Our home is over the Jordan

A verse in an old spiritual runs, "I looked over Jordan and what did I see?"

Thankfully, those looking over the Jordan River in the Salt Lake Valley today are seeing less garbage and clutter and a little more progress in cleaning up one of the state's most famous and distinctive rivers. The Salt Lake Valley is known by its surrounding peaks, but citizens need to keep in mind that "a river runs through it." And the state of that river may say more about the state capital than residents realize.

Making the Jordan River a source of pride, not pollution, should be a priority.

It was with that vision in their heads that two "clean up the Jordan" advocates plunged into the murky water and swam to the other side recently as a publicity stunt, hoping to draw attention to the rattiness of the river water. They got their wish. People are talking about their swim.

Now, the important thing is for people to do something.

Only 9 percent of the state's lakes and reservoirs are clean enough to allow for swimming and water sports. That's surprising. While Utahns seem quick to focus on the amount of water available, they should lend a little more attention to the quality of that water. Some areas of the Jordan have been spruced up in South Salt Lake County. The reason is the people in those areas decided that the quality of the river water said volumes about the quality of their communities as a whole.

Water runs downhill. The problem is that over the decades the quality of the water in the Jordan has gone downhill as well. It will take more than a quick fix to make things right and bring the Jordan back as a show piece and a recreation resource.

But it can be done if the commitment is there.

We urge people to make that commitment — a commitment of time, manpower and money.

If enough communities and individuals care, valley dwellers may one day be singing another tune — that other old spiritual that goes, "Jordan River is chilly and cold — chills the body, but not the soul."