Water Resources
PRESTON HIGH SCHOOL
Objectives
 Introduction
 Water Resources
 Case Study: Walkerton Crisis
 Conclusions
Water Cycle
Why Study the Water Cycle?
What is Hydrogeology?
 Study of the part of hydrology that deals with the
occurrence, movement, and the quality of water
beneath the Earth’s surface
“All streams run to the sea
but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they flow again”
Ecclesiastes 1:7
What is groundwater?
 Groundwater – a major link in the hydrologic cycle
 Found underground in the spaces between particles
of rock and soil, or in the crevices and cracks in rock
– Aquifers
 Always on the move!
 Over 6 million Canadians rely on groundwater
 Use of groundwater varies by Province
Groundwater Consumption
Percentage of population reliant on groundwater
Canada
26%
Yukon
63%
Northwest Territories
1%
British Columbia
22%
Alberta
27%
Saskatchewan
45%
Manitoba
24%
Ontario
24%
Quebec
22%
New Brunswick
64%
Nova Scotia
50%
Prince Edward Island
100%
Newfoundland
29%
Agriculture
Industry
Municipalities
Groundwater Quality
 Naturally contains various constituents
 Chemical nature of water continually evolves
through the hydrologic cycle
 Matter of taste, odour and clarity – popularity of
bottled water!
 For other uses different properties may be more
important:

Industry  water must not be corrosive, types of suspended
solids
Capture Zone
Aquifers
Saline
Intrusion
Quest for Groundwater!
 Exploration Stage – Search for a suitable aquifer
 Evaluation – Design & analysis of groundwater
wells, use of groundwater modeling
 Exploitation – Optimal development
Point and Non-Point Pollution
 A point source is a single, identifiable source of pollution,
such as a pipe or a drain. Industrial wastes are commonly
discharged to rivers and the sea in this way.
 Non-point sources of pollution are often termed ‘diffuse’
pollution and refer to those inputs and impacts which occur
over a wide area and are not easily attributed to a single
source. They are often associated with particular land uses,
as opposed to individual point source discharges.
Point and Non-Point Pollution
Groundwater Contamination
Point sources
Non-point sources
On-site septic systems
Fertilizers on agricultural
lands
Leaky tanks/pipelines
Municipal landfills
Leaky sewer lines
Graveyards
Road salt from roads
Livestock waste
Pesticides
Contaminants in rain,
snow, and dry
atmospheric
Urban Non Point
Sources of
Pollution
Point Source
Non-Point Source
How does
the water
get to my
faucet?
Case Study: Walkerton Water
Crisis
Walkerton Crisis
 E. coli outbreak occurred in May 2000
 7 people died and 100’s ill
 Cause: contamination of a well not adequately
chlorinated, from manure runoff from nearby
commercial cattle farms
 Human error resulted in lost lives, lost health, lost
productivity, and loss of public trust
 Ontario Ministry of the Environment has embarked
on a series of legislative initiatives to safe drinking
water
Conclusions
 Justice O’Connor’s “Report on the Walkerton





Inquiry” (http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/about/pubs/walkerton/)
Need to invest in state of the art water delivery system
Push for Source Water Protection in all the
Conservation Authorities in Ontario
Improved, more sensitive tools and methods to
monitor microbial risks to surface and groundwater
Measures to detect, treat, and respond to multiple
contaminants
All levels of government should coordinate action
plans to fully protect water sources
Water Legislation
 Environmental Protection Act
 Environmental Bill of Rights Act
 Ontario Water Resources Act (1990)
 Safe Drinking Water Act (2002)
 Nutrient Management Act (2002)
 Drinking Water Source Protection Act (2004)
Overview
 Water Cycle and its interconnection with the
environment
 Looked at hydrogeology and how we explore and
exploit our water resources
 Discuss the various issues dealing with groundwater
 Concluded with the case study of the Walkerton
tragedy
A flood of Pigs- Environmental Science p . 448
 Describe the damage of Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Provide 3
examples
 What is dinoflagellate Pfiesteria? Why is it so dangerous?
What is Water Pollution? P. 448 -450
 Provide examples of point sources and non – point sources
within the text
 What is atmospheric deposition? In terms of finding the
sources, why is this difficult?
For further thinking –
Do you think that water pollution is worse now than it was in
the past? What considerations go into a judgement like
this? How do you personal experiences influence your
opinion?