The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a new tool that provides information about pollutants that are released into the country's local waterways.
The discharge monitoring report (DMR) pollutant loading tool will provide the public with important information through millions of records. It allows for easy searching and mapping of water pollution by local area, watershed, company, industry sector, and pollutant. The tool can identify impacted water bodies, as well as facilities and industries that are releasing the most pollution.
Users can view violations and link to details about enforcement actions that EPA, with some states having taken to address violations above permitted levels.
The tool, developed under President Obama's transparency initiative, has been designed to allow the public to protect not only their health but also their respective community's.
Cynthia Giles, EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance assistant administrator, said: "By making the data we collect available in easy-to-use tools, we are keeping Americans informed about the health of the environment in their neighbourhoods."
US facilities releasing pollution directly into the nation's waterways, such as wastewater treatment plants or industrial manufacturers, must receive a permit to discharge under the Clean Water Act.
