Let’s Take a Closer Look at Maine’s Most Polluted River
Did you know that from the 1940s to the 2000s, one Maine river faced such terrible pollution that some environmental crews rated it as one of the 20 most polluted rivers in the nation?
Yea.
Which river is the most polluted in Maine?
The award for this goes to the good ol' Androscoggin River. This river is 178 miles long and travels from Maine to New Hampshire, according to Earth 5r.
They go on to say that in the past, the Androscoggin River was heavily filled with pollutants and chemicals, which became dire and played a huge role in creating the Clean Water Act.
To this day, the challenges that this river faces are far from over, because industries continue to fill the river with chemical waste.
Do you ever walk near the river and smell eggs?
(If you like this, you'll like: This Maine River Used to be One of The Filthiest in The Entire US)
Well, 30 years ago, people said that the strong smell could've peeled paint from their walls, according to Earth 5r. The Clean Water Act has been able to make some improvements along the way, but this river is far from clean.
What is the main reason for pollution in the Androscoggin River?
The biggest causes behind the pollution in this river comes from the releases originating from mills and wastewater treatment facilities. These discharges not only contaminate the river, but also damage the ecosystem.
Guess what else? And this is pretty gross. The article states that the pollution is also a result of combined sewer overflows.
Yup. A staggering 14.2% of Maine's Combined Sewer Overflow and CSO discharge (equating to over 62 million gallons of waste) found its way into the Androscoggin River.
There you have it. That is why the Androscoggin River is the most polluted river in Maine. Hopefully, the Clean Water Act will continue to do what they can to clean up what has been dumped over the decades.