Clean Water In the News

AUSTIN (KXAN) - About 13 million pounds of toxic chemicals were discharged into Texas waterways in 2007.

Nearly half of the rivers and lakes in Texas are considered too polluted for swimming and fishing. Also, 1,900 waterways were impacted across the country, according to a report released by Environment Texas .

Below is a map of the waterways greatly affected by pollution in Texas:

Environment Texas compiles information from the Environmental Protection Agency’s database on toxic release inventories.

They found more than 27,000 pounds of cancer-causing chemicals were dumped into the Brazos River by industrial facilities. That makes it the thirteenth most polluted river with cancer-causing chemicals in the nation. It is ranked fourth most polluted with chemicals linked to reproductive disorders. The Brazos River runs through Waco, College Station and Richmond, Texas.

"It's very disturbing that 37 years after the Clean Water Act was passed that polluters continue to use our waterways as their personal dumping grounds for chemicals,” said Environment Texas director, Luke Metzger. “So we need to be enforcing the law and restricting the pollution going into these places."

More than 3,000 pounds of toxins went into the Colorado River, mainly along the Gulf Coast. Metzger said even in Central Texas the Colorado River is impacted.

In Central Texas, the Guadalupe River is popular for tubing and fishing. More than 150,000 pounds of chemicals were dumped in it.

"A lot of Texans rely on our rivers, lakes and streams for recreation and also to fish," said Metzger. "If we don't address this pollution issue, we'll continue to see serious problems with human health."

Environment Texas wants the Clean Water Act expanded to include smaller waterways. They are also calling upon the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for tougher enforcement of the law in Central Texas.