Water PollutionWater Pollution

Anything that impacts the quality of water?

But naturally occurring events like volcanos, storms, earthquakes and algae blooms generate changes in water health

So a precise definition needs to include additional conditions:

~The changes caused by human activity that make water unfit for human use~

The Cuyahoga River - The Cuyahoga River - 19691969

In Canada any release of 347 distinct substance to air, water or land must be reported to Environment Canada.

Annually, over 90% of the substances released into Canadian water comes from 3 pollutants

1) Nitrate2) Ammonia3) phosphorus

Sources and Types of Pollution:Point SourceOriginate from

single pointeg.sewage outflowIndustry effluent

pipe

Nonpoint SourceContamination from

sediment, nutrients organic or toxic substance carried into lakes/streams by surface runoff

eg. Fertilizer, oil from cars

There are 3 basic forms of water pollution:

1) Chemical2) Biological3) PhysicalBut a more detailed list would

include:- nutrients - sediment- Toxic or chemical -

bacterial- Thermal (warm or cold)

Nutrient pollution leads to Eutrophication of water bodies – This is a major problem worldwide!

N, P, K runoff intoWater bodies

Nutrients stimulate growthOf phytoplankton (algae, bacteria)

The “bloom” of plankton is Too much for normal

Predators to consume. They die and decay

Bacteria consume the decayingPhytoplankton and use upAvailable oxygen in water

Without oxygen there isVery little decay so ponds

And lakes will fill withOrganic material

Dead Zones

Note: some pollution is actually biodegradable

Pollution that does not biodegrade is called persistent

Persistant Organic Pollutants (POP’s):

- Toxic - resist degradation- Bioaccumulate- Transport through air, water and

species

In 2009 152 nations signed a convention obligating them to

1) Eliminate 2) Restrict3) Or work to eliminate the Dirty

Dozen POP’s

Water Pollution – Great LakesWater Pollution – Great Lakes1) Why is it “ironic” that Lake Erie was

declared dead?

2) How does phosphorus pollute water?

3) What do toxic pollutants do to aquatic life?

4) How do POP’s effect human health?

5) Why is dilution not the solution?

6) What is the IJC?

Sum of the Parts – Waterfront DevelopmentDraw your development on the paperBe specific about land usesList all uses/users – human/non humanList sources of pollution