Water Pollution Notes

Toxic refers to a parameter, constituent to pollutant that has an LD50; in other words, it has been known to kill organisms (usually humans) Point source: pollution that comes from a specific location Non-point source: pollution that occurs from multiple sources with no single polluter identified. The major source of 41-48% water pollution is agriculture according to the EPA. o Industrial Facilities o Municipal o Mining The two major effects of water pollution are: o exposure to infectious agents from contaminated drinking water; and, o not having enough water for effective sanitation. Drinking Water: Safe Drinking Water Act Surface Water: Clean Water Act Groundwater: CWA, RCRA as Solid Waste, CERCLA for clean-up Water Quality Index (WQI) is a set of standard test parameters used to compare water quality all around the country. Oxygen gas is not very soluble in water. As the temperature of a liquid increases, the solubilities of gases in that liquid decrease. Heating a solution of a gas enables the particles of gas to move more freely between the solution and the gas phase. Most of the DO in surface water comes from contact with the atmosphere. Rivers that consistently have a dissolved oxygen value of 90 percent or higher are considered healthy, unless the waters are supersaturated due to cultural eutrophication. There are also human sources of organic material. When these are identifiable points of discharge into rivers and lakes, they are called point sources. Point sources of organic pollution include: o pulp and paper mills; o meat-packing plants; o food processing industries; o wastewater treatment plants. Agricultural runoff that carries nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphates, from fields; In rivers with high BOD levels, much of the available dissolved oxygen is consumed by aerobic bacteria, robbing other aquatic organisms of the oxygen they need to live. Water contains both H+ (hydrogen) ions and OH- (hydroxyl) ions. Blue-green algae, the primary algae of algal blooms, are able to use N2 and convert it into forms of nitrogen that plants can take up through their roots and use for growth: ammonia (NH3) and nitrate (NO3-).

Thermal pollution is an increase in water temperature caused by adding relatively warm water to a body of water. As water temperature rises, the rate of photosynthesis and plant growth also increases. Turbidity is a measure of the relative clarity of water: the greater the turbidity, the murkier the water. At higher levels of turbidity, water loses its ability to support a diversity of aquatic organisms. Fecal coliform bacteria are found in the feces of humans and other warm-blooded animals. Fecal coliform by themselves are not dangerous (pathogenic) . Sanitary wastes (from toilets, washers, and sinks) flow through sanitary sewers and are treated at the wastewater treatment plant. Phosphorus is usually present in natural waters as phosphate Phosphorus is a plant nutrient needed for growth, and a fundamental element in the metabolic reactions of plants and animals. Aquatic ecosystems have the capacity to recover if the opportunity is provided by: o Reducing our use of lawn fertilizers; o Encouraging better farming practices; o Preserving natural vegetation whenever possible, particularly near shorelines; preserving wetlands to absorb nutrients and maintain water levels; enacting strict ordinances to prevent soil erosion; o Supporting measures (including taxes) to improve phosphorus removal by wastewater treatment plants and septic systems; treating storm sewer wastes if necessary; encouraging homeowners along lakes and streams to invest in community sewer systems Groundwater pollution caused by human activities usually falls into one of two categories: point-source pollution and nonpoint-source pollution. Groundwater tends to move very slowly and with little turbulence, dilution, or mixing. The EPA decides who is responsible for the clean-up process and monitors progress. About 40% of the worlds population lives near on or near the coast. The EPA has classified 4 of 5 estuaries as threatened or impaired. Harmful algal blooms (HAB) are caused by explosive growth of harmful algae from sewage and agricultural runoff.