WATER POLLUTION PART II

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WATER POLLUTION PART II
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POLLUTION FROM SEWAGE

• SEWAGE
• poses a threat to public health because it
  carries disease-causing agents (cholera bacteria,
  hepatitis, Eschericia coli (coliform bacteria).
• Causes nutrient-loading (organically-rich) into
  surface waters.
• Causes an increase in BOD (biological oxygen
  demand) or BOD5 over five day period, which
  causes a decrease in

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POLLUTION FROM SEWAGE

• SEWAGE
• poses a threat to public health because it
  carries disease-causing agents (cholera bacteria,
  hepatitis, Eschericia coli (coliform bacteria).
• Causes nutrient-loading (organically-rich) into
  surface waters.
• Causes an increase in BOD (biological oxygen
  demand) or BOD5 over five day period, which
  causes a decrease in DO. This results in the
  lowering of photosynthesis and cellular
  respiration.

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MONITORING SEWAGE

• Standard test for for total coliform (TCOL) and
  fecal coliform (FCOL) bacteria. The number of
  colonies formed are counted.
• STANDARDS (EPA)
• Drinking Water 1 coliform bacteria100 mL of
  water
• Swimming Water 200 coliform bacteria 100 mL of
  water

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DISPOSAL OF SEWAGE SLUDGE

• ANAEROBIC DIGESTION anaerobic bacteria break
  down organics into methane gas (NH4) and CO2.
  Methane is trapped and used to heat the digester
  to 95F.
• END PRODUCT Soil conditioner for gardens
  (humus).
• 2. FERTILIZER sludge is rich in plant
  nutrients and can be dried (pelletized) and sold
  as a fertilizer.
• PROBLEM Combined sewer (industrial, residential
  and storm water combined may be high in heavy
  metals and PCBs (NYC SLUDGE!)

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WATER POLLUTIONCONTROL LAWS
1988 Ocean Dumping Ban Act barred ocean
dumping of sewage sludge at the 200 mile marker.
All cities were in compliance by 1988 EXCEPT for
NYC, who were permitted to dump until June,
1992. 1972 Water Pollution Control Act EPA
established regulations for the discharge of
pollutants in the USA. It gave the EPA authority
to implement pollution control programs and set
ambient water quality standards for all
contaminants entering surface waters. It also
funded the construction of sewage treatment
plants.
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WATER POLLUTION CONTROL LAWS

• The Federal Water Pollution Control Act was
  amended in 1977 and came to be known as the Clean
  Water Act. The ACT does NOT address water
  quantity or groundwater, ONLY water quality.
  Initially addressed point source, since the
  1980s has come to address nonpoint source issues
  as well.

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WATER POLLUTION CONTROL LAWS

• Great Lakes Critical Programs Act, 1990, put in
  place part of the Great Lakes Water Quality
  Agreement between the USA and Canada. This law
  required the EPA to establish water quality
  criteria to address 29 toxic pollutants with
  maximum levels that are safe for humans,
  wildlife, and aquatic life.

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GENETIC POLLUTION(NON-NATIVE SPECIES)

• 1. Zebra Mussel 1986 larvae of zebra mussel
  arrived in ballast water discharged from a
  European ship.

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ZEBRA MUSSEL DISTRIBUTION
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QUAGGA MUSSEL
Invaded the Great Lakes area when it
hitch-hiked its way in on a Russian
freighter. More damaging than zebra mussel
because it has a greater tolerance range (can
survive at greater depths and tolerate more
extreme temperatures). There is concern that it
will colonize Chesapeake Bay and parts of Florida.
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QUAGGA MUSSEL DISTRIBUTION
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BAD NEWS ON MUSSEL INVASION

• No known predators, out-competes food supply of
  native shellfish, clogs irrigation pipes, shuts
  down water intake systems for power plants, fouls
  beaches, and grows in huge masses on boat hulls
  and piers.

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GOOD NEWS ON MUSSEL INVASION

• Mussels are filter feeders and improve water
  clarity tremendously.
• Water clarity stimulates and promotes growth of
  subaquatic vegetation (primary producers),
  therefore, increases energy flow in the aquatic
  environment and reducing waste matter!

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WATER HYACINTH

• 1 woman from Florida took 1 plant from an exhibit
  to put in her pond because the flower was so
  beautiful.
• It reproduces rapidly and doubles its population
  in two weeks.
• It is native to Central and South America NOT
  Florida. It is now the 1 invasive aquatic weed
  in the southeast!

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PROBLEMS

• It as displaced natural species of plants and
  fish and clogged ponds, streams and canals.
• Scientists have introduced the non-native water
  hyacinth beetle (primary consumer), a snail from
  Puerto Rico and the grass carp from Russia!
• CHAOS!!! FBL

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WATER HYACINTH
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OTHER AQUATIC NON-NATIVE SPECIES

• EURASIAN WATER MILFOIL
• SNAKEHEAD FISH
• GOBI FISH

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THERMAL POLLUTION

• Thermal pollution occurs when heated water
  produced during industrial processing or nuclear
  energy generation is released into waterways.
• The water returned to the aquatic environment is
  warmer than the surrounding water causing the
  solubility of oxygen to decrease (DO drops).
• Organisms that have a limited tolerance range for
  temperature variation or rapid thermal changes
  will go into thermal shock and die.

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THERMAL POLLUTION
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RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION

• Wastes from mining of uranium and plutonium as
  well as refinement of metals. These materials go
  to combined sewage treatment plants or directly
  enter surface waters through runoff.

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WAYS TO REDUCE WATER POLLUTION

• Reduce the toxicity or volume of pollutants.
• Shift to pollution prevention instead of
  pollution cleanup ()
• Replace organic-based solvents and paint thinners
  with water-based products.
• Reuse wastewater instead of discharging it.
• Set up artificial treatment wetlands for the
  wastewater to pass through be fore discharge.
• Cant do any of this without educating the public
  and winning the support of BIG INDUSTRY. They
  must view it as a profitable venture. THEN Govt.
  will be on board!

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