Waste Water
What is waste water?
Water contaminated with human or animal urine or feces
Where are septic tanks used?
In rural areas for single buildings or homes
What are the effects of lead and mercury in water?
They cause nervous system and brain damage in people and animals
What causes acid pollution?
Air pollution that causes acid rain
Abandoned mines that flood with water
What is the biggest source of oil pollution?
natural seeps
Why is thermal pollution a problem?
The change in temperature can kill aquatic organisms
What does the Clean Water Act do?
Regulate the safe amounts of pollutants in surface water
Give an example of point source pollution
Pollution coming from one clearly identifiable place
Ex. a factory dumping chemicals into a river
Ex. a person dumping trash along a road
Ex. an oil spill coming from a crash in an oil tanker ship
Where are sewage treatment plants used?
In urban areas where they collect wastewater from thousands of homes and businesses
What are the anthropogenic sources of mercury pollution?
Burning coal, medical and hazardous waste
Why is acid pollution a problem?
It lowers the pH of soils and rivers, which can kill plants and aquatic animals
It also causes more heavy metals to dissolve in acidic water
Give an example of solid waste pollution
Plastic bags, trash, glass, other materials dumped into bodies of water
What causes noise pollution?
Sound from ships and submarines like sonar and engine noises
What does the Safe Drinking Water Act do?
It sets maximum contaminant levels for harmful substances in both groundwater and surface water
What is non-point source pollution?
Pollution that comes from many different places, so it's hard to pinpoint who or what is causing it
What is the benefit of septic systems?
No electricity needed
What are the effects of arsenic poisoning?
Cancers in people and animals
Why are pesticides are a problem?
They can kill more organisms than they intended
They have untested inert ingredients that can cause health problems to animals and people
What are the effects of solid waste pollution?
Can choke or starve wildlife, can block out the sun for aquatic plants
What causes thermal pollution?
When hot water that was used to generate electricity or cool machinery is dumped into bodies of water
What does the Clean Water Act NOT do?
Regulate groundwater
Name 2 concerns of wastewater
Has harmful pathogens and bacteria
Bacteria in wastewater consume lots of oxygen
Extra nutrients in waste water cause algae blooms
Explain how septic systems work
1. Wastewater flows into septic tank where sludge settles on bottom
2. Septage, or the water part of wastewater, flows out of the septic tank and into the leach field
3. In the leach field, the septage flows into the soil, where plants uptake the nutrients and soil bacteria outcompete the harmful bacteria in the wastewater
What is the natural source of arsenic pollution?
Rocks and soils
Where does hormone pollution come from and what problem does it cause?
It comes from birth control and other hormonal supplements
It can negatively affect the reproductive health of aquatic organisms
What are the three sources of oil pollution?
Natural seeps
Oil drilling leaks
Oil tanker spills
What are some effects of sediment pollution?
Can block out the sun for aquatic plants and clog the gills of aquatic organisms, like fish
What has water legislation NOT done in the US?
Regulate or minimize pollution from non-point sources
What is eutrophication?
When excess nutrients in the water cause algal blooms and die-offs, which decrease the oxygen concentration in water and kill aquatic organisms like fish
Explain the three treatments in sewage treatment plants
Primary treatment - solid waste is filtered out and sent to landfill
Secondary treatment - bacteria breaks down organic matter and then water is disinfected
Tertiary treatment - chemicals and nutrients are filtered out through reverse osmosis or filtration
What are the anthropogenic sources of lead pollution?
Burning coal, leaded gasoline, lead paint, and lead-lined pipes
What is the problem with PCBs? What about with PBDEs?
PCBs - Cancer
PBDEs - Brain damage
What are the three ways to clean up oil pollution?
Use vacuums to suck up oil
Use chemical dispersants to break down oil
Use GMO bacteria to break down oil
What causes sediment pollution?
Mining, logging, construction, and agriculture (anything that can cause soil erosion)
What are MCLs and why are they subjective?
They are the maximum contaminant levels allowed in safe drinking water
They are subjective because they depend on political pressures