water pollution basics
pollution from a single, specific source such as a pipe or factory.
What are point sources?
The amount of oxygen available for aquatic life.
What is dissolved oxygen?
Bacteria that need oxygen to break down waste.
What are aerobic bacteria?
Law that ensures the safety and quality of drinking water.
What is the Safe Drinking Water Act?
Underground household system that separates and partially treats wastewater.
What is a septic tank?
Pollution that comes from many diffuse sources, like runoff.
What are nonpoint sources?
Excess growth of algae caused by too many nutrients.
What is an algal bloom?
Bacteria that survive without oxygen, breaking down sludge.
What are anaerobic bacteria?
Law that controls pollutant discharges into U.S. waters.
What is the Clean Water Act?
First step in sewage treatment: removes large solids.
What is primary sewage treatment?
Microorganisms that cause diseases in water.
What are pathogens?
Nutrient often from fertilizers that leads to eutrophication.
What are nitrates?
Zone where oxygen is depleted and most marine life cannot survive.
What is a dead zone?
Law requiring permits for point source discharges.
What is part of the Clean Water Act?
Second stage: uses bacteria to decompose organic waste.
What is secondary sewage treatment?
Organic matter that uses oxygen as it decomposes.
What is oxygen-demanding waste (BOD)?
Nutrient from detergents or fertilizers that promotes algae growth.
What are phosphates?
Decomposition process that can lead to foul odors if oxygen is absent.
What is anaerobic decomposition?
This law protects underground drinking water sources.
What is the Safe Drinking Water Act?
Final stage: removes nutrients and disinfects water.
What is tertiary sewage treatment?
Test that measures bacteria from fecal contamination.
What is fecal coliform testing?
Graph showing how oxygen levels drop downstream of pollution.
What is the oxygen sag curve?
Process where excess nutrients cause oxygen depletion and fish deaths.
What is (cultural) eutrophication?
The goal of this law is to make all U.S. waters “fishable and swimmable.”
What is the Clean Water Act?
Layer of rock or soil that stores and transmits groundwater.
What is an aquifer?