NEW Water: Our History at a Glance - Magazine - Page 9
Green
Bay Press-Gazette (Green Bay, Brown,
Valuing
Water
The area’s waterways were always a valuable resource from the ability to
harvest ice in the winter for food preservation and as a convenient method to
transport products to and from the region.
However, as the community grew and local industry became more
prevalent, a lack of regulations for what could be discharged into the
area’s waterways created a situation where the region’s water quality was
significantly degraded, creating a public health concern. The river’s odor,
combined with the potential for cholera, an infectious and often fatal bacterial
disease, was a growing concern.
Fortunately, there was a desire by many that “something needed to be
done.” A group of community leaders set in motion the creation of a sewerage
district to address the problem.
The poor water quality and bad
odor made the ice undesirable,
and oftentimes, unsafe to use
for food preservation. This
issue helped spur the need to
better protect public health,
and was among the catalysts
that prompted the creation of a
sewerage district.
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