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Wetlands have the remarkable ability to improve the quality of
water by filtering runoff and removing sediment, nutrients, pesticides, metals,
and other types of pollutants. In the Gulf of Mexico, wetlands play an extremely important role
by helping to decrease the amount of pollution that enters the Gulf and protecting shorelines from erosion. These
services are quite valuable to communities and the people who live near wetlands.
For example, without the Congaree
Bottomland Hardwood
Swamp in South Carolina, the area would need a $5
million waste water treatment plant.
Another study found that wetlands surrounding 15 seafood processing
plants in Louisiana
provided treatment to the wastewater, saving the processing plants $6,000 to
$10,000 per acre of wetland (Breaux et al., 1995).
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