Garvin: Delaware is prioritizing access to safe, clean water – Bay to Bay News

Water Matters: Ensuring Clean Water for Delawareans

By Shawn M. Garvin

Shawn M. Garvin is the secretary of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

Water is everywhere, and almost everything we do comes back to it in some way. Clean water is essential to our health, to our economy, to our recreation. In short, our quality of life depends on having an ample supply of safe, clean water.

For August’s National Water Quality Month, I want to highlight some of the ways water matters in our lives and how the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control ensures clean water for Delawareans now and for years to come.

The Importance of Water

1. Water is essential to our health, economy, and recreation.
2. Clean water is crucial for our quality of life.

DNREC’s Efforts in Ensuring Clean Water

Two of the department’s eight divisions explicitly focus on water — and for many of the others, water is an important factor in their mission — but the subject goes beyond DNREC. Our agency partners with the Office of Drinking Water within the Department of Health and Social Services, which oversees tap water, while we focus on ground- and surface water. That multiagency approach is a sign of just how valuable and ubiquitous water is in our lives.

Many of us likely take ample supplies of clean water for granted, but there needs to be continuous efforts and vigilance to ensure our groundwater and surface water are clean and protected.

Protecting Groundwater and Surface Water

• Delaware relies heavily on groundwater for drinking water.
• Wastewater and land use practices impact the same aquifer that provides drinking water.
• Proper waste disposal is crucial to prevent contamination of groundwater.
• Consumers should be mindful of their water usage and get their water tested regularly.

The Role of Surface Water

Water is not only important for drinking and cooking, but it also plays a vital role in our economy and recreation. Surface water, such as rivers and bays, supports various industries and recreational activities.

• The tourism industry in Delaware generates billions of dollars for the state’s economy.
• Outdoor activities involving water are popular among visitors.
• Clean water is essential for maintaining state parks and attracting millions of visitors annually.

New Challenges: PFAS Contamination

While we have been focused on many of the same pollutants for the last generation, we now are also focused on new and emerging contaminants. With the discovery of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), known as “forever chemicals,” in the water, our challenges have become greater. These contaminants were used in myriad products like stain-resistant fabrics, cleaning products, and firefighting foam for decades before their harmful effects were fully known.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control continues to study and make investments to address this issue. Measures include implementing a response plan, providing alternate sources of drinking water for affected communities, and treating public drinking water to meet federal and state standards.

Investments in Clean Water

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is investing tens of millions of dollars, both state and federal, in clean water initiatives. These investments are directed towards historically underserved communities through Governor John Carney’s Clean Water Initiative for Underserved Communities. The recent bipartisan infrastructure law signed by President Joe Biden is also directing significant funding to underserved communities in Delaware, further supporting the initiative.

Ensuring Clean Water for Future Generations

Securing supplies of clean water for our children and grandchildren is a duty we all share. At DNREC, our focus revolves around protecting the environment to ensure we can pass it along to future generations. The work we’re doing on clean water is a testament to our commitment.

We must recognize that we are all connected to water and take care of it for the benefit of present and future generations.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater, and increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
   • Indicator 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality
   • Indicator 6.3.3: Proportion of wastewater safely treated

2. SDG 14: Life Below Water

   • Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, particularly from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.
   • Indicator 14.1.1: Index of coastal eutrophication and floating plastic debris density

3. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
   • Indicator 15.1.1: Forest area as a proportion of total land area
   • Indicator 15.1.2: Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type

Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are:

– Target 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution and increasing recycling and safe reuse.

– Target 14.1: Prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution from land-based activities.

– Target 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

– Indicator 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality.

– Indicator 6.3.3: Proportion of wastewater safely treated.

– Indicator 14.1.1: Index of coastal eutrophication and floating plastic debris density.

– Indicator 15.1.1: Forest area as a proportion of total land area.

– Indicator 15.1.2: Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: baytobaynews.com

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