Agenda - 06-01-1987 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

c�,�i� O�:?y; CITY OF DURHAM tee ' NORTH CAROLINA ;18 69i pU'OQQ OFFICE OF MAYOR E.J. EVANS set forth hereinbefore. Further, there had been little or no industrial or com- mercial development on the watersheds of these Rivers; the State and local drives to locate new industry in North Carolina has already caused at least one new industry to locate on the Eno River, with the possibility of appreciable future development. While these changes in the status of local water resources are quite simple and obvious, a much more subtle and dangerous threat to these, and all water supply resources has arisen. The most important reason for the protection of the Eno and Little Rivers by reclassifying them "A-II" waters is the insidious change in the nature of the substances that are polluting our waters today. Formerly, we were principally concerned with pollution caused by domestic wastes, and by the discharge of industrial and commercial wastes, which, although a threat to the public health and a nuisance, were relatively simple wastes which could either be assimilated by the receiving streams or rendered inoffensive by proper treatment. World War II triggered a "crash" program of industrial development in all of the major nations participating, and as a result, tens of thousands of new chemicals, processes and products were created and thrust into our daily lives. This explosive development in technology in turn loosened a Pandora's Box of new and unknown wastes into our air and into our waters . First, under the pressure of wartime economy, and later because of greed for profit at any cost, a host of new wastes were discharged into our rivers with little or no knowledge concerning their immediate or long range effect on the receiving streams. There seems little doubt that this trend will continue, increasing the threat to our future water supply sources. There is grave risk in permitting new or additional-process wastes to be discharged into future reservoir sites; we cannot foresee the effect of such wastes saturating the soil or laying down deposits. The enormous increase in the use of radioisotopes which eventually find their way into our watercourses should in itself be sufficient reason to prohibit pollution of future reservoir sites. There are other objections to any policy of interim pollution pending devel- opment of a source of water supply, which the City feels should be considered by the Committee. Should an owner or lessee be permitted to discharge any wastes into a stream intended for future water supply which would not be permitted if the stream were actually being used for this purpose, it would be difficult and time consuming to prevent the continued discharge of such wastes when the stream were needed for water supply purposes. Claims of prior usage and hardship, -5-