Water, water everywhere…

and not a drop to drink

Unit 13: Water Quality Unit 13: Water Quality and Conservationand Conservation

11

Supply of Water ResourcesSupply of Water Resources

Fig. 15-2 p. 307Fig. 15-2 p. 307

FreshwaterFreshwater Readily accessible freshwaterReadily accessible freshwater

Biota0.0001%

Biota0.0001%

Rivers0.0001%Rivers

0.0001%

Atmosphericwater vapor

0.0001%

Atmosphericwater vapor

0.0001%

Lakes0.0007%

Soilmoisture0.0005%

Groundwater0.592%

Groundwater0.592%

Ice capsand glaciers

0.592%

0.014%0.014%

22

Use of Water ResourcesUse of Water Resources

Humans use about 54% of reliable runoff Humans use about 54% of reliable runoff

Agriculture Agriculture

Industry Industry

Domestic Domestic

Power plants Power plants

Fig. 15-4 p. 309Fig. 15-4 p. 309

United States

Industry 11%

Public 10%

Powercooling

38%

Agriculture38%

33

Evaporation and transpiration

Evaporation

Stream

Infiltration

Water tableInfiltration

Unconfined aquifer

Confined aquifer

Lake

Well requiring a pump

Flowingartesian well

Runoff

Precipitation

ConfinedRecharge Area

Aquifer

Less permeable materialsuch as clay Confirming permeable rock layer

Ground WaterGround Water

Fig. 15-3 p. 308

44

Water ResourcesWater Resources

• Over the last century– Human population has increased 3x– Global water withdrawal has increased 7x– Per capita water withdrawal has increased 4x

– About one-sixth of the world’s people don’t have easy access to safe water

– Most water resources are owned by governments and are managed as publicly owned resources

55

Too Little WaterToo Little Water

Dry climateDry climate

Drought Drought

DesiccationDesiccation

Water stressWater stress

Acute shortage

Adequate supply

Shortage

Metropolitan regions with population greater than 1 million

Fig. 15-6 p. 310Fig. 15-6 p. 310

66

Human water needsHuman water needs

• A person needs about 1 gallon water/day for hydration

• In the US each person uses about 188 gallons/day• An additional 657 gallons/person/day are used for

irrigation, industrial use. • Total per capita use is about 2000 gal/person/day• If world’s water supply were 100 liters, the usable

supply would be about 0.5 tsp• US has highest per capita water withdrawal, followed

by Canada, Australia, Russia, Japan

77

Problems with Using GroundwaterProblems with Using Groundwater

Water table loweringWater table lowering

DepletionDepletion

SubsidenceSubsidence

Saltwater intrusionSaltwater intrusion

Chemical contaminationChemical contamination

Reduced stream flowsReduced stream flows88

Groundwater Pollution Groundwater Pollution

• >70,000 chemicals are used; effects of many are not known

• Each year another 700-800 new chemicals are produced

• 55 million tons of hazardous chemical wastes are produced in the US each year

• The 20 most abundant compounds in groundwater at industrial waste disposal sites include TCE, benzene, vinyl chloride…all are carcinogens, and also affect liver, brain, and nervous system

99

Kinds of Water PollutionKinds of Water Pollution• Inorganic Pollutants

– Non carbon based chemicals• Lead in gasoline, nitrogen in fertilizer

• Organic Pollutants– Carbon based

• Pesticides and herbicides

• Biologic Pollutants– Waste products, decaying matter, organisms

• E. coli from animal (including human) waste

1010

Case Study: The Great LakesCase Study: The Great Lakes

1616

Scale of Biologic Contaminant ProblemScale of Biologic Contaminant Problem

• Major cause of infant deaths in third world

• Diarrhea kills 4-15 million children/year

• Bacteria, viruses, parasites

3131

Monitoring water qualityMonitoring water quality

• Number of colonies of fecal coliform bacteria

• Bacterial source tracking (BST)

• Measure biological oxygen demand (BOD)

• Total suspended sediment (TSS)

• Chemical analysis

• Indicator species

• Genetic development of indicator organisms

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Federal Water LegislationFederal Water Legislation

• Refuse Act of 1899Refuse Act of 1899Refuse only into ‘navigable water’Refuse only into ‘navigable water’

• Federal Water and Pollution Control Act of Federal Water and Pollution Control Act of 19561956

• Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958consider wildlife in water projectsconsider wildlife in water projects

• National Environmental Policy Act of 1969National Environmental Policy Act of 1969require environmental impact statementsrequire environmental impact statements

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Legislation, continuedLegislation, continued

• Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970--control of oil pollution; work to eliminate --control of oil pollution; work to eliminate acid mine drainage, pollution of Great Lakesacid mine drainage, pollution of Great Lakes

• CLEAN WATER ACT OF 1972CLEAN WATER ACT OF 1972--billions of $ to clean up nation’s waters; --billions of $ to clean up nation’s waters; modern sewage treatment plants—huge affectmodern sewage treatment plants—huge affect

• Comprehensive Environmental Response, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980---superfund!---superfund!

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More legislationMore legislation

• Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments to Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments to CERCLA of 1984CERCLA of 1984--regulates underground storage tanks--regulates underground storage tanks

• Water Quality Act of 1987Water Quality Act of 1987--national policy for controllling nonpoint --national policy for controllling nonpoint sources of water pollutionsources of water pollution

• Safe Drinking Water Act of 1996Safe Drinking Water Act of 1996--risk-based water quality standards, consumer --risk-based water quality standards, consumer awarenessawareness

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Love CanalLove Canal

• Landfill near Niagara Falls, NY• Hooker Chemicals and Plastics Corporation put

wastes in abandoned canal, covered it, deeded 16 acres to Niagara Falls Board of Education in 1953.

• Elementary school built on site; houses built around school

• 1976—chemicals leaking into basements• Env emergency declared in 1978• State and federal gov’ts bought >500 contaminated

houses in 1980; 1989 people began to return

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Types, Effects and Sources of Water PollutionTypes, Effects and Sources of Water Pollution

Point sourcesPoint sources

Nonpoint sourcesNonpoint sources

Water qualityWater qualityFig. 22-3 p. 494Fig. 22-3 p. 494

3838

Point and Nonpoint SourcesPoint and Nonpoint Sources

NONPOINT SOURCES

Urban streets

Suburban development

Wastewater treatment plant

Rural homes

Cropland

Factory

Animal feedlot

POINT SOURCES

Fig. 22-4 p. 494

3939

Point source vs non-point source pollution; developed vs non-developed

Developing countries: half of world’s 500 major rivers are heavily polluted

4141

MississippiRiver Basin

MissouriRiver

OhioRiver

MississippiRiver

LOUISIANAMississippi

River

Depleted

Oxygen

Gulf of Mexico 4242

Solutions: Preventing and Reducing Surface Water PollutionSolutions: Preventing and Reducing Surface Water Pollution

Nonpoint SourcesNonpoint Sources Point SourcesPoint Sources

Reduce runoffReduce runoff

Buffer zone vegetation

Buffer zone vegetation

Reduce soil erosionReduce soil erosion

Clean Water ActClean Water Act

Water Quality ActWater Quality Act

4343

Pollution of LakesPollution of Lakes

Eutrophication Eutrophication

Fig. 22-7 p. 499

4444

Groundwater Pollution: ResultsGroundwater Pollution: Results

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

Fig. 22-9 p. 502

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Groundwater Pollution PreventionGroundwater Pollution Prevention

Monitor aquifers Monitor aquifers

Leak detection systems Leak detection systems

Strictly regulating hazardous waste disposal Strictly regulating hazardous waste disposal

Store hazardous materials above ground Store hazardous materials above ground

Find less hazardous substitutes Find less hazardous substitutes

4646

Ocean PollutionOcean Pollution

Fig. 22-11 p. 504

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Dumping wastes in the oceansDumping wastes in the oceans

• Dumping industrial wastes off US coasts has stopped, but dredge products are legally dumped at 110 sites in Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf Coasts

• US has banned dumping sewage sludge in ocean since 1992

• 50 countries rep ~80% of world’s shipping fleet have agreed not to dump sewage and garbage

• London Dumping Convention of 1972; 1994

5050

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

5151

Oil Pollution in the OceansOil Pollution in the Oceans

• Oil Pollution Act of 1990

• Only about 15% of an oil spill can now be recovered

• Crude oil—3 years to remove

• Refined oil– 10-20 years

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Exxon ValdezExxon Valdez

• 1989; contaminated about 1500 km of coastline; Prince William Sound

• $8 billion cost to Exxon

• 2006—17 years later, still toxic patches of oil along some parts of shoreline

• Still—largest source of oil pollution is runoff from land!

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Prevention Cleanup

Ban dumping of wastes and sewage by maritime and cruise ships in coastal waters

Reduce input of toxic pollutants

Separate sewage and storm lines

Regulate coastal development

Recycle used oil

Require double hulls for oil tankers

Require at least secondary treatment of coastal sewage

Use wetlands, solar-aquatic, orother methods to treat sewage

Sprinkle nanoparticles over an oil or sewage spill to dissolve the oil or sewage without creating harmful byproducts(still under development)

Protect sensitive areas from development, oil drilling, and oil shipping

Ban ocean dumping of sludge and hazardous dredged material

Improve oil-spill cleanup capabilities

SolutionsCoastal Water Pollution

5454

Technological Approach: Septic SystemsTechnological Approach: Septic Systems

Require suitable soils and maintenanceRequire suitable soils and maintenance

Fig. 22-15 p. 510

5757

Sewage TreatmentSewage Treatment

Physical and biological treatmentPhysical and biological treatmentFig. 22-16 p. 511

5858

Advanced (Tertiary) Sewage TreatmentAdvanced (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

5959

Technological Approach: Using Wetlands to Treat SewageTechnological Approach: Using Wetlands to Treat Sewage

Fig. 22-18 p. 513

6060

Ask me about my research projectAsk me about my research project

6161

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

6262

Solutions

Water Pollution

•Prevent groundwater contamination

•Greatly reduce nonpoint runoff

•Reuse treated wastewater for irrigation

•Find substitutes for toxic pollutants

•Work with nature to treat sewage

•Practice four R's of resource use (refuse,

reduce, recycle, reuse)

•Reduce resource waste

•Reduce air pollution

•Reduce poverty

•Reduce birth rates

6363

WetlandsHome to ~33% of nation’s threatened and endangered species

Statistics— 50% loss since 1900 in US; cities on filled wetlands; rising sea level

Mitigation banking—Nat’l Academy: ~half of attempts to build a wetland fail.

More than 500 wetland restoration banks in US

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Virtues of WetlandsVirtues of Wetlands

• Home to wildlife and flora

• Flood protection

• Cycling and storage of chemical and biological substances

• Found at heads of rivers

• Remove toxins from sewage

6565

Protecting, Sustaining, and Restoring WetlandsProtecting, Sustaining, and Restoring Wetlands

Regulations Regulations

Mitigation bankingMitigation banking

Wetlands protectionWetlands protection

Wetlands restorationWetlands restoration

Control of invasive species

Control of invasive species

7070

• Thank you to www.geo.umass.edu/faculty/seaman/EnvGeol/nov8powerpoint.ppt for the power point

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