A comprehensive study published in Science has identified critical deficiencies in current environmental chemical monitoring programs across U.S. surface waters. Analyzing over 112 million records spanning six decades and nearly 2,000 substances, researchers demonstrated that fewer than one percent of chemicals cataloged by the EPA are routinely monitored, leaving vast amounts of potentially hazardous compounds undetected. This lack of surveillance particularly obscures toxic impacts on aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem health. The study emphasizes that many chemicals exert ecological harm at concentrations below standard detection limits. Regulatory interventions dating back to the 1970s have successfully reduced inorganic heavy metals in waterways, but contemporary chemical pollution presents complex challenges necessitating expanded, sensitive monitoring frameworks to provide accurate risk assessments and guide policy.