UNIT 5B – Water Pollution Review Cards
What is a Recharge zone?
An area of the Earth’s surface from which
water percolates down into an aquifer.
What is a Watershed?
The area of land that is drained by a river.
What is an Aquifer?
An underground formation that contains
groundwater
What is a Well?
A tunnel that lead to a groundwater source
(an aquifer) to extract the water.
What is a Water Table?
The level below which the ground is saturated
with water.
Describe the Aeration process?
is the process by which air is circulated
through, mixed with or dissolved in a liquid or
substance.
Describe the Filtration process?
Using filters to remove undesirable
constituents.
UNIT 5B – Water Pollution Review Cards
Addition of chlorine to water, to kill certain
microorganisms and to disinfect the water.
Describe the Chlorination process?
What is the meaning of the term
Potable?
What are Pathogens?
Safe to drink
Disease causing organisms such as bacteria,
viruses, protozoa and parasitic worms.
Describe the term point source
pollution?
-pollution discharged from a single, known
source.
-can be regulated by law
Describe the term non-point source
pollution?
Pollution that comes from many sources that
are often difficult to identify and regulate
(“people pollution)
What is Eutrophication?
What is Bioaccumulation?
The process of excessive fertilizer run-off
(nitrogen and phosphorus) into lakes and
rivers that causes algal bloom.
-The process of toxins building up in an
organism over time through absorption or
ingestion.
UNIT 5B – Water Pollution Review Cards
Describe the term Water Pollution?
Water pollution is the introduction of
chemical, physical or biological agents into
water that degrade water quality and
adversely affect the organisms that depend on
the water.
Give an example of organic
pollutants?
pesticides, fertilizers, plastics, detergents,
gasoline and oil, other petroleum based
materials.
Give an example of thermal
pollution?
is the degradation of water quality by any process
that changes ambient water temperature. A
common cause of thermal pollution is the use of
water as a coolant by power plants and industrial
manufacturers.
lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic.
Give an example of heavy metals?
What is Biomagnifications?
The increase in concentration of a toxin as it
moves up the food chain
Give an example of inorganic
pollutants
acids, bases, salts, and industrial chemicals
Describe the term “riparian
buffer zone”
Having native vegetation near streams and
rivers catches sediments and nutrients (N&P)
before they reach the water.
UNIT 5B – Water Pollution Review Cards
Describe the term Remediation
The process of cleaning up pollution
What is in situ remediation?
cleans up contaminated soils and groundwater
without removing any materials
-minimal disturbance
What is ex situ remediation?
removes contaminated materials from the site
to be either:
-Dumped in a secure, off –site location
-cleaned and replaced in original location
Describe the term “storm water
management”
What is wastewater?
wastewater treatment (Primary
Treatment)
wastewater treatment (Secondary
Treatment)
wastewater treatment (Tertiary
Treatment)
Storm water from towns and cities is managed
in the WWTP (waste water treatment plant)
together with the wastewater sewers.
Water that contains waste from homes or
industries.
primary (Filtration and first settling tank)
Secondary (aeration tank ; second settling
tank; chlorination)
Tertiary (remove nutrients (N & P), odor and
other pathogens by using UV light, Ozone or
more chlorine)
UNIT 5B – Water Pollution Review Cards
During what step of the WWTP do we
add aerobic bacteria and why?
Describe the term “Sludge”
Describe the term “contamination
plume”
When does a Combined Sewer
Overflow (CSO) occur?
What is a skimmer?
What is a Boom?
What are chemical dispersants?
Describe the function of septic
systems?
Aerobic Bacteria (together with oxygen) are
added during the secondary treatment of
WWTP in order to break down waste
biologically.
It is one of the products of wastewater
treatment, particularly the solid material that
remains after the treatment.
a continuous emission from a point source
that has a starting point and observable
pathway
In old cities and towns, storm water and
wastewater sewers are connected- all go to
WWTP. During heavy rainstorm, WWTP can’t
handle the extra load of wastewater and it
overflows in rivers and streets.
It is a mechanical method of cleaning oil spill.
The skimmer sucks up surface oil, pumps it
into storage card.
It is a mechanical method of cleaning oil spill.
Inflated booms collect and absorb oil and
move the oil towards the skimmer.
It represents a chemical cleanup method that
involves coagulants and dispersing agents.
Residential wastewater flows into buried tank
on the property (in rural areas)
The sludge settles in tank, the liquids are
distributed by pipe network in soil called the
“drain field”
UNIT 5B – Water Pollution Review Cards
Describe the function of Safe Drinking
Water Act?
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is the
main federal law that ensures the quality of
Americans' drinking water.
Describe the function of CERCLA
(Superfund Act)?
is a United States federal law designed to
clean up sites contaminated with hazardous
substances as well as
broadly define "pollutants or contaminants".
Describe the function of Oil Pollution
Act
-This act attempts to protect U.S.
waterways from oil pollution by
requiring the oil tankers to be
double-hulled by 2015.
Describe the function of NPDES
permits
Point sources may not discharge pollutants
to surface waters without a permit from the
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES). This system is managed
by the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) in partnership with
state environmental agencies.
Describe the function of Clean Water
Act
What is the function of the settling
tank?
Differentiate between point source and nonpoint source pollution?
the purpose of this act was to restore and
maintain the chemical, physical and
biological integrity of the nation’s waters.
There are 2 settling tanks involved in WWTP.
Inside the tanks, solid settles and is removed
as sludge.

Point source pollution: pollution
discharged from a single, known source
that can be regulated by law

Non-Point source pollution: Many sources;
difficult to identify; difficult to regulate
UNIT 5B – Water Pollution Review Cards
Identify examples of point source pollution
Identify examples of non-point source
pollution
Describe how land use can affect the water
supply (ground or surface)
point source pollution: discharge from
pipe; leak at chemical plant or storage
tank; oil spill (BP 2010)
Non-point source: pesticides, fertilizers,
animal waste, road salt, litter, sediment
runoff, oil and gasoline
-Agriculture- excess fertilizers, pesticides,
sediment, wastewater runoff
-Industry- point source discharges, thermal
pollution from power plants
-Residential- non-point (fertilizers, pesticides, oils,
salt, septic tanks, litter)
bacteria, viruses, protazoa
Provide an example of Pathogens
animal manure, food wastes
Provide an example of Organic Matter
pesticides, detergents, oil-based products
Provide an example of Organic chemicals
acids, bases, salts, industrial chemicals
Provide an example of Inorganic chemicals
UNIT 5B – Water Pollution Review Cards
mercury, lead, cadmium
Provide an example of heavy metals
Provide an example of Physical agents
Identify the process and purposes of
Filtration in WWTP
Identify the process and purposes of “First
Settling Tank” in WWTP
heat (temperature), suspended solids (clay,
silt)
Primary Treatment
Filtration- water passed through filter to
remove solid objects
Primary Treatment
First Settling Tank- similar to sedimentation
process; solids settle to bottom (sludge) and is
later removed
Secondary Treatment
Identify the process and purposes of
“Aeration Tank” in WWTP
Aeration Tank- bacteria and oxygen is added;
bacteria break down wastes
Secondary Treatment
Identify the process and purposes of
“Second Settling Tank” in WWTP
Second Settling Tank- sedimentation, round 2;
bacteria and solids settle to bottom as sludge
and later removed
Secondary Treatment
Identify the process and purposes of
“Chlorination” in WWTP
Identify the process and purposes of
Tertiary Treatment in WWTP?
Chlorination- chlorine added to disinfect water
before being released into stream, lake, or
ocean
To remove anything that wasn’t removed
by the primary and secondary treatments
such as: remove nitrogen and phosphorus,
remove odor and other pathogens by
adding UV light, Ozone and more chlorine.
UNIT 5B – Water Pollution Review Cards
PRIMARY
Identify the steps involved in the
Primary Treatment of wastewater
treatment plant
-Filtration
-First Settling Tank
SECONDRY
Identify the steps involved in the
Secondary Treatment of wastewater
treatment plant

Compare and contrast wastewater
treatment plant (WWTP) and drinking
water treatment plant(DWTP)
Explain how a septic system works
Identify how groundwater pollution is
remediated “in- situ”?
Identify how groundwater pollution is
remediated “ex-situ”?




Aeration Tank

Second Settling Tank

Chlorination
Both WWTP and Drinking Water Treatment Plant
have filtration, settling (sedimentation), aeration
(oxygen added) and chlorination (addition of
chlorine)
WWTP has formation of sludge in both settling
tanks
DWT has formation of flocs during sedimentation
WWTP has addition of aerobic bacteria and oxygen
during Aeration. DWTP has addition to oxygen only
-Residential wastewater flows into buried tank on
property.
- Solids settle in the septic tank (in the form of
sludge)
-Liquids are distributed throughout pipe network in
soil called the “drain field.”
-Soil bacteria break down liquid waste and purify
water naturally before it re-enters the aquifer.
-The sludge gets removed periodically from the
septic tank.
In situ remediation- cleans up contaminated soils
and groundwater without removing any materials;
minimal disturbance
Ex situ remediation- removes contaminated
material from the site to be either:
-Dumped in a secure, off-site location (ex: landfill)
-Cleaned and then replaced in original location
UNIT 5B – Water Pollution Review Cards
Identify the main goal of the following
environmental law:
“Clean Water Act”
Identify the main goal of the following
environmental law:
“Safe Drinking Water Act”
Identify the main goal of the following
environmental law:
“CERCLA”
Identify the main goal of the following
environmental law:
“Oil Pollution Act”
Describe how point source pollution is
regulated in the U.S.
Describe how non-point source
pollution is regulated in the U.S.
a national goal to make all surface water fit
for fishing and swimming by 1983 and banned
pollutant discharge into surface water by 1985
is the main federal law that ensures the
quality of Americans' drinking water.
designed to clean up sites contaminated
with hazardous substances as well as
broadly define "pollutants or contaminants".
-This act attempts to protect U.S.
waterways from oil pollution by
requiring the oil tankers to be doublehulled by 2015.

Industrial discharges are regulated by the NJ
Dept. of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) or
EPA

Monitored discharges

Cannot exceed certain limits on pollution

Once source is identified, we know who to
blame

Fines imposed

More difficult to monitor/regulate
because we don’t know the source

Watershed Management, Education,
Outreach

Impose Restrictions, Fines, Penalties
-Silt fences for construction sites
-Fines for littering, pet waste, illegal dumping
-Farms have laws to regulate livestock waste