Whose Responsibility Is It?

President’s Day will be celebrated on Monday, February 15, 2010. As we celebrate this day, most will be glad that it’s a holiday and hence they don’t have to get up and go to work.

Yet what is the true purpose of President’s Day? To commemorate the good our nation’s leaders have done?

Nearly from the beginning of this country, water has been an issue worth the consideration of our leaders. Much has been accomplished to protect and conserve our water resources since the founding of our country. Some notable accomplishments include:

• Creation of:
        - The Army Corp of Engineers
        - The US Bureau of Reclamation
        - The Inland Waterways Commission
        - The Tennessee Valley Authority
        - Soil and water conservation division of US Department of Ag
        - The Senate Select Committee on Water Resources
        - Earth Day
        - The US Environmental Protection Agency

• Authorization of:
        - The Reclamation Act
        - The Water Pollution Control Act
        - The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act
        - The Clean Water Act
        - Safe Drinking Water Act
        - The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
        - Superfund legislation
        - Public Health Security, Bioterrorism Preparedness & Response Act

The leaders of our country have indeed worked towards the protection and conservation of our water resources. But should that burden fall solely on their shoulders? Should we depend upon the lawmakers to protect a resource that is so vitally important to everyone’s life and livelihood? Shouldn’t we as citizens of this country and those who depend upon water for life take responsibility towards its protection as well?

Share what you and/or your community are doing to help protect groundwater. Give others inspiration to do the same.