If someone put a drop of sewage in a glass of water, would you drink it?

I've loved rivers all my life. That's what drew me to become an environmentalist and, lucky for me, a paid environmental advocate. I've spent years working to protect rivers from all manner of abuse and pollution.

One reassuring aspect of this challenge is that at least America has some pretty strong laws on the books that help us tackle environmental problems. When it comes to water quality, we have several protective statutes including the Clean Water Act.