Philly Rivers Rank in the Top 10

'A polluter's paradise:' Report ranks Schuylkill and Delaware rivers poorly on chemical pollution.By  Evan Brandt from Montgomery Media, Montgomerynews.com. April 7,2012

The Delaware and Schuylkill River Rank in the top 10 in Nation for Toxic Pollution 

The Delaware River rank 7th in the nation for toxic pollution in the water and The Schuylkill River rank 5th in the nation for having 2.6 million pounds of toxic discharge in the water. The PennEnviorment Pollutants Discharge Report of 2010 finds that 10 million pounds of pollution is dumped per year into Pennsylvania lakes, rivers and streams. Another issue is the high amount of nitrates present in the water. Nitrates from runoff create a hostile environment. Algae, which is always present, in the Pennsylvania Rivers overgrow and deplete oxygen causing fish and living things to die. Nitrates breakdown the algae and bacteria in the water feed on decaying algae and plants. If there is a high level of nitrates in the drinking water, human body oxygen capabilities are compromised. The waterways contribute to the water supply in Pennsylvania. The pollution, chemicals, runoff and more can cause serious health problems.

Link Found Here

http://www.montgomerynews.com/articles/2012/04/07/springford_reporter_valley_item/news/doc4f7a2072dff68560046968.txt?viewmode=fullstory