Water Pollution
Water Pollution: Types, Effects,
and Sources
What is water pollution?
Major types of pollutants, sources and effects
Point and nonpoint sources
Is the water safe to drink?
Major Categories of Water Pollutants
Infectious Agents Plant Nutrients
Bacteria, Viruses, Protozoa, Nitrates, Phosphates,
Parasitic Worms Source: Sewage, manure,
Source: Human and animal waste agricultural and landscaping runoff
Oxygen-Demanding Waste Organic Chemicals
Organic debris & waste + aerobic Oil, Gasoline, Plastics, Pesticides,
bacteria Solvents, detergents
Source: Sewage, feedlots, paper- Sources: Industrial effluent,
mills, food processing Household cleansers, runoff from
farms and yards
Inorganic Chemicals
Acids, Metals, Salts Eroded Sediment
Sources: Surface runoff, Industrial Soil, Silt
effluent, household cleansers Heat/Thermal Pollution
Radioactive Materials Source: Power plants, Industrial
Iodine, radon, uranium, cesium,
thorium
Source: Coal & Nuclear Power plants,
mining, weapons production, natural
Pollution in Streams
Normal clean water organisms
Trash fish (trout, perch, bass,
Fish absent, mayfly, stonefly)
Trash fish fungi, (carp, gar,
Normal clean water organisms (carp, gar, sludge leeches) 8 ppm
Types of (trout, perch, bass, leeches) worms,
organisms mayfly, stonefly) bacteria
(anaerobic)
8 ppm
Dissolved
oxygen
(ppm)
Biological Clean Zone
oxygen
Recovery
demand
Septic Zone Zone
Decomposition
Clean Zone Zone
Benefits of Floodplains
Highly productive wetlands
Provide natural flood and erosion control
Maintain high water quality
Recharge groundwater
Fertile soils
Nearby rivers for use and recreation
Flatlands for urbanization and farming
Dangers of Floodplains and Floods
Deadly and destructive
Human activities worsen floods
Failing dams and water diversion
Bangladesh
Before and During a Flood in St.
Louis, Missouri
Flooding After Deforestation of a
Hillside
Forested Hillside
Oxygen
released by
vegetation
Diverse
ecological Evapotranspiration
habitat
Trees reduce soil
erosion from heavy
rain and wind
Agricultural
Steady land
river flow
Leaf litter Vegetation releases
improves water slowly and
soil fertility reduces flooding
Tree roots stabilize soil
and aid water flow
Flooding After Deforestation of a
Hillside
After Deforestation
Tree plantation
Evapotranspiration decreases
Roads
destabilize
hillsides Ranching accelerates soil
erosion by water and wind
Winds remove
fragile topsoil
Agriculture land
is flooded and
Gullies and silted up
landslides
Heavy rain leaches nutrients
from soil and erodes topsoil
Rapid runoff
Silt from erosion blocks rivers and causes flooding
reservoirs and causes flooding downstream
Reducing Flood Risks
Channelization
Levees (floodwalls)
Dams
Protect and restore wetlands
Identify and manage flood-prone areas
Precautionary approach
Lake Pollution
Dilution less effective than with streams
Stratification in lakes and relatively little flow hinder rapid dilution of
pollutants
Lakes more vulnerable to pollutants than streams
How pollutants enter lakes
Eutrophication: causes and effects
Oligotrophic and eutrophic lakes
Cultural eutrophication
Preventing or removing eutrophication
Oligotrophic and Eutrophic
Lakes
Groundwater Pollution: Causes
and Persistence
Sources of groundwater pollution
Slow flowing: slow dilution and dispersion
Consequences of lower dissolved oxygen
Fewer bacteria to decompose wastes
Cooler temperatures: slow down chemical reactions
Degradable and nondegradable wastes in groundwater
Groundwater Pollution
Polluted air
Hazardous
waste injection
Pesticides well
and fertilizers
Coal strip De-icing
road salt Buried gasoline
mine runoff and solvent tank
Pumping Gasoline station
well
Water Cesspool
Waste lagoon pumping well septic tank
Sewer
Landfill
Leakage
Accidental from faulty
spills casing
Discharge
Confined
aquifer
Groundwater
flow
Extent of Groundwater Pollution
Not much is known about groundwater pollution
Organic contaminants, including fuel leaks
Arsenic
Protecting groundwater: Prevention is best
Preventing and Cleaning Up
Pollution in Groundwater
Solutions
Groundwater Pollution
Prevention Cleanup
Find substitutes for toxic Pump to surface, clean,
chemicals and return to aquifer
Keep toxic chemicals out of the (very expensive)
environment
Install monitoring wells near
landfills and underground tanks Inject microorganisms to clean
up contamination (less
Require leak detectors on expensive but still costly)
underground tanks
Ban hazardous waste disposal Pump nanoparticles of
in landfills and injection wells inorganic compounds to
remove pollutants (may be the
Store harmful liquids in cheapest, easiest, and most
aboveground tanks with leak effective method but is still
detection and collection systems being developed)
Ocean Pollution
How much pollution can oceans tolerate?
Some pollutants degrade and dilute in oceans
Ocean dumping controversies
Coastal Water Pollution
Industry Cities Urban sprawl Construction sites
Nitrogen oxides from Toxic metals and Bacteria and viruses from sewers Sediments are washed into waterways,
autos and smokestacks; oil from streets and and septic tanks contaminate choking fish and plants, clouding
toxic parking lots pollute shellfish beds and close beaches; waters, and blocking sunlight.
chemicals, and heavy waters; sewage runoff of fertilization from lawns
metals in effluents flow adds nitrogen and adds nitrogen and phosphorus.
Farms
into bays and estuaries. phosphorus.
Run off of pesticides, manure,
and fertilizers adds toxins and
excess nitrogen and phosphorus.
Red tides
Closed Excess nitrogen causes
shellfish beds explosive growth of toxic
microscopic algae, poisoning
Closed fish and marine mammals.
beach Oxygen-depleted
zone
Toxic sediments
Chemicals and toxic metals
contaminate shellfish beds,
kill spawning fish, and
accumulate in the tissues
of bottom feeders.
Healthy zone
Clear, oxygen-rich waters
promote growth of plankton
Oxygen-depleted zone and sea grasses, and support fish.
Sedimentation and algae overgrowth reduce sunlight,
kill beneficial sea grasses, use up oxygen, and
degrade habitat.
Oxygen-depleted Water in
the Gulf of Mexico
Mississippi
River Basin
Ohio
River
Mississippi
Missouri River
River
LOUISIANA
Mississippi
River
Depleted Oxygen
Gulf of Mexico
Chesapeake Bay
Largest US estuary
Pollution sink
Oxygen depletion
Chesapeake Bay
Program
Effects of Oil on Ocean Life
Crude and refined Oil destroys insulation and
petroleum buoyancy
Tanker accidents and Heavy oil sinks and kills
blowouts bottom organisms
Exxon Valdez Coral reefs die
Volatile hydrocarbons kill Slow recovery
larvae
Oil slicks ruin beaches
Tar-like globs coat birds
and marine mammals Limited effectiveness of
clean up methods
Preventing and Cleaning Up
Pollution in Coastal Waters
Solutions
Coastal Water Pollution
Prevention Cleanup
Reduce input of toxic pollutants
Improve oil-spill cleanup
Separate sewage and capabilities
storm lines
Ban dumping of wastes and Sprinkle nanoparticles over an
sewage by maritime and cruise oil or sewage spill to dissolve
ships in coastal waters the oil or sewage without
Ban ocean dumping of sludge and creating harmful byproducts
hazardous dredged material (still under development)
Protect sensitive areas from
development, oil drilling, and oil Require at least secondary
shipping treatment of coastal sewage
Regulate coastal
development Use wetlands, solar-aquatic, or
Recycle used oil other methods to treat sewage
Require double hulls for oil tankers
Preventing Nonpoint Source
Pollution
Mostly agricultural wastes
Use vegetation to reduce soil erosion
Reduce fertilizer use
Use plant buffer zones around fields
Integrated pest management: Only use pesticides when necessary
Use plant buffers around animal feedlots
Keep feedlots away from slopes, surface water and flood zones
Laws for Reducing Point Source
Pollution
Clean Water Act
Water Quality Act
Sewage Treatment Systems
Sewage treatment in rural and suburban areas
Septic tanks
Primary (physical) sewage treatment
Secondary (biological) sewage treatment
Urban sewage treatment (Clean Water Act)
Sewage treatment facilities in many cities fail to meet federal
standards
Bleaching and disinfection
Disinfectants: chlorine, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation
Typical Septic Tank System
Septic tank with manhole
(for cleanout)
Household
wastewater Nonperforated pipe
Distribution box
(optional)
Gravel or Drain
crushed field
stone Vent pipe
Perforated pipe
Primary and Secondary Sewage
Treatment
Primary Secondary
Bar screen Grit chamber Chlorine
Settling tank Aeration tank Settling tank disinfection tank
To river,
lake,
Sludge or ocean
Activated sludge (kills
Raw sewage bacteria)
from sewers Air pump
Sludge
digester
Disposed of
in landfill or
ocean or
applied to
cropland,
Sludge drying bed
pasture, or
rangeland
Improving Sewage Treatment
Systems that exclude hazardous wastes
Non-hazardous substitutes
Composting toilet systems
Working with nature to treat sewage
Using wetlands to treat sewage
Ecological
Wastewater
Treatment
Burlington, VT
University of Vermont
Should the Clean Water Act be
Strengthened?
Yes: environmentalists libertarians,
manufacturers, and
developers
No: farmers,
State and local officials want more discretion
Drinking Water Quality
Purification of urban drinking water
Purification of drinking water in
developing countries
Bottled water
Solutions What Can You Do?
Water Pollution Water Pollution
Prevent groundwater contamination Fertilize your garden and yard plants
Greatly reduce nonpoint runoff with manure or compost instead of
commercial inorganic fertilizer.
Reuse treated wastewater for
Minimize your use of pesticides.
irrigation
Never apply fertilizer or pesticides near
Find substitutes for toxic pollutants a body of water.
Work with nature to treat sewage Grow or buy organic foods.
Practice four R's of resource use Compost your food wastes.
(refuse, reduce, recycle, reuse) Do not use water fresheners in toilets.
Reduce resource waste Do not flush unwanted medicines
down the toilet.
Reduce air pollution
Do not pour pesticides, paints,
Reduce poverty solvents, oil, antifreeze, or other
Reduce birth rates products containing harmful chemicals
down the drain or onto the ground.
