hburgnews.com

The Lynchburg News & Advance reports that water quality in Virginia has dropped yet again. A report due to be released by the Department of Environmental Quality is expected to add more waterways to the growing list of impaired rivers and streams.

Many of the state’s rivers and streams were listed as unhealthy because of elevated levels of E. coli bacteria. The report lists agricultural practices as the chief culprit, though it also mentions urban runoff, leaking sewers, failing septic tanks, domestic animals and wildlife as contributing factors.

The article also mentions a lack of state funding to do anything about it, even cutting funds to volunteer environmental groups.

Several volunteer water quality monitors lamented the lack of sufficient state funding for their efforts. During fiscal 2008, the state government eliminated $108,000 worth of grants to volunteer water quality monitoring groups. The cut came just a few weeks before the grants were to be awarded. In fiscal 2009, the funding has been restored - for now, at least.

Bruce Lundeen, executive director of the Harrisonburg-based Shenandoah Valley Pure Water Forum, is trying to organize a statewide public service announcement campaign to boost the General Assembly’s support of volunteer water monitoring efforts. Most lawmakers, he said, “don’t have a clue” about the issue.