WATER and WATER POLLUTIONWATER and WATER POLLUTION

Water - Fresh vs. Salt (and everything in between)

Water Cycle

Water Quality Indicators

Water Pollution - point and non-point

Water Conservation

Water Environmental Disasters

Water - Fresh vs. Salt (and everything in between)

Water Cycle

Water Quality Indicators

Water Pollution - point and non-point

Water Conservation

Water Environmental Disasters

Where is the Water?Where is the Water?

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

The Water CycleThe Water Cycle

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

…..Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Runoff, Infiltration, Transpiration…..

Use of water in the U.S.Use of water in the U.S.

United States

Industry 11%

Public 10%

Powercooling

38%

Agriculture38%

How can we (you) conserve water?

How can we (you) conserve water?

List at least three ways….

A person needs (wants) about 1 gallon water/day for hydration

In the US each person uses about 188 gallons/day

An additional 657 gallons/person/day are used for irrigation, industrial use.

List at least three ways….

A person needs (wants) about 1 gallon water/day for hydration

In the US each person uses about 188 gallons/day

An additional 657 gallons/person/day are used for irrigation, industrial use.

Kinds of Water PollutionKinds of Water Pollution

Inorganic Pollutants - petroleum, phosphorus, nitrates, heavy metals, radioactive materials

Organic Pollutants - Pesticides and Herbicides, Materials for common household and industrial use

Biologic Pollutants - invasive species in the water

Inorganic Pollutants - petroleum, phosphorus, nitrates, heavy metals, radioactive materials

Organic Pollutants - Pesticides and Herbicides, Materials for common household and industrial use

Biologic Pollutants - invasive species in the water

Scale of Pesticide Use in US

Scale of Pesticide Use in US

Since 1959: 50-fold increase in pesticide use

Most present pesticides are 10-100 x more toxic than those used in 1050’s

About 25% of pesticide use in US is in houses, gardens, lawns, parks, swimming pools, and golf courses

Average lawn receives 10x more pesticides than equivalent area of cropland

Since 1959: 50-fold increase in pesticide use

Most present pesticides are 10-100 x more toxic than those used in 1050’s

About 25% of pesticide use in US is in houses, gardens, lawns, parks, swimming pools, and golf courses

Average lawn receives 10x more pesticides than equivalent area of cropland

PesticidesPesticides

Each year about 250,000 people are admitted to hospitals and/or emergency rooms with pesticide poisoning

They last and last (persistence)

So why use them??

Each year about 250,000 people are admitted to hospitals and/or emergency rooms with pesticide poisoning

They last and last (persistence)

So why use them??

Balance the good and bad?

Balance the good and bad?

Save human lives (malaria, bubonic plague, typhoid fever)

Increase food supplies (even now 55% of world’s potential food supply is ‘lost’ to other species)

Increase profit for farmers ($1investment è$4 increased profit

Balance good and bad?????? Can it be regulated????

Save human lives (malaria, bubonic plague, typhoid fever)

Increase food supplies (even now 55% of world’s potential food supply is ‘lost’ to other species)

Increase profit for farmers ($1investment è$4 increased profit

Balance good and bad?????? Can it be regulated????

Water QualityWater Quality

Biological - bacteria, micro and macro invertebrates, animal and plant life

Chemical - pH, nitrates, phosphates, DO

Physical- turbidity, solids

Biological - bacteria, micro and macro invertebrates, animal and plant life

Chemical - pH, nitrates, phosphates, DO

Physical- turbidity, solids

Point and Nonpoint Sources of Water Pollution

Point and Nonpoint Sources of Water Pollution

NONPOINT SOURCES

Urban streets

Suburban development

Wastewater treatment plant

Rural homes

Cropland

Factory

Animal feedlot

POINT SOURCES

Ocean pollutionOcean pollution

Dumping Waste Oil spills

Dumping Waste Oil spills

Water TreatmentWater Treatment

New Technologies in Water Treatment

New Technologies in Water Treatment

Solutions to water pollution and shortage

Solutions to water pollution and shortage

• Prevent groundwater contamination

• Greatly reduce nonpoint runoff

• Reuse treated wastewater for irrigation

• Find substitutes for toxic pollutants

• Work with nature to treat sewage

• Practice four R's of resource use (refuse, reduce, recycle, reuse)

• Reduce resource waste

• Reduce air pollution

• Reduce poverty

• Reduce birth rates

• Prevent groundwater contamination

• Greatly reduce nonpoint runoff

• Reuse treated wastewater for irrigation

• Find substitutes for toxic pollutants

• Work with nature to treat sewage

• Practice four R's of resource use (refuse, reduce, recycle, reuse)

• Reduce resource waste

• Reduce air pollution

• Reduce poverty

• Reduce birth rates

Water Environmental Disasters

Water Environmental Disasters

Groundwater Contamination (like in Erin Brockovich’s PG and E, Hinkley)

Oil Spills (Exxon Valdez) Overfishing

Groundwater Contamination (like in Erin Brockovich’s PG and E, Hinkley)

Oil Spills (Exxon Valdez) Overfishing

Groundwater ContaminationGroundwater

Contamination

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Love Canal - 1970’s, PG&E - 1990’s

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Biggest Oil SpillsBiggest Oil Spills

Worst Oil Spills in United States (and these don’t make the top ten in the

world)

Worst Oil Spills in United States (and these don’t make the top ten in the

world) Deepwater Horizon (Gulf Coast 2010,

200,000 gallons a day) Exxon Valdez (Alaska 1989. 10+

gallons)

Deepwater Horizon (Gulf Coast 2010, 200,000 gallons a day)

Exxon Valdez (Alaska 1989. 10+ gallons)

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture. QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.