Water Pollution in Garfield, New Jersey
As I learned by researching and interviewing artist and agricultural extension specialist, Tobiah Horton, creative engagement can draw people into issues and events that may not have been significant to them previously and personalize them in ways that can be a catalyst for further action to be taken. Creative engagement can be an effective way to inform communities of people about issues and current events and presents this data so that it may be easily understood. Oftentimes information that can be vital to our everyday lives is not necessarily accessible to the public, however creative engagement and expression allows data to be relayed in a way that exemplifies the issues at hand. This is what I hope to convey when conducting a water test using water samples from various parts of Garfield, New Jersey. By conducting this water test, I aim to raise awareness of water pollution within cities and how it effects the lives and families and individuals. Another goal of this project is to show how water pollution can effect different areas and groups of people disproportionately. This is valuable as I feel many Garfield citizens are unaware of water quality issues within the city.
Garfield is one of the largest cities within New Jersey’s Bergen County area, with a population of over 30,000 people. The city produces 2.7 million gallons of water per day for its residents, as well as residents in neighboring areas like Elmwood Park and Saddle Brook. As Garfield’s water supply reaches a significant amount of people, it is vital that those using the water are aware of the various issues that arise in its quality. Sampling conducted by the state in 2006 and 2009 showed PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, at levels above what had been the state’s health advisory standard of 40 parts per trillion in Garfield. PFOA is used as an industrial surfactant in chemical processes that poses a significant threat to human health when it comes in contact with water supplies. It has been the target of regulation and regulatory action as well as having been slowly phased out of industrial processes and manufacturing. As scientific research and studies continue to provide increasing information about PFOA’s effects on human health, experts say even small traces within water supplies can be harmful. PFOA is linked to various kinds of cancer, specifically kidney and testicular cancer, as well as thyroid disease, hypertension, ulcerative colitis as well as various other diseases and illnesses. It can cause developmental delays in infants and children, impact an individual’s immune system and liver functionality and decrease immunity response to vaccines. Exposure to PFOA alone increases an individual’s risk of cancer. PFOA, as well as various other contaminants have remained largely unregulated with Garfield’s water supply. Although the effects of PFOA and other contaminants within a water supply system are extremely significant, this information is not relayed to those directly impacted by it, as apparent when analyzing water contamination within the city of Garfield.
As of June 2018, there are forty one known contaminated water sites within Garfield. Despite the increasing contamination within the city, Garfield residents continue to be unaware of water pollution and how it affects their everyday lives. Garfield resident Elizabeth Kvestad said that prior to our conversation she had no idea of the presence of PFOA and other contaminants within Garfield’s water system, which she attributes to the lack of resources and distributed information within the city at the hands of its legislative and local leaders. This is what led me to see the value in conducting a water test using various water samples throughout Garfield, as many people are not enlightened to the issues facing our water systems. By conducting this project, I hope to show people, if even on a small scale, how prevalent water contamination is within Garfield and how they can combat its effects within their homes and lives.
My aim in conducting this water test and overall project is to inform residents of the city of Garfield as well as individuals a part from the community, how water pollution and contamination are more relevant than they may appear. Garfield, a city with a significant industrial history, has not considered the impact this process has had over our natural resources throughout time. My intention is to depict the effects of water pollution visually, so that people can see the contamination first hand. I also intend on interviewing those whose water I have sampled to personalize this issue and portray how it directly impacts both individuals and communities.
Water pollution is not just an issue that the city of Garfield faces alone, rather it affects the entire state of New Jersey. Nearly one in five New Jersey residents receive tap water that contains at least trace amounts of one of these chemicals. This issue is much larger than simply contained water systems within one city in New Jersey. It is relevant throughout the state as well as throughout the entire country, where many water systems and supplies continue to go on largely unregulated. By conducting this project, I hope to shed a little light on issues regarding water pollution and contamination, so that further action can be taken to combat their impact.
