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Water PollutionWater Pollution
Water, Air, Land ….Water, Air, Land ….
The solution to pollution is dilution….?
Water makes us unique and gives life to Earth.
Key IdeasKey Ideas
• What are major types and effects of water pollution?
• How do we measure water quality?
• Point versus Nonpoint sources
• What are the major sources of pollution?
What is water pollution?What is water pollution?
Any chemical, biological, or physical change in water quality that has a harmful effect on living organisms or makes water unsuitable for desired usage.
What is water pollution?What is water pollution?WHO:
• 3.4 million premature deaths each year from waterborne diseases
• 1.9 million from diarrhea
• U.S. 1.5 million illnesses
• 1993 Milwaukee 370,000 sick
What is water pollution?What is water pollution?Infectious Agents: bacteria and viruses often
from animal wastes
Oxygen Demanding Wastes: organic waste that needs oxygen often from animal waste, paper mills and food processing.
Inorganic Chemicals: Acids and toxic chemicals often from runoff, industries and household cleaners
Organic Chemicals: oil, gasoline, plastics, detergents often from surface runoff, industries and cleaners
Plant Nutrients: water soluble nitrates, ammonia and phosphates often from sewage, agriculture and urban fertilizers
Sediment: soils and silts from land erosion can disrupt photosynthesis, destroy spawning grounds, clog rivers and streams
Heat Pollution and Radioactivity: mostly from powerplants
What is water pollution?What is water pollution?
How do we measure water qualityHow do we measure water quality
Bacterial Counts: Fecal coliform counts from intestines of animals
• None per 100 ml for drinking
• >200 per 100 ml for swimming
Sources: human sewage, animals, birds, raccoons, etc.
How do we measure water qualityHow do we measure water qualityDissolved Oxygen: BOD
Biological Oxygen Demand…the amount of oxygen consumed by aquatic decomposers
Chemical Analysis: looking for presence of inorganic or organic chemicals
Suspended Sediment: water clarity
Indicator Species: organisms that give an idea of the health of the water body
Point and Nonpoint SourcesPoint and Nonpoint Sources
NONPOINT SOURCES
Urban streets
Suburban development
Wastewater treatment plant
Rural homes
Cropland
Factory
Animal feedlot
POINT SOURCES
Major Sources of Water PollutionMajor Sources of Water PollutionAgriculture: by far the
leader
• Sediment, fertilizers, bacteria from livestock, food processing, salt from soil irrigation
Industrial: factories and powerplants
Mining: surface mining toxics, acids, sediment
• Freshwater pollution: What are major problems in streams?
• Developed versus Developing Countries
• Lake Pollution: Why are lakes and reservoirs more vulnerable?
• What is Eutrophication?
Key questions…
Freshwater Stream PollutionFreshwater Stream PollutionFlowing streams can recover from
moderate level of degradable water pollution if their flows are not reduced.
• Natural biodegradation process
• Does not work if overloaded or stream flow reduced
• Does not work against non biodegradable pollutants
Pollution of StreamsPollution of Streams
Oxygen sag curve Oxygen sag curve Factors influencing recovery Factors influencing recovery
What factors will influence this oxygen sag curve?
Two WorldsTwo WorldsDeveloped CountriesU.S. and other developed
countries sharply reduced point sources even with population and economic growth
• Nonpoint still a problem• Toxic chemicals still
problem• Success Cuyahoga River,
Thames River
Two WorldsTwo Worlds Developing Countries:
Serious and growing problem
• Half of world’s 500 major rivers heavily polluted
• Sewage treatment minimal $$$
• Law enforcement difficult
• 10% of sewage in China treated
• Economic growth with little $$$ to clean up
India’s Ganges RiverIndia’s Ganges River• Holy River (1 million take
daily holy dip)• 350 million (1/3rd of pop) live
in watershed• Little sewage treatment• Used for bathing, drinking etc.• Bodies (cremated or not)
thrown in river• Good news is the Indian
government is beginning to work on problem
Freshwater Lake PollutionFreshwater Lake PollutionDilution as a solution in
lakes less effective• Little vertical mixing• Little water flow
(flushing)Makes them more
vulnerable• Toxins settle• Kill bottom life• Atmospheric deposition• Food chain disruptions
Biomagnifications of PCBs in an aquatic food chain from the Great Lakes.
Eutrophication of LakesEutrophication of LakesEutrophication: nutrient
enrichment of lakes mostly from runoff of plant nutrients (nitrates and phosphates)
• During hot dry weather can lead to algae blooms
• Decrease of photosynthesis• Dying algae then drops DO
levels • Fish kills, bad odor
Eutrophication Eutrophication
Eutrophication in LakesEutrophication in Lakes
Solutions:
• Advanced sewage treatment (N, P)
• Household detergents
• Soil conservation
• Remove excess weed build up
• Pump in oxygen or freshwater
Case Study: The Great LakesCase Study: The Great Lakes•Pollution levels dropped, but long way to go
•95% of U.S. freshwater
•30% Canadian pop, 14% U.S.
•38 million drink
•1% flow out St. Lawrence
•Toxic fish
GroundwaterGroundwater
• Why is groundwater pollution a serious problem?
• What is the extent of the problem?
• What are the solutions?
GroundwaterGroundwaterGroundwater can become
contaminated
• No way to cleanse itself
• Little dilution and dispersion
• Out of sight pollution
• Prime source for irrigation and drinking
• REMOVAL of pollutant difficult
Groundwater Pollution: CausesGroundwater Pollution: Causes
Low flow rates Low flow rates Few bacteria Few bacteria Cold temperatures Cold temperatures
Coal strip mine runoff
Pumping well
Waste lagoon
Accidental spills
Groundwater flow
Confined aquifer
Discharge
Leakage from faulty casing
Hazardous waste injection well
Pesticides
Gasoline station
Buried gasoline and solvent tank
Sewer
Cesspool septic tank
De-icing road salt
Unconfined freshwater aquifer
Confined freshwater aquifer
Water pumping well Landfill
Low oxygen Low oxygen
Prevention is the most effective and cheapest
Ocean PollutionOcean Pollution
• How much pollution can the oceans tolerate?
• Coastal zones: How does pollution affect coastal zones?
• What are major sources of ocean pollution and what is being done?
• Oils spills
Ocean PollutionOcean PollutionOceans can disperse and
break down large quantities of degradable pollution if they are not overloaded.
• Pollution worst near heavily populated coastal zones
• Wetlands, estuaries, coral reefs, mangrove swamps
• 40% of world’s pop. Live within 62 miles of coast
Mangrove Swamp
Estuaries
Ocean PollutionOcean Pollution
• Large amounts of untreated raw sewage (viruses)
• Leaking septic tanks• Runoff• Algae blooms from
nutrients• Dead zones NO DO• Airborne toxins• Oil spills
Ocean PollutionOcean Pollution
Case Study: Chesapeake BayCase Study: Chesapeake Bay
Largest US estuary
Largest US estuary
Relatively shallow Relatively shallow
Slow “flushing” action to Atlantic
Slow “flushing” action to Atlantic
Major problems with dissolved O2 Major problems with dissolved O2
Preventing and reducing the flow of pollution from land and from streams emptying into the ocean is key to protecting oceans
Oil SpillsOil Spills Sources: offshore wells, tankers, pipelines and
storage tanks
Sources: offshore wells, tankers, pipelines and storage tanks
Effects: death of organisms, loss of animal insulation and buoyancy, smothering
Effects: death of organisms, loss of animal insulation and buoyancy, smothering
Significant economic impacts Significant economic impacts
Mechanical cleanup methods: skimmers and blotters
Mechanical cleanup methods: skimmers and blotters
Chemical cleanup methods: coagulants and dispersing agents
Chemical cleanup methods: coagulants and dispersing agents
Oil SpillsOil Spills
Prevention and ReductionPrevention and Reduction
• How can we reduce surface water pollution: point and also nonpoint.
• How do sewage treatment plants work?
• How successful has the U.S. been at reducing water pollution? Clean Water Act
Nonpoint SourcesNonpoint Sources
Reduce runoff
Nonpoint SourcesNonpoint Sources
Buffer Zones Near Streams
NonpointNonpoint
Prevent soil erosion and only apply needed pesticides and fertilizers
Point SourcesPoint SourcesMost developed countries
use laws to set water pollution standards.
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act 1972, ’77, ’87)
• Regulates navigable waterways, streams, wetlands, rivers, lake
Clean Water ActClean Water Act• Sets standards for key
pollutants• Requires permits for
discharge• Requires sewage treatment• Require permits for
wetland destruction• Does not deal with
nonpoint sources well• Goal All Waterways
fishable and swimable
Technological Approach: Septic SystemsTechnological Approach: Septic Systems
Require suitable soils and maintenanceRequire suitable soils and maintenance
•¼ of all U.S. homes have Septic tanks
•Can be used in parking lots, business parks, etc.
Combined sewer overflow is a problem in many older towns
•EPA: 1.8 M to 3.85 M sick from swimming in water contaminated by sewer overflows
•EPA: $100 billion to fix
Technological Approach: Sewage TreatmentTechnological Approach: Sewage Treatment
Physical and biological treatmentPhysical and biological treatmentFig. 22-16 p. 511
Primary: removes 60% of solids and 30-40% oxygen demanding wastes (physically)
Secondary: uses biological processes to remove up to 90% of biodegradables
Tertiary: advanced techniques only used in 5% of U.S. $$$$
Disinfection: chlorine, ozone, UV
What is not taken out???
Technological Approach: Advanced (Tertiary) Sewage TreatmentTechnological Approach: Advanced (Tertiary) Sewage Treatment
Uses physical and chemical processesUses physical and chemical processes
Removes nitrate and phosphateRemoves nitrate and phosphate
ExpensiveExpensive
Not widely usedNot widely used
Sludge disposal…using as fertilizer
Technological Approach: Using Wetlands to Treat SewageTechnological Approach: Using Wetlands to Treat Sewage
The Good NewsThe Good News
Largely thanks to CWA:• Between 1972 – 2002
fishable and swimmable streams 36% to 60%
• 74% served by sewage treatment
• Wetlands loss dropped by 80%
• Topsoil losses dropped by 1 billion tons annually
The Bad NewsThe Bad News
• 45% of Lakes, 40% streams still not fishable and swimmable
• Nonpoint sources still huge problem
• Livestock and Ag. Runoff• Fish with toxins
Drinking Water Drinking Water
• How is drinking water purified? High tech way.
• How can we purify drinking water in developing nations?
• What is the Safe Drinking Water Act?
• Is bottled water a good answer or an expensive rip-off?
Drinking Water QualityDrinking Water Quality
Safe Drinking Water Act Safe Drinking Water Act
Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs)
Purification of urban drinking water Purification of urban drinking water
Bottled water Bottled water
Protection from terrorism Protection from terrorism
Purification of rural drinking water Purification of rural drinking water
Safe Drinking Water ActSafe Drinking Water Act• 54 countries have
drinking water laws
SDWA passed 1974 requires EPA to set drinking water standards
Maximum Contaminating Levels (MCLs)
Safe Drinking Water ActSafe Drinking Water Act• Privately owned wells
exempt from SDWA
SDWA requires public notification of failing to meet standards and fine.
MCLs often stated in parts per million or parts per billion
Bottle WaterBottle WaterU.S. has the world’s
safest tap water due to billions of $$$ of investment
Bottle water 240 to 10,000 times more expensive than tap water
25% of bottle water is tap water
Bottle WaterBottle Water1.4 million metric tons of
bottle thrown away each year
Toxic fumes released during bottling
Bottles made from oil based plastics
Water does not need to meet SDWA
This presentation was from an online power point prepared by Richard Clements for G. Tyler Miller’s Living in the Environment 14th edition.