Types of water pollution
What type of pollution comes from distinct locations, such as a factory or sewer pipe?
Point-source pollution
What is one major health issue caused by drinking unsafe water?
Diseases/illness
What is one way individuals can help reduce nutrient pollution?
Use less fertilizer or be smarter about applying it.
What is the primary source of nutrient pollution in water bodies?
Runoff from fertilizers
What is the role of the EPA in drinking water treatment?
Setting standards for contaminants
Which of the following is an example of nonpoint-source pollution?
A. Discharge from a sewage pipe
B. Runoff from agricultural fields
C. Waste from a factory pipe
D. Wastewater from a single household
B. Runoff from agricultural fields
A common source of groundwater pollution is:
A. Air pollution
B. Red tide
C. Leaky storage tanks *
D. Warm temperatures
C. Leaky storage tanks
What is the process called when excess nutrients in water lead to increased algae growth and decreased oxygen levels?
Eutrophication
How does eutrophication negatively affect aquatic ecosystems?
Decrease in oxygen levels
What federal act helps prevent water pollution in the U.S.?
Clean water act
What type of pollution comes from many places spread over a large area?
Non-point source pollution
What is the first step in a typical public drinking water treatment process?
Chemical treatment
Eutrophic bodies of water have:
A. High oxygen, low nutrients
B. Low oxygen, low nutrients
C. High nutrients, low oxygen
D. High sediment content
C. High nutrients, low oxygen
Toxic chemicals include all of the following except:
A. Mercury
B. Arsenic
C. Oxygen
D. Bisphenol-A
C. Oxygen
What type of pollution includes substances like mercury and lead?
Toxic-chemical pollution
What can happen to fish and shellfish due to mercury pollution?
neurological damage
What is a common method for treating wastewater before it is released into the environment?
Biological treatment
What human activities are often responsible for thermal pollution?
What is the purpose of a septic system in rural areas?
Treat wastewater
Thermal pollution affects aquatic life because:
A. Warm water holds less oxygen
B. It cools fish too rapidly
C. It dilutes pollutants
D. It promotes photosynthesis
A. Warm water holds less oxygen
What is the primary concern with water that is not safe for human use?
A. High salt content
B. Presence of disease-causing organisms and toxic substances
C. Low temperature
D. Excessive minerals
B. Presence of disease-causing organisms and toxic substances
What type of pollution results from excessive sediment entering water bodies?
sediment pollution
What is a consequence of thermal pollution for aquatic life?
reduced oxygen levels
What type of water is treated for reuse in irrigation but not necessarily to drinking water standards?
Reclaimed water
What common household products can contribute to toxic-chemical pollution?
Pesticides and detergents
What process involves removing pollutants from wastewater using physical, chemical, and biological means?
Wastewater treatment
The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requires:
A. Oil drilling to stop
B. Oil be treated before disposal
C. Double hulls on tankers
D. Smaller tankers be used
C. Double hulls on tankers
Biological pollution is caused by:
A. Excess sediment
B. Pathogens from waste
C. Fertilizer runoff
D. Toxic chemicals
B. Pathogens from waste
What is the term for pollution caused by pathogens in water?
biological pollution
What happens to aquatic plants when algal blooms cover the water's surface?
Die due to lack of sunlight
How can communities support the cleanup of groundwater pollution?
Locating and repairing leaky tanks.
What natural phenomenon can also contribute to oil pollution in oceans
Oil seepage/leaks
How long can it take for groundwater to cleanse itself of contaminants?
Years, sometimes decades.
Sediment pollution is mostly caused by:
A. Industrial chemicals
B. Algal blooms
C. Erosion
D. Ocean currents
C. Erosion
The greatest number of deaths from biological water pollution occur in:
A. North America
B. Europe
C. South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa
D. Australia
C. South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa