国家地理 拉响关于水质的警报(6)

New York already is one of 10 states (along with the District of Columbia) that require universal blood tests for lead before age three. Now, newly armed with data on lead sources, the state has an opportunity to protect the 2.7 million children in public schools (including my daughter) and to become an example for other states.

纽约已经是十个（包括哥伦比亚特区）要求在三岁前进行大范围血铅检测的大州之一。对于铅的源头，纽约州现在有了最新数据，有机会保护公立学校的270万名儿童（包括我的女儿），并成为其他州的典范。

Lead makes headlines, but it's not the half of it. The more we look for pollution, the more we'll find, and the list of contaminants is long: Coliform bacteria near dairy farms in Wisconsin. Nitrates from fertilizers in Iowa's rivers. Lead, mercury, and uranium in fracking fluid in places like Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and North Dakota. Toxic¹ chemicals such as those in Teflon that are so ubiquitous they're found in the blood of 98 percent of people in the United States and nearly every country in the world.

虽然铅污染成了头条新闻，但那也只是冰山一角而已。我们越深入探查水污染，发现的问题就越多，甚至能把污染物列成一长串：威斯康星州乳牛牧场附近的大肠杆菌；爱荷华州河流中的肥料释出的硝酸盐；在俄亥俄州、俄克拉荷马州、宾州和北达科他州等地水力压裂法的水中，含有铅、汞、铀；而有毒化学物质如铁氟龙是如此无所不在，以致于有98%的美国人血液中含有这类物质，世界上几乎所有国家也都有这问题。

The problem may feel overwhelming, but together we can solve it. We need to start with the basics, like replacing lead pipes and fixing deteriorating² mains. Then we can modernize³ our aging water infrastructure⁴ with more filtration or treatment processes to better purify wastewater before it enters the drinking water system. We need to better regulate pollutants⁵, strengthen protections for drinking water, and improve testing. A bonus: We can do all of these things and create good-paying new jobs in communities throughout the country.

这个问题可能令人不知所措，但我们可以携手解决。首先从基础层面做起，例如更换铅管并修复破损的总水管。然后，我们可以透过更多的过滤或处理程序，使老旧的水利基础设施现代化，让废水可以更妥善地净化后再进入饮用水系统。我们需要加强对污染物的规范、强化饮用水保护设施、完善检测制度。附带的好处是：我们可以完成所有这些事，同时还能在全美各地的小区创造待遇好的新工作。

1 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

2 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

3 modernize   

vt.使现代化，使适应现代的需要

参考例句：

• It was their manifest failure to modernize the country's industries.他们使国家进行工业现代化，明显失败了。
• There is a pressing need to modernise our electoral system.我们的选举制度迫切需要现代化。

4 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

5 pollutants   

污染物质（尤指工业废物）( pollutant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Pollutants are constantly being released into the atmosphere. 污染物质正在不断地被排放到大气中去。
• The 1987 Amendments limit 301(g) discharges to a few well-studied nonconventional pollutants. 1987年的修正案把第301条（g）的普通排放限制施加在一些认真研究过的几种非常规污染物上。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法