WORK OF PENNSYLVANIA IN STOPPING WATER 

 POLLUTION 



By W. E. Meehan 



Until about four years ago Pennsylvania gave little heed 

 to the pollution of its streams and ranked near the foot 

 of the list of states in this respect. The streams were 

 looked upon by the owners of industrial establishments, by 

 municipal corporations, and even by thousands of citizens, as 

 the natural sewers for all kinds of filth. Public sentiment 

 in favor of purifying the water so that it could be used for 

 domestic purposes and would be healthful for both human 

 beings and fishes grew rapidly until finally laws were enacted 

 which placed Pennsylvania among the front rank of states 

 with respect to water pollution. 



At the time of the passage of these acts more than half 

 the streams in the western part of Pennsylvania were pol- 

 luted to such an extent that the majority of them contained 

 not only no fish life, but not even vegetable life. The 

 central part was in a little better condition, the northern 

 part was nearly as bad as the western, and the eastern part 

 was also bad, though less so than the others. 



The Legislature placed great powers in the hands of the 

 Departments of Health and Fisheries, and between the 

 two it is almost impossible for any person in Pennsylvania 

 to empty deleterious substances into the waters without 

 violating the law. To empty into a stream anything 

 injurious to human health is unlawful. To empty into a 

 stream anything injurious to fish or to fish food is against 

 the law, unless it can be proven to the satisfaction of the 

 Commissioner of Fisheries or the courts that every reason- 

 able and practicable means has been employed to prevent 

 the pollution of water by the specific substance. It is not 

 necessary for the state to prove that any particular fish were 



