How Can Water Pollution Affect My Water System?
What is in this section?
Water pollution in Martin County is not caused by a single factor. It is the result of a complex combination of historical industrial contamination, aging and failing infrastructure, and specific local practices, all of which are made worse by climate–driven extreme weather events.
These factors create a cycle of pollution, which is hard to break without cleanups and restoring the environment, and without major investment in upgrades to the pipes, water treatment system, tanks, pumps, and other infrastructure.
This section will help you understand:
The main sources of water pollution in Martin County.
The common contaminants found in local water systems.
The health and environmental effects of these pollutants
Practical steps you can take to reduce exposure and advocate for cleaner water.
Understanding these interconnected sources of water pollution and how these are affecting water and wastewater services can guide water systems to better prepare and prevent future water emergencies, and the first step for building a more resilient water future based on transparency and trust.
Where does water pollution in Martin County come from?
Improper Waste Disposal
Outside service areas, some residencies and local businesses resort to “straight–piping”, which is considered one of the most affordable solutions. Straight piping is the practice of running a pipe from a home directly to a stream, ditch, or backyard, discharging raw, untreated sewage. This introduces harmful pathogens directly into the environment, including E. coli, Giardia, and other bacteria and viruses that pollute local waterways, causing gastrointestinal and other public health risks.
Along with straight–piping, failing septic systems contribute to Martin County water pollution. When a system fails, untreated wastewater, including blackwater and graywater, can surface in yards, or seep into the ground and contaminate groundwater with harmful bacteria and viruses like E. coli. These pose a direct risk to public health, particularly for residents who rely on private wells for their drinking water, and degrade the quality of streams and rivers that serve as the source water for the community.
Another common stressor of Martin County waterways are trash and tires debris found throughout the Tug Fork River and the small creeks and streams that flow throughout the county. Groups like Friends of the Tug Fork River, a watershed non-profits, focuses on large clean up efforts in surrounding communities that live along the Tug Fork River. Friends of the Tug Fork River has been able to support over 200 tires removed from the one and only accessible boat ramp in Warfield KY. Within other parts of the community officials host small clean up efforts within their district area. Along with city council members for both the City of Warfield and the City of Inez, who support smaller cleanup efforts within the city limits of the community.
Did you know that although straight-piping is considered one of the most affordable solutions, this is not the case? In fact, this view does not take into account the environmental impacts nor the costs for treating water that is contaminated by straight piping. Neither does it take into account the costs related to the economic impacts of straight piping for Martin County communities, including the undermining of any opportunity for economic development based on local water and other natural assets (e.g. water sports and other recreational activities). |
Lead and Copper Water Lines
Old plumbing materials, both in the distribution system and in homes, can leach lead and copper into the water, especially if the water is corrosive—that is, the water chemistry is not properly treated to prevent corrosion.
Aging Water and Wastewater Infrastructure
Martin County’s public water system itself is a major source of contamination due to its poor condition and chronic underfunding.
Water Loss and Contamination Intrusion
In Martin County, the public water system is notoriously leaky because of line brakes and leaks in old pipes. This loss is not just a waste of water. It creates a pathway for contamination. When pressure drops due to a major leak, contaminants can be “sucked into” the pipes through the cracks. This is called “backflow” or “intrusion” and is directly polluting the drinking water distribution system.
Legacy of Coal–mining and Other Industrial Activities
Coal mining is the most significant historical source of contamination in Martin County. The environmental impacts persist long after mines have closed.
Acid Mine Drainage
When abandoned underground mines fill with water, a chemical reaction between water, air and pyrite (“fool’s gold”) in rocks or exposed coal seams, produces sulfuric acid. This acidic water then dissolves heavy metals, creating a toxic cocktail of low–pH (acidic) water containing metals like iron, aluminium, and manganese.
Acidic water also seeps from abandoned industrial equipment, abandoned processing facilities or waste piles into groundwater and adjacent streams, degrading aquatic ecosystems of Martin County, and threatening its water supplies.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) studies have documented Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) as the primary cause of stream degradation in Appalachia, leading to elevated levels of metals and sulfate.
Mountaintop Removal and Valley Fills
Mountaintop Removal (MTR) involves blasting off the tops of mountains to expose coal seams. The resulting rubble and excess rock and soil (overburden) are then placed in adjacent valleys, creating what are called “valley fills”. These fills bury headwater streams permanently. Rainfall and snowmelt filtering through these “valley fills” becomes contaminated with selenium and other metals through the chemical reaction caused by the water, air and pyrite. Valley fills are directly linked to increased conductivity, selenium and other pollutants in Appalachian streams.
Coal Slurry Impoundments
These are large dams filled with the liquid waste from coal processing. They contain heavy metals and chemicals. Leaks, spills and failures like the 2000 Martin County Coal Slurry Spill, which released over 300 million gallons of coal slurry, have had devastating, long–lasting effects on local waterways, like the Big Sandy River and its tributaries—the water sources for the region.
DID YOU KNOW that the 2000 Slurry Spill was officially investigated by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and remains a landmark case of industrial water contamination. Twenty–five years later, its long–lasting effects are still felt; almost any water quality issue in Martin County is assigned to the 2000 coal slurry spill, even if it may not be associated with it. This preconception often becomes an obstacle for community awareness around pressing water quality issues facing Martin County. |
Extreme Weather Events as a Threat Multiplier
Extreme weather events, like flooding and freezes, which are becoming more frequent and intense, worsen existing water pollution problems.
DID YOU KNOW that the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4, Vol. II, Chapter 19) specifically notes that increased heavy precipitation in the Southeast “will degrade water quality by increasing sediment, nutrient, and pollutant loadings from runoff”? A recent Pacific Institute issue brief titled “Climate Change and Flooding in Central Appalachia” (2023) also details this risk. This risk is particularly relevant to MCWD, as sediment build–up in the Tug Fork River, and pollutant runoff from old abandoned mines is leaching into creeks, streams and waterways and flows into the Tug Fork River. |
Sources:
Betsy Taylor, Shannon McNeeley, Maria Gaglia–Bareli, Laura Landes, Lena Schlichting, Deborah Thompson, Rachel Will, 2024. Water and Climate Equity in Rural Water Systems in the United States, Pacific Institute, Oakland, California.
Brett Walton. 2018. Straight Pipes Foul Kentucky’s Long Quest to Clean Its Soiled Waters. Circle of Blue.
U.S. EPA. 2011. The Effects of Mountaintop Mines and Valley Fills on Aquatic Ecosystems of the Central Appalachian Coalfields.
Jennifer Wies, Alisha Mays, Shalean M. Collins, and Sera L. Young. 2020. “As Long As We Have the Mine, We’ll Have Water”: Exploring Water Insecurity in Appalachia." Annals of Anthropological Practice.
L. Carter, K. Terando, and others. 2018. Chapter 19: Southeast. In Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II. U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC, USA.
Pacific Institute. 2023. “Climate Change and Flooding in Central Appalachia.” Issue Brief.
Pacific Institute and Dig Deep. 2024. Climate Change Impacts to Water and Sanitation in Frontline Communities in the United States: Water, Sanitation, and Climate Change in the United States, Part 1. Pacific Institute, Oakland, California.
Patricia Butler, Louis Iverson, and others. 2015. Central Appalachians forest ecosystem vulnerability assessment and synthesis: a report from the Central Appalachians Climate Change Response Framework project. Forest Service. U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Tom Mueller and Stephen Gasteyer. 2021. The widespread and unjust drinking water and clean water crisis in the United States. Nature Communications.
Bill Estep. 2024. Troubled Eastern Kentucky water district has big challenges. Lexington Herald Leader.
What are the common contaminants that could be found in Martin County’s water?
The region’s legacy of coal mining and the failing public water and wastewater infrastructure and the other sources of water pollution in Martin County lead to specific contaminants in water sources and tap water.
Heavy Metals and Acid Water
Heavy metals, like iron, manganese, aluminum, sulfate and low pH (acid water) are among the most significant contaminants found in the county’s raw water sources (rivers, reservoirs and groundwater). These contaminants are the hallmark components of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). Other common contaminants related to extractive legacies are Total Suspended Solids (TSS), or sediment caused by erosion from disturbed lands, including abandoned mine sites, logging areas, and construction sites. (EPA) recognizes sediment as a major pollutant from mining activities. The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977 specifically requires controls on sediment runoff from mining operations to protect water quality.
Lead and Copper
Lead and copper are not necessarily a contaminant of source water. Yet, these metals are a significant concern for Martin County’s tap water because of the aging community lines and pipes and household plumbing. Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) can further influence the corrosive properties of the water system, increasing levels of lead and copper.
Total Coliform Bacteria and E–coli
Total coliform bacteria and E–col are also among the common contaminants found in Martin County’s water sources and water lines. These contaminants are a direct result of aging sewage lines, straight pipes and failing septic systems. When found, they signal the potential presence of disease–causing pathogens, like Giardia and Cryptosprosidium.
Disinfection byproducts (DBPs)
Disinfection byproducts (DBSs) are formed during the water treatment process, when chlorine used to disinfect water reacts with natural organic matter (e.g. decaying vegetation). Among the most harmful contaminants created through this process are total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), which are linked to cancer risks, and Halocetic Acids (HAA5), which are also regulated by the EPA but not yet proved to harm. The formation of DBPs is more likely in water sources with high organic load, which are affected by mining and runoff.
Manganese
Manganese is a mineral that is found naturally in the environment and is one of the most abundant metals on the Earth’s surface, in air, water, and soil. It can be found in both groundwater and surface water from natural sources or because of human activity such as mining and industrial discharges. Manganese is used in various industries, including the manufacture of iron and steel alloys, batteries, glass, fireworks, various cleaning supplies, fertilizers, varnish, fungicides, cosmetics, and livestock feeding supplements. Drinking water can be a source of exposure to manganese. Elevated manganese concentrations can occur in municipal water and water from private wells. Manganese is more prevalent and found at higher concentrations in groundwater than surface water. Most exposure occurs from ingestion and not from bathing or showering.
Sources:
U.S EPA, Environments and Contaminants–Drinking Water Contaminants.
—, Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) Database. [For Martin County Water District PWS ID: KY1050006
— , Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR), Contact Us | Martin County Water and Sanitation Districts.
Kentucky Division of Water (KDW), Compliance and Inspections.
Team KY, Energy and Environmental Cabinet, Annual Compliance Reports
Water Quality Association Manganese Fact Sheet–Water Quality Association
Did you know that the Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) is the federal tool for tracking compliance with environmental laws, including past violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act, violations of past maximum contaminants levels (MCLs) for Total Coliform Rule (TCR), Lead and Copper Rule (LCR), and Disinfection Byproducts (DBP) Rules? |
“Forever chemicals” (PFAS): an emerging concern?
“Forever chemicals”, scientifically known as PFAS and PFOA (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), are a group of human–made chemicals that do not break down in the environment.
These chemicals have been used for decades in many consumer products designed for water resistance or stain resistance and many other purposes. Because they do not adhere or stick to things (think teflon), they move easily into water. The health risks associated with these chemicals are still being discovered and evaluated.
EPA is continuing to collect data on PFAS in sewage and sewage sludge, but only recently, in April 2024, EPA established the first–ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standards for several PFAS compounds. This means that water systems will now be required to test for and remove these chemicals if levels are too high.
However, monitoring for these chemicals and using carbon filtration to treat contaminated drinking water will be very expensive, and will require frequent recharge of the carbon filters. In addition to drinking water, there are significant concerns about PFAS in sewage sludge (also called biosolids), which is often spread on the land for disposal or to fertilize crops, and can even be made into commercial products sold at home and garden centers.
Sources:
U.S. EPA, Per– and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS).
—, Increasing Our Understanding of the Health Risks from PFAS and How to Address Them
—, Per– and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Sewage Sludge
—, “Key EPA Actions to Address PFAS”
Why is water pollution such a problem?
Water pollution is a critical problem because it directly threatens the health of people, wildlife and ecosystems. Contaminated water can cause immediate illness, with symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, and headaches. Or, it can lead to long–term health issues, including skin conditions, oral decay, neurological disorders, and cancer.
The danger pollution poses depends on its source and nature. A sudden chemical spill from industry or mining has very different effects than the persistent biological contamination from failing septic systems. Furthermore, pollutants can be made more dangerous by environmental factors; for example, flooding can spread contaminants over a wider area, and high temperatures can increase their toxicity.
Understanding these differences, for example, between chemical and biological pollution, or between a sudden spill and a chronic leak is essential for developing effective solutions. Ultimately, recognizing the specific types and sources of pollution is the first step toward restoring safe water for the community.
Did you know that though water contamination has been recognized as a major environmental issue for more than thirty years now, there is a surprising lack of comprehensive water quality data? This scarcity of information makes it difficult for Martin County residents to know what is in their water, and for water authorities to create effective policies or plans to mitigate water pollution or restore water quality. |
Sources:
Bullington D. (2024). "An Elementary Look at Water Pollution." In Drinking Water. RCAP, June 24.
Najeeb S. (2021), "Ten Major Harmful Effects of Water Pollution on Human Health." In Envirocivil, Oct. 13.
What are the types of water pollution found in Martin County?
In Martin County, water sources face several interconnected types of pollution, each with distinct causes and impacts:
Chemical Pollution
This is the most significant and well–documented type of water pollution, primarily from the region’s coal mining legacy. Acid Mine Drainage (AMD), and leaks from coal slurry impoundments introduce heavy metals and acidic water into streams. A degraded water system can also contribute to this type of water pollution; either when chlorine used to treat water reacts with organic matter creating disinfection byproducts (DBPs), or when leaky pipes suck contaminants from the soil back into the water supply (backflow).
Microbiological Pollution
This type of pollution poses immediate risks to human health. It is caused by pathogens from straight piping and failing septic systems.
Suspended Matter Pollution
This is often a secondary effect of land disturbance associated with mining, logging, or construction. Sediment clogs streams and pipes, and may be carrying absorbed pollutants, such as metals and nutrients, which can impact water quality and harm aquatic life.
Oxygen Depletion (Hypoxia)
When excess nutrients from wastewater or decomposing organic matter enter streams, they fuel algal blooms. The subsequent decay of this organic material consumes dissolved oxygen (DO), creating “dead zones” that harm aquatic life and can affect drinking water quality, leading to a wide range of waterborne diseases.
Although this type of pollution is more common in agricultural areas, excess nutrients, like phosphorus or nitrogen, are also found in regions where there is straight piping, septic system leakage, or land disturbances. The raw organic matter that is discharged into streams, when decomposed, becomes a significant consumer of dissolved oxygen. Increased sediment from surface mining, valley fills and logging activities is also a causal factor of hypoxia, as it can carry absorbed organic matter, which is decomposed consuming oxygen.
Thermal Pollution
This type of pollution occurs when activities like deforestation remove streamside shade causing water temperature to rise, with severe ecological consequences.
Sources:
Atlas Scientific, “Types of Water Pollution,” June 28, 2022.
Carey D. and Stickney J.F. (2005). “Groundwater Resources of Martin County, Kentucky.” In Cobb J.C., Ground–Water Resources in Kentucky. County Report 48, Series XII. University of Kentucky and Kentucky Geological Survey.
National Geographic Education. “Point Source and Nonpoint Sources of Pollution”
National Geographic Education, “What is Water Pollution” (video). In the Earth's Freshwater Educator Guide.
Did you know that regulatory agencies classify sources of water pollution into point–source pollution, from a single location, such as a factory or a pipe, and nonpoint–source pollution, from a broad area, like runoff and acid rain? This distinction is crucial for effective cleanup and prevention of water pollution, tailored to the water pollution sources of each region. For residents, this knowledge is key to recognizing risks and advocating for effective water protection measures. |
If my drinking water becomes polluted by chemicals, how can I reduce the risk in my household?
Get Informed
Read your annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). This report tells you what contaminants have been detected in your drinking water.
Get Your Water Tested
If you have concerns, especially if you have a private well, consider having your water tested by a certified lab. The Kentucky Division of Water can provide you information on certified labs.
Use “Point-of-Use” filters
For immediate concerns, certified water filters (e.g. filters certified to reduce lead, certain bacteria, or PFAS) can be used at the tap. Always ensure that the filter is maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Report Problems
If your water is discolored, has a strange odor, or you suspect a leak, report it immediately to the Martin County Water District.
Engage with Decision-Makers
Attend public meetings of the Water Board and County government. Ask about plans for infrastructure upgrades, source water protection, and compliance with the new PFAS rules and regulations. Your voice matters!
Source:
University of Kentucky College of Public Health, “UK Colleges and Appalachian Communities Partner To Reduce Exposure To Chemicals In Drinking Water”, in News.