先從基礎(chǔ)層面做起，例如更換鉛管并修復(fù)破損的總水管。然后，我們可以透過更多的過濾或處理程序，使老舊的水利基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施現(xiàn)代化，讓廢水可以更妥善地凈化后再進(jìn)入飲用水系統(tǒng)。我們需要加強(qiáng)對污染物的規(guī)范、強(qiáng)化飲用水保護(hù)設(shè)施、完善檢測制度。附帶的好處是：我們可以完成所有這些事，同時(shí)還能在全美各地的小區(qū)創(chuàng)造待遇好的新工作。
