Tiffany Wu Final Paper – Water Contamination Professor Ravit
Located in Middlesex County and holding a population of approximately 47,512
people, East Brunswick, New Jersey, has witnessed a dramatic increase from a few inquiries
to a myriad of angry phone calls regarding minor taste and odor problems with tap water.
Due to improper storage of contaminants such as household hazardous wastes, cell phones,
paint, solid wastes, textiles, tires, and etc., East Brunswick has experienced severe water
contamination or also known as water pollution. After a few investigations were conducted,
lead, arsenic, and trichloroacetic, all below legal limits but above health guidelines, was
discovered to be contaminating the town’s water supply. Water contamination is one of the
main environmental issues that I consider should be addressed immediately because it has a
direct impact on the community and its residents’ health. For example, an excessive amount
of plastic contaminating the water can damage not only human systems, but also destroy the
ecosystem. With East Brunswick’s lack of quality control, continuous improper storage of
contaminants and lack of recycling, and easy access to contaminated water, the town’s
residents are subject to high risks of illnesses due to water pollution, mainly due to improper
recycling and storage of wastes.
According to the United States census bureau, East Brunswick has a population of
47,512 people with a population density of 2,189.6 inhabitants per square mile. There are
16,810 households and 13,179 families residing in the township. The township is made up of
approximately 69.36% white, 3.98% African American, 0.10% Native American, 22.80%
Asian, and 0.01% Pacific Islander. There are 16,810 households of which 37.2% had
children under the age of eighteen living with them. With such a large population, East
Brunswick can only expect a higher risk of contaminated water because more people means
that the surrounding environment is more prone to water pollution resulting from non-
recycled pollutants. Especially because East Brunswick has such a large percentage of
youths and young adults that are not educated with proper recycling methods, the township
finds numerous amounts of used water bottles and other hazardous wastes such as leftover
paint from house paint-jobs. Despite the current combined residential and commercial rate
of recycling is at 72%, which exceeds the 60% minimum State Mandated Recycling Rate,
there have still been complaints regarding a peculiar taste to the water due to contamination.
Having such a youthful and active population, East Brunswick should implement earlier
teaching of the importance of recycling potentially hazardous wastes and plastics and
reusing plastic water bottles. Because East Brunswick has been implementing stricter
regulations and regarding recycling as well as recycling programs, such as the curbside
collection program, water contamination has improved, however not enough to curb the
population’s dissatisfaction with how the township is dealing with the situation.
At this time, East Brunswick suffers water contamination resulting mainly from toxic
hazardous wastes such as paint and other household wastes and objects that reach our water
supply from being thrown onto the streets. Although society may not deem this as a severe
issue, individuals must realize that there is numerous ways the water supply can be
contaminated when we least expect. For example, when household wastes are not disposed
correctly and other garbage and household wastes are just lying on the streets, rain can drag
these objects into our water supply and cause severe pollution if we do not prevent it in the
early stages. One specific area that East Brunswick’s water contamination sources from is
Fried Industries on Fresh Ponds Road, whose site includes a 26 acre area, consisting of a
building complex, a man-made pond, a marsh area, and several other separate wetlands
areas. Fried Industries is located in a residential setting with a population of 25,000 that has
close access to the water surrounding the industry. The Health Assessment that the New
Jersey Department of Health conducted claimed that human exposure to the contamination
were linked directly with groundwater, soil, and surface water. In the past, when water
contamination had not been treated as much as it is being treated today, human exposure
included ingestion, dermal contact, and even inhalation of the air around water sites. Public
health and community concerns have focused on the quality of East Brunswick’s
groundwater, including possible contamination of area municipal wells. The East Brunswick
community was extremely concerned with this water contamination issue because with such
a big percentage of children living with families, the children are more prone to being
exposed. Children had access to public water supply such as lakes and rivers in parks as well
as to some contaminated sites because these areas were not closed off or fenced off. The
community is also concerned with fishing in on-site ponds and past exposure to
contaminated groundwater, and soil. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
deemed the Fried Industries site as a potential public health concern in its final conclusion
and has recommended that the industry be closed off from the public.
The main source of the environmental issue of water pollution is water
contamination from runoff of hazardous wastes, household wastes, and litter. Amongst these
sources, runoff may be the most detrimental to our water supply. Run-off consists of water
