Water Usage

Water Contamination

Office of Wastewater Management, U.S. EPA. 2000. Progress in water quality: An evaluation of the national investment in municipal wastewater treatment. EPA-832-R-00-008.

http://www.metrokc.gov/kcdot/roads/maintenance/illegaldumping/index.cfm

http://www.answers.com/topic/water-pollution http://www.gotalgae.com/temperature_solutions.htm

Pollution can enter ground or surface water in liquid form.

http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/North_America/Canada/photo117650.htm

Air pollution is one of the most important sources of groundwater pollution.

What goes up must come down somewhere.

http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/water/fish/map.htm

Mercury in Surface Water

Mercury from coal-burning plant smokestacks can become concentrated in fish living in streams.

South Carolina releases advisories for species of fish in different streams with guidelines about how many can be “safely” consumed.

http://www.groundwater.org/

Air pollution (polluted rain)

Garbage/waste dumps

Septic fields

Leaky tanks

Surface pollutants

Air pollution (polluted rain)

Garbage/waste dumps

Septic fields

Leaky tanks

Surface pollutants

Pollution from Residential Septic Fields

http://www.waterwisetexas.org/understanding_our_water_supply.htm

Black Water – wastewater from kitchen sink and toilet. High in nutrients, solids, and pathogens, demands more complex treatment regimen = more $$$

Grey Water – wastewater from bathtubs, washing machines, bathroom sinks, and other sinks not used for hazardous or toxic ingredients or food preparation.

Pollution in groundwater is worse than pollution in surface water because it:

Has a longer residence time

Is harder to clean up

Is harder to trace to source

Point Source Pollution

Most contamination from a single polluter.

Relatively easy to assign blame

Relatively easy to stop

Point Source Pollution

Most contamination from a single polluter.

Relatively easy to assign blame

Relatively easy to stop

Non-Point Source Pollution

Contamination from many sources

Difficult to assign blame

Difficult to stop

Non-Point Source Pollution

Contamination from many sources

Difficult to assign blame

Difficult to stop

http://www.wrc.wa.gov.au/public/waterfacts/10_groundwater_pollution/pollution.html

The contaminant goes with the flow – wherever the water goes, the pollution follows.

Point Source Pollution

Real World Pollution Plume

Point SourceMigration of pollution from a single area.

York County172 total investigations

Petroleum product: 86%

Heavy metal contamination: 8%

Volatile organic compounds: 5%

Petroleum product: 86%

Heavy metal contamination: 8%

Volatile organic compounds: 5%

Under remediation: 39%

Under investigation: 27%

Owner contacted: 12%

Inactive: 10%

Awaiting funding: 5%

Other: 6%

Under remediation: 39%

Under investigation: 27%

Owner contacted: 12%

Inactive: 10%

Awaiting funding: 5%

Other: 6%

If the leak is caught early and flow within the contaminated aquifer has been well studied, it may be possible to force the pollution out with a combination of pressure (to concentrate the contaminant) and pumping.

If the flow of that aquifer at that spot is not well understood, it is possible to make the situation worse.

Pumping out the contaminant is not a viable option for most groundwater pollution.

Point Source Pollution

Helperin, A.N., D.S. Beckman, and D. Inwood 2001. California’s contaminated groundwater: is the state minding the store? National Resource Defense Council, Los Angeles.

California

Nitrates and Nitrites

Primarily associated with agriculture (fertilizer and animal waste).

This is non-point source pollution.

Nitrates and Nitrites

Primarily associated with agriculture (fertilizer and animal waste).

This is non-point source pollution.

http://www.nelsonwater.com/

Contaminants in Drinking WaterContaminants in Drinking Water

Common Organic Chemical Contaminants

http://www.nelsonwater.com/watrinfo/origin.htm

BenzeneCarbon tetra-chlorideTrihalomethanesToxapheneTetracholroethyleneVinyl Chloride

EndrinLindane

Methoxychlor

cancercancercancercancercancercancer

liver, kidney, heart damageliver, kidney, nervous, immune, and circulatory damagegrowth, liver, kidney, nerve effects

fuel, drugs, paint, pesticidescleaning solventschlorine treated waterinsecticidesdry cleaning wastes, solventsPVC pipe, solvent breakdown

pesticidesinsecticides

insecticides

Chemical Health Effect Source

Organic contaminants - chemicals with organic chemical structures. Pollutants include primarily synthetic compounds, including plastics.Organic contaminants - chemicals with organic chemical structures. Pollutants include primarily synthetic compounds, including plastics.

http://www.nelsonwater.com/watrinfo/origin.htm

ArsenicCadmiumLead

Mercury

NitrateSeleniumRadon

AsbestosBariumFluoride

skin and nervous system toxicitykidney problemskidney and nervous system damagekidney and nervous system disordersBlue Baby Syndromeliver damagecancer

cancercirculatory system irregularitiesskeletal and dental damage

pesticides, industrial waste, smeltingepoxy sealants, coal, pigmentslead pipes and solder

crop runoff, batteries

fertilizer, sewage, animal wastesmelting, coal/oil combustionradioactive decay

asbestos cement in water systemsbed rock and soilsflourinated water, fertilizer, aluminum

Chemical Health Effect Source

Common Inorganic Chemical Contaminants

Inorganic contaminants - primarily metals, some other dissolved ions, and radioactive chemicals. Does not include organic chemicals

Inorganic contaminants - primarily metals, some other dissolved ions, and radioactive chemicals. Does not include organic chemicals

http://www.nelsonwater.com/watrinfo/origin.htm

Gastroenteric infection, dysentery, typhoid fever, and cholera

Gastroenteric disease

Legionnaire's disease

fecal coliformother bacteria

Giardia lambia

Legionella

human and animal fecal matter

human and animal fecal matter

natural waters, some water heaters

Common Microbiological Contaminants

Bug Health Effects Source

Microbiological contaminants - disease-causing micro-organisms (i.e., germs)

Microbiological contaminants - disease-causing micro-organisms (i.e., germs)

http://giardiaclub.com/giardia.html

Giardia

http://www.oberlin.edu/ajlc/edu_4.html

fecal coliform bacteria

http

://w

ww

.rep

ower

.ch/

INim

g/N

ewsl

ette

r/le

gion

ella

.jpg

Legionella

Drinking Water PurificationDrinking Water Purification

http://www.thewatersource.com

BIGtiny