Chasidy Hobbs

University of West Florida instructor, Chasidy Hobbs, visited campus Wednesday to discuss the environmental issues she will cover in her newly appointed position at Emerald Coastkeeper, for the non-profit environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance.

The Waterkeeper alliance was originally started by John F. Kennedy Jr., and is an international non-profit environmental group. Hobbs is one of the four members in the Emerald Coastkeeper, a branch of Waterkeeper Allaince. This branch monitors all bodies of water ranging from Perdido Key to East Bay.

Her first major assignment was originally planned to cover the off shore drilling on the gulf coast. That was until the Environmental Working Group (EWG) released a “scary” study. This study stated that out of the 100 biggest water suppliers in the United States, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA), the major water supplier of the gulf coast, had more harmful chemicals than any other major water supplier.

After reading this study, Hobbs researched the criteria used to collect this data and discover that their ranking system was significantly flawed. The procedures used by the EWG were not properly done, where one water supplier would have their water tested only once, another would have their water tested five times, Hobbs said. The more test they take, the more chances they have of finding chemicals, she continued.

One of Hobbs greatest concerns is the fact that the Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) has no regulations on the standard of water. Although the water from the ECUA contains 35 different harmful chemicals, they are not required to regulate these chemicals.

“Less than 100 of the 60,000 chemicals that are used throughout the United States, are actually regulated,” Hobbs said.

Also, you shouldn’t switch to bottled water quite yet. “There is much more oversight for the municipality ECUA than there is for that water company,” Hobbs said. She then continued mentioning the harmful chemicals that are absorbed from the plastic bottles, which are made from oil.

After this issue is cleared up, Hobbs’s next big assignment is going to be re-focused on off shore drilling off the panhandle. She also is looking to expand her organization significantly starting with finding a good toxicologist.

“I have big big dreams for the organization,” She said.