Water Pollution & Treatment

Water Pollution & Treatment
Pollution can affect both surface waters
?
and groundwater

Water Pollution & Treatment
Pollution can come from either a point source or a non-point source
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
Agricultural fields
Road salt

Water Pollution & Treatment
Common sources of groundwater pollution
Damage depends on:
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Nature of pollutant
Quantity added
Duration of addition
Area affected
Residence time
Reservoir size
Permeability


Flow/plumes
Flushing to clean

Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
1) Decay of Organic Matter


Consumes O
2
(usually)
BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) = a measure of bacterial activity (in mg O
2
/liter of water consumed in 5 days at 20 o C)
 1/3 of all BOD in USA is from agriculture

Water Pollution & Treatment
The relationship between BOD and O
2

Water Pollution & Treatment
2) Pathogenic organisms
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Microbes that cause disease
US: human fecal coliform bacteria

EPA: safe drinking water < 2 E. Coli /cup
USA treats sewage, separates it from drinking water, and chlorinates drinking water

Water Pollution & Treatment
1854 London cholera outbreak

Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
3) Nutrients
 P, N from fertilizers, detergents, sewage (even if treated)

Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
3) Nutrients

Water Pollution & Treatment
A typical pollution plume from a point source
(Otis AFB, MA. 1984)
Groundwater flow direction

Water Pollution & Treatment
High nutrients
 eutrophication: plant (usually algae) blooms which can

O
2 depletion
Lake Tahoe
Algal mats accumulate on bottom, resulting in prolonged effects

Water Pollution & Treatment
Also see in marine seaweed and coral-killing algae

Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
4) Oil spills
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
Santa Barbara 1950s offshore well leaks, again in
Mexican Gulf in 70’s
Tanker spills: Exxon Valdez, & numerous others
War: Persian Gulf

Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
4) Oil spills On land too:
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
Russia 1994: 50,000,000 gal. from corroded pipeline
Alaskan pipeline has had several minor ones so far
~ 60% of US car owners change their own oil
~
180,000,000 gal (16 x Exxon
Valdez) poured down storm drains
 streams
What can you do?

Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
5) Toxic substances

Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
5) Toxic substances
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
Hazardous chemicals, radwaste, heavy metals (Pb,
Hg, Zn, Cd)
Much gets into our food chain

Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
5) Toxic substances

Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
5) Toxic substances: surface disposal sites: 1991

EPA Drinking Water Standards, 1989
Contaminant Health Effects
Max. Permissable
Amount (ppm)
Microbiological
Colliform
Bacteria
Not necessarily disease-producing, but may indicate other organisms that cause gastric infections
1/100 ml
Sources
Human and animal feces
Turbidity Interferes with digestion 1-5 turbidity units Erosion, runoff, and sediment discharges
Inorganic Chemicals
Arsenic
Barium
Skin and nervous system toxicity, possible cancer risk.
Cardiac, gastrointestinal, and neuromuscular effects.
Kidney effects, hypertension, anemia, liver.
Cadmium
Chromium Liver, kidney effects.
Lead
Mercury
Nervous system, kidneys. Highly toxic to infants and pregnant women. Brain damage.
Nervous system, kidneys.
0.05
1
0.01
0.05
0.015
0.002
Pesticides, industrial wastes, smelter operations, rocks
Coal-fired power plants, automotive paints, specialty compounds in bricks-tiles-jet fuel.
Mining, smelting, fossil fuel use, fertilizers, sewage.
Abandoned mines, electroplating, rocks.
N - Nitrate
Silenium
Silver
Fluoride
“Blue-baby syndrome”- asphyxia, cancer risk.
Gastrointestinal effects.
Skin discoloration.
Skeletal damage.
10
0.01
0.05
4
Lead pipes and solder joints, paint, airborne Pb from gasoline combustion.
Manufacture of paint, paper, vinly chloride. Used in fungicides. Rock and hydrothermal areas.
Fertilizer, sewage, feedlots, rocks.
Coal burning, mining, smelting, selenium refining, glass manufacture, fuel oil, combustion, rocks.
Mining and processing, rocks.
Additive to drinking water, toothpaste, processed food

EPA Drinking Water Standards, 1989
Contaminant Health Effects
Max. Permissable
Amount (ppm)
Organic Chemicals
Endrin
Lindane
Nervous system, kidney effects.
Nervous system, kidneys, carcinogen.
0.0002
0.0004
Sources
Insecticide: cotton, grains, orchards - illegal in US
Insecticide: seeds and soil, foliage, wood.
Methoxychlor
2, 4-D
Nervous ssytem, kidney effects.
Liver-kidney effects.
0.01
0.01
Insecticide: fruits and vegetables.
Herbicides in agriculture, forestry, pastures, aquatic.
2, 4, 5-TP Silvex
Toxaphane
Benzene
Carbon Tetra-Cl p-Dichlorobenzene
Liver-kidney effects
Carcinogen.
Carcinogen.
Possible carcinogen.
Possible carcinogen.
0.01
0.0005
0.005
0.005
0.075
Herbicide: cancelled in 1984.
Insecticide: cotton, corn, grains.
Fuel tanks, solvents, manufacture of chemicals and pharmaceuticals, pesticides, paints, plastics.
Common cleaning agent. Coolant manufacture.
Insecticides, moth balls, air deoderizers.
1, 2-Dichloroethane
1, 2-Dichloroethelyne
Possible carcinogen.
Liver-kidney effects.
1, 1, 1-Trichloroethane Nervous system effects.
Trichloroethane Possible carcinogen.
Vinyl Chloride Carcinogen.
0.005
0.007
0.2
0.005
0.002
Manufacture of insecticides.
Manufacture of plastics, dyes, perfume, paint.
Manufacture of food wrappings, synthetic fibers.
Dry-cleaning materials. Manufacture of pesticides, paints, waxes, varnishws, paint stripper, degreaser.
PVC pipes and solvents used to join them. Industrial waste from manufacture of plastics and syn-rubber.

EPA Drinking Water Standards, 1989
Contaminant Health Effects
Max. Permissable
Amount (ppm)
Organic Chemicals
Chloroform and other trialomethanes
Radioactive Materials
Gross alpha particle
Carcinogens.
Carcinogens.
0.01
15 x 10 -9 curies/liter
Sources
Created when surface water containing organic wastes is treated with chlorine.
Radioactive waste, uranium deposits.
Gross beta particle
Radium 226 and 228
Carcinogens.
Carcinogens.
4 mrem/yr
5 x 10 -9 curies/liter
Radioactive waste, uranium deposits.
Radioactive waste, rocks.
Pollution sources:
• US Gov’t
(secret, but military

> 1 million lbs/yr)
• Chemical plants and oil refineries
•
Sanitary landfills
•
Pesticides
• Sewage and septic systems
• Radioactive waste
•
Petroleum waste
•
Acid mine drainage

EPA Drinking Water
Standards, 1989
Pollution sources:
•
Mineral processing
•
Farm animal waste
• Feed lots
• Fertilizers
•
Pulp mills
•
Roadway salt
•
Cemetaries (even musicians decompose)

Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
5) Toxic substances
 Biological Magnification

Water pollutants:
6) Salt water intrusion
 Subject to both salt water intrusion at depth and shallow pollution
7) Sediment pollution
(covered before)

Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
8) Thermal pollution

Water Pollution & Treatment
Groundwater Treatment
Methods of treatment:

Water Pollution & Treatment
Wastewater Treatment
 Rural method = septic systems septic tank: solids settle out biological “curtain”

Water Pollution & Treatment
Wastewater Treatment usually all that is required
Removes 30-40% of pollutants
~ 90% of pollutants removed
Doesn’t remove N, P, heavy metals, pesticides…
Cl or O
3
Aerobic bacteria breaks down most of remaining organics
Anaerobic bacteria that hits sludge
…or recycled if
 irrigation
 soil (filter)
 intake again
I’d say many towns are recycling without knowing it!
chemical treatment and filters

95% clean (lot of work & $ for the final 5%)

Water Pollution & Treatment
State Water Laws
Surface waters:
 Riparian Doctrine
(mostly in East…pre-1850 law)
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Right to use water (not own it) goes to land owner adjoining stream, lake…
Right to reasonable use (?), but must return to stream before it leaves property
A property owner has the right to receive flow undiminished in quantity and quality but cannot diminish either for those downstream either (tough to interpret!)

Water Pollution & Treatment
State Water Laws
Surface waters:
Prior Appropriation Doctrine more common in West
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First person to divert and use has the primary water right
(and it may be passed on)
Right to use water is separate from other property rights
Some states have regulations on how used and primacy:
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1983 California Supreme Court decision over Mono Lake diversions

LA
Public Trust Doctrine in which state must protect common heritage such as lakes, wetlands…
Decided LA must curtail some of use of diverted water (Prior
Appropriation)

Water Pollution & Treatment
State Water Laws
Groundwater:
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Absolute Ownership Doctrine
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Landowners can pump as much as they like (works ~ OK in wet climates like East)
Reasonable Use Doctrine (or American Rule )
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Amount of groundwater withdrawn based on reasonable use for aquifer and application
Problems with what is reasonable and managed by permits
(control?)

Water Pollution & Treatment
State Water Laws
Groundwater:
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Correlative Rights Doctrine (California)
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Like absolute rights, but divides between all landowners in area sharing resource
Requires determination of safe yield for aquifer
Prior Appropriation Doctrine
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As in surface waters adopted by many states in West

Water Pollution & Treatment
Federal Water Laws
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Refuse Act of 1899
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Can’t discharge refuse into streams ( except streets and sewers )
Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1956
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958
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Water resource projects must coordinate with U.S. Fish & Wildlife
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969
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Requires EIS
Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970
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Expanded 1956 Act to include oil and hazardous pollution
Generated R&D funds for mine drainage and Great Lakes

Water Pollution & Treatment
Federal Water Laws
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Clean Water Act of 1972
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Clean up nation’s waters
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Funds for sewage treatment and technology
Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980
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Established Superfund to clean up hazardous waste sites
Hazardous Solid Waste Amendments of the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act of 1984
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Regulates underground storage tanks
Water Quality Act of 1987
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Established policy & control of non-point sources of pollution