What is Water Pollution?

 There are many different reasons that water could display a surface film.

They range form petroleum contamination from gasoline or oil. It could be caused by other automotive or mechanical fluids like brake fluid, windshield wiper fluid, transmission fluid, leaks from batteries. It could be caused by seeping sewage or gasses that are rising out of the soil at that point near or under the water. It has become popular among government agencies at the County and State level to encourage citizens to perform a 'rock test' to determine what sort of contamination is there. The rock test, simply, is to drop a rock into the area exhibiting the sheen or discoloration. The idea is that if after the rock is dropped through the film the material immediately joins back together again then it is likely petroleum. If, however, it beaks apart and does not readily rejoin then it may be 'biological'.

The agencies encouraging the rock test as proof of contamination then make a dangerous and erroneous assertion. On three separate websites, one operated by the State of Michigan, one by the State of Pennsylvania and one by the State of Minnesota, citizens are told not to be concerned if the film does not join back together immediately after the rock test. Citizens are informed that because the film did not rejoin then it was likely caused by bacteria. Case closed. The problem with that is that the two types of bacteria that can cause the film are themselves often indicators of pollution or contamination. The two bacteria often mentioned are those that eat sulfur and those that eat iron. The bacteria can release hydrogen sulfide which can cause the taint on the water. One of the state sponsored websites states that it is the actual bacteria holding on to the surface of the water that cause the sheen to appear.

As a citizen that sort of unspecific and contradictory science is a concern to me. So what are the problems that this material can indicate? In a swamp it may indicate a lot of rotting vegetation or some sort of gas seep. In a ditch by the side of the road or near a manufacturing facility or your home it could indicate that heavy amounts of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides or fertilizers have been applied. If it is near any wells then the presence of the iron bacteria would indicate that they have been brought up out of the earth by the well operation. If there is a landfill nearby it could be that hydrogen sulfide gas or liquids are migrating through the soils or through stormwater drains. If there is a manufacturing facility nearby it could indicate other problems. If there is an injection well nearby that could be a source. If there is a landfill gas pipeline, whether or not it is in operation, that could be a source. The waste disposal practices of industry have been primitive for the past 150 years. If you see a sheen in water near your area it is a good idea to find out what it is and where it came from. At the very least you will be aware of the wonderful natural processes going on around you. On the other hand you may have found a problem in your local environment - whether it is on the farm, in town, in a city, your own neighborhood or right next door. You have a right to know what is going on. No one has a right to extract profit from a probability that their neighbors may or may not experience negative health effects like cancer or birth defects just because they buy a permit from an agency that is supposed to be safeguarding the public health. It's a lot to deal with but it's better than ignoring it. Polluters are troublemakers. At this point in time there is no reason for any waste of any kind to exit a property in any form be it solid, liquid or gas. There is no acceptable limit of exposure to toxic chemicals at all.