What is the primary reason for monitoring surface water quality in North Carolina?

Monitoring surface water quality in North Carolina serves the vital purpose of protecting public health and the environment. Healthy surface water is crucial for a variety of human activities as well as ecological balance. Polluted water can pose serious health risks to residents and wildlife, leading to illnesses and negatively impacting ecosystems.

Protecting public health involves ensuring that drinking water sources are not contaminated and that water bodies used for recreational purposes are safe for activities such as swimming and fishing. Additionally, monitoring helps to detect changes in water quality that could indicate broader environmental problems, which can affect biodiversity and the overall health of the ecosystem.

While ensuring safety for recreational activities, promoting tourism, and increasing agricultural output are important considerations, they largely stem from the foundational goal of protecting both public health and the environment. If surface water quality is not maintained, it could undermine all these other aspects.