The Mississippi River that flows by our town may get cleaner faster as a result of a recent Environmental Protection Agency decision. In fact, the federal government is requiring Missouri to make the river along its entire 195-mile stretch on the Missouri border suitable for “whole body contact” — meaning it should be both fishable and swimmable.
This decision does not mean that we can take a dip as soon as warm weather arrives. A Mississippi River in which folks would want to swim is a long-term goal that presents great challenges to the state and the city. Everyone will be asked to play a role in developing solutions, including businesses large and small and even homeowners.
In late October, the EPA ordered the Missouri Clean Water Commission to adopt more stringent water quality standards for the 28.6 miles of the Mississippi that flows past St. Louis. The decision came in the wake of a suit filed by the Missouri Coalition for the Environment. That means that the area will have to get a better grip on handling stormwater runoff that overwhelms the region’s sewer systems.
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This article was originally published in the St. Louis Beacon.