Clean Water Act violations leave many suffering

Charles Duhigg of The New York Times reports on states' negligence in enforcing clean water laws. In West Virginia, tests found tap water containing "arsenic, barium, lead, manganese and other chemicals at concentrations federal regulators say could contribute to cancer and damage the kidneys and nervous system." When companies disclosed that they were pumping illegal concentrations of chemicals into the ground, state regulators failed to fine or punish them for violating pollution laws. The problem is not limited to West Virginia.  A review of water pollution records by The Times shows that violation of the Clean Water Act have increased steadily nationwide.