Intro to Water Pollution Water Quality Indicators

What is Water Pollution?• Water pollution is the contamination of streams, rivers, lakes,

oceans, or groundwater with substances produced through human activities and that negatively affect organisms.

WDYK About Water Pollution?

• What are at least three activities that contribute to water pollution?

• What are at least three water pollutants that you know of?

• What is the number one form of water pollution?

Categories of Water Pollution• Point Source

–Distinct locations that pump waste into a water body. •Industrial Chemicals •Sewage Treatment Plant Discharge •Thermal Pollution from power plants

• Non-Point Source – Diffuse areas or region that pollutes a waterway.

– Pollution that is carried as runoff so the source is not easily identified. • Fertilizer, pesticide, and sediment pollution. • Litter and Road Salt • Bacteria and nutrients from livestock. • Oil, grease, and cleaning solutions going down the drain.

Water Quality Indicators• Which water quality indicator is the most useful will

depend on the situation.

E. Coli

• Which indicator(s) is the most useful when determining that there is fertilizer in the water?

Nitrates

• Which indicator is the most useful when assessing for drinking water quality?

Total Dissolved Solids & Conductivity

• Which indicator(s) is the most useful when determining that there is waste in the water?

• Which indicator is the most useful when assessing for sediment pollution?

Turbidity & Transparency

Let’s Test Our Water Samples!

Individual TestsOdor and ColorpHDissolved OxygenConductivitySalinity

Class TestsTurbidityNitrate

Turbidity• A measure of the amount of suspended material in water

based on the relative ability of light to penetrate the water’s surface.

Measuring Turbidity

Measuring Nitrate How is Our Water?

How Do You Collect A Sample? Water Quality Indicators• Macro Invertebrates

• Animals without a backbone that can be seen with the unaided eye.

• Each type can tell us about the water quality. • Limited mobility • Response to water quality/pollution is well known. • Easy to capture and have a rapid recovery after sampling.

Water Quality Indicators

• Macro Invertebrates • Based on who you find in your sample, you can

determine the water quality.