Water Pollution
G. Tyler Miller’s
Living in the Environment
13th Edition
Chapter 19
Dr. Richard Clements
Chattanooga State Technical Community College
Key Concepts
 Types, sources, and effects of water pollutants
 Major pollution problems of surface water
 Major pollution problems of groundwater
 Reduction and prevention of water pollution
 Drinking water quality
Types and Sources of Water
Pollution
Point sources
Nonpoint sources
Biological oxygen
demand
Water quality
Fig. 19-3 p. 485
Refer to Tables 19-1 and
19-2 p. 484 and 485
Point and Nonpoint Sources
NONPOINT SOURCES
Fig. 19-4
p. 486
Rural homes
Cropland
Urban streets
Animal feedlot
Suburban
development
POINT
SOURCES
Wastewater
treatment
plant
Factory
Pollution of Streams
 Oxygen sag curve  Factors influencing recovery
Fig. 19-5 p. 488
Key Actors and Organizations
Impacts of Hog Farms in NC
Smithfield:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/12840743/p
orks_dirty_secret_the_nations_top_hog_producer_is_
also_one_of_americas_worst_polluters
NC Cleanup:
http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=68
Study after Hurricane Floyd:
http://www.rwjf.org/reports/grr/038787.htm
Key Actors and Organizations
Pork Producers
Political Actors
Local Organizations
1-Smithfield Foods Inc.(Antiregulation)
1-Senator Lauch Faircloth (Antiregulation)
1-Alliance for Responsible Swine 1-North Carolina State at Raleigh
Industry (Pro-regulation)
(Neutral)
2-Prestage Farms
2-State Representative John
Nichols (Anti-regulation)
2-Halifax Environmental Loss
Prevention (Pro-regulation)
2- University of North Carolina
(Neutral)
3-Carroll's Foods
3-Governor Jim Hunt (Antiregulation)
3-Neuse River Foundation (Proregulation)
3-Duke University (Neutral)
4-Goldsboro Milling
4-Former Senator Wendell Murphy 4-Institute for Southern Studies
(Anti-regulation)
(Pro-regulation)
5-Murphy Family Farms
5-State Representative Howard J.
Hunter (Pro-regulation)
6-N.C. Pork Producers Association
6-N.C. Board of Agriculture (Antiregulation, maintaining Neutrality)
5-Land Loss Prevention Fund (Proregulation)
Universities and Media
4-News and Observer (Proregulation)
Pollution of Lakes
 Eutrophication
 Slow
turnover
Thermal
stratification
Fig. 19-7 p. 491
Eutrophication
• Excess nutrients in the
water cause explosive plant
growth
• When many plants die, they produce a
toxin (red algae)
• Decaying plants also reduce the amount
of oxygen in the water
• Plant growth (like algae) can suffocate
other life in a lake or pond.
• Gulf of
Mexico
Case Study: The Great Lakes
Fig. 19-8
p. 492
Effects of Agricultural NonPoint Source Pollution on
Early Fish Development
My Research
• Purpose: To determine if agricultural nonpoint source pollution was the cause for a
decline in fish populations immediately near
farms.
• Research: Fish embryo development is a very
sensitive test and was a good match
• Hypothesis: Excess nutrients
(nitrates/phosphates) in runoff would
delay/stop development
Continued
• Experiment:
–
–
–
–
Take samples from streams near farms
Test what nutrients, chemicals, bacteria were present
Test samples on fish embryos
Observe changes in development.
• Analyze Data:
– Compared development with normal (control) group.
– Discovered that high levels of nitrates found in runoff from
farms, decreases the number of embryos that successfully make
it to adult-hood.
• Conclusion:
– Need for better prevention of runoff on farms, or reduction in the
application of nitrates to crops to improve fish populations.
Groundwater Pollution: Sources
 Cold temperatures
 Low flow rates
 Few bacteria
Hazardous waste injection well
Pesticides
Coal strip
mine runoff
De-icing
road salt
Pumping
well
Waste lagoon
Gasoline
station
Water pumping
well Landfill
Buried gasoline
and solvent tank
Cesspool
septic tank
Sewer
Leakage from faulty
casing
Accidental
spills
Discharge
Confined aquifer
Groundwater
flow
Fig. 19-10
p. 494
Groundwater Pollution Prevention
Monitoring aquifers
Leak detection systems
Strictly regulating hazardous waste
disposal
Storing hazardous materials above
ground
Ocean Pollution
Fig. 19-12 p. 498
Case Study: Chesapeake Bay
 Largest US
estuary
 Relatively shallow
 Slow “flushing”
action to Atlantic
 Major problems with dissolved O2
Fig. 19-14
p. 500
Oil Spills
 Sources: offshore wells, tankers, pipelines and
storage tanks
 Effects: death of organisms, loss of animal
insulation and buoyancy, smothering
 Significant economic impacts
 Mechanical cleanup methods: skimmers and
blotters
 Chemical cleanup methods: coagulants and
dispersing agents
Solutions: Preventing and Reducing
Surface Water Pollution
Nonpoint Sources
Point Sources
Reduce runoff
Clean Water Act
Buffer zone
vegetation
Water Quality Act
Reduce soil erosion
Technological Approach: Septic
Systems
Require suitable soils and maintenance
Fig. 19-16 p. 504
Technological Approach: Sewage
Treatment
Mechanical and biological treatment
Fig. 19-17
p. 504
Technological Approach: Advanced
Sewage Treatment
Removes specific pollutants
Fig. 19-18
p. 505
Technological Approach: Using
Wetlands to Treat Sewage
Fig. 19-19
p. 506
Drinking Water Quality
 Bottled water
 Safe Drinking
Water Act
Fig. 19-11 p. 495
 Maximum contaminant levels