Water Pollution & Treatment

Water Pollution & Treatment

Pollution can affect both surface waters

and groundwater
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Pollution can come from
either a point source
or a non-point source
 Agricultural fields
 Road salt
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Common sources of groundwater pollution
Damage depends on:
 Nature of pollutant
 Quantity added
 Duration of addition
 Area affected
 Residence time
 Reservoir size
 Permeability
 Flow/plumes
 Flushing to clean
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
1) Decay of Organic Matter

 Consumes O2 (usually)
 BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) = a
measure of bacterial activity (in mg O2/liter
of water consumed in 5 days at 20oC)
 1/3 of all BOD in USA is from agriculture
 Water Pollution & Treatment
The relationship between BOD and O2
 Water Pollution & Treatment
2) Pathogenic organisms
 Microbes that cause disease
 US: human fecal coliform bacteria
 EPA: safe drinking water < 2 E. Coli/cup

 USA treats sewage, separates it from drinking water,

and chlorinates drinking water
 Water Pollution & Treatment
1854 London cholera outbreak
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
3) Nutrients
 P, N from fertilizers, detergents, sewage (even if
treated)
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
3) Nutrients
 Water Pollution & Treatment
A typical pollution plume from a point source
(Otis AFB, MA. 1984)

Groundwater flow direction

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High nutrients  eutrophication: plant (usually
algae) blooms which can  O2 depletion
Lake Tahoe

Algal mats accumulate on bottom,

resulting in prolonged effects
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Also see in marine seaweed and coral-killing algae
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
4) Oil spills
 Santa Barbara 1950s offshore well leaks, again in
Mexican Gulf in 70’s
 Tanker spills: Exxon Valdez, & numerous others
 War: Persian Gulf
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
4) Oil spills - On land too:
 Russia 1994: 50,000,000 gal. from corroded pipeline
 Alaskan pipeline has had several minor ones so far

~ 60% of US car owners change

their own oil
~ 180,000,000 gal (16 x Exxon
Valdez) poured down storm
drains  streams
What can you do?
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
5) Toxic substances
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Water pollutants (a selected list):
5) Toxic substances
 Hazardous chemicals, radwaste, heavy metals (Pb,
Hg, Zn, Cd)
 Much gets into our food chain
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
5) Toxic substances
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
5) Toxic substances: surface disposal sites: 1991
 EPA Drinking Water Standards, 1989
Max. Permissable
Contaminant Health Effects Sources
Amount (ppm)
Microbiological
Colliform Not necessarily disease-producing, but may 1/100 ml Human and animal feces
Bacteria indicate other organisms that cause gastric
infections

Turbidity Interferes with digestion 1-5 turbidity units Erosion, runoff, and sediment discharges

Inorganic Chemicals

Arsenic Skin and nervous system toxicity, possible 0.05 Pesticides, industrial wastes, smelter operations, rocks
cancer risk.

Barium Cardiac, gastrointestinal, and neuromuscular 1 Coal-fired power plants, automotive paints, specialty
effects. compounds in bricks-tiles-jet fuel.

Cadmium Kidney effects, hypertension, anemia, liver. 0.01 Mining, smelting, fossil fuel use, fertilizers, sewage.

Chromium Liver, kidney effects. 0.05 Abandoned mines, electroplating, rocks.

Lead Nervous system, kidneys. Highly toxic to 0.015 Lead pipes and solder joints, paint, airborne Pb from
infants and pregnant women. Brain damage. gasoline combustion.
Mercury Nervous system, kidneys. 0.002 Manufacture of paint, paper, vinly chloride. Used in
fungicides. Rock and hydrothermal areas.
N - Nitrate “Blue-baby syndrome”- asphyxia, cancer risk. 10 Fertilizer, sewage, feedlots, rocks.

Silenium Gastrointestinal effects. 0.01 Coal burning, mining, smelting, selenium refining,
glass manufacture, fuel oil, combustion, rocks.
Silver Skin discoloration. 0.05 Mining and processing, rocks.

Fluoride Skeletal damage. 4 Additive to drinking water, toothpaste, processed food

 EPA Drinking Water Standards, 1989
Max. Permissable
Contaminant Health Effects Amount (ppm) Sources
Organic Chemicals

Endrin Nervous system, kidney effects. 0.0002 Insecticide: cotton, grains, orchards - illegal in US

Lindane Nervous system, kidneys, carcinogen. 0.0004 Insecticide: seeds and soil, foliage, wood.

Methoxychlor Nervous ssytem, kidney effects. 0.01 Insecticide: fruits and vegetables.

2, 4-D Liver-kidney effects. 0.01 Herbicides in agriculture, forestry, pastures, aquatic.

2, 4, 5-TP Silvex Liver-kidney effects 0.01 Herbicide: cancelled in 1984.

Toxaphane Carcinogen. 0.0005 Insecticide: cotton, corn, grains.

Benzene Carcinogen. 0.005 Fuel tanks, solvents, manufacture of chemicals and

pharmaceuticals, pesticides, paints, plastics.
Carbon Tetra-Cl Possible carcinogen. 0.005 Common cleaning agent. Coolant manufacture.

p-Dichlorobenzene Possible carcinogen. 0.075 Insecticides, moth balls, air deoderizers.

1, 2-Dichloroethane Possible carcinogen. 0.005 Manufacture of insecticides.

1, 2-Dichloroethelyne Liver-kidney effects. 0.007 Manufacture of plastics, dyes, perfume, paint.

1, 1, 1-Trichloroethane Nervous system effects. 0.2 Manufacture of food wrappings, synthetic fibers.

Trichloroethane Possible carcinogen. 0.005 Dry-cleaning materials. Manufacture of pesticides,

paints, waxes, varnishws, paint stripper, degreaser.

Vinyl Chloride Carcinogen. 0.002 PVC pipes and solvents used to join them. Industrial
waste from manufacture of plastics and syn-rubber.
 EPA Drinking Water Standards, 1989
Max. Permissable
Contaminant Health Effects Sources
Amount (ppm)
Organic Chemicals

Chloroform and other Carcinogens. 0.01 Created when surface water containing organic
trialomethanes wastes is treated with chlorine.

Radioactive Materials
Gross alpha particle Carcinogens. 15 x 10-9 curies/liter Radioactive waste, uranium deposits.

Gross beta particle Carcinogens. 4 mrem/yr Radioactive waste, uranium deposits.

Radium 226 and 228 Carcinogens. 5 x 10-9 curies/liter Radioactive waste, rocks.

Pollution sources:
• US Gov’t (secret, but military  > 1 million lbs/yr)
• Chemical plants and oil refineries
• Sanitary landfills
• Pesticides
• Sewage and septic systems
• Radioactive waste
• Petroleum waste
• Acid mine drainage
EPA Drinking Water
Standards, 1989
Pollution sources:
• Mineral processing
• Farm animal waste
• Feed lots
• Fertilizers
• Pulp mills
• Roadway salt
• Cemetaries (even
musicians decompose)
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
5) Toxic substances
 Biological Magnification
Water pollutants:
6) Salt water intrusion
 Subject to both salt
water intrusion at depth
and shallow pollution
7) Sediment pollution
(covered before)
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Water pollutants (a selected list):
8) Thermal pollution
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Groundwater Treatment
Methods of treatment:
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Wastewater Treatment
 Rural method = septic systems

septic tank: solids settle out

biological “curtain”
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Wastewater Treatment
usually all that is required

Removes 30-40% of pollutants ~ 90% of pollutants removed

Doesn’t remove N, P, heavy metals, pesticides…

Cl or O3

…or recycled if 
Aerobic bacteria breaks down irrigation  soil (filter) 
intake again
most of remaining organics
I’d say many towns are
recycling without knowing
Anaerobic bacteria it!
that hits sludge chemical treatment and
filters  95% clean (lot of
work & $ for the final 5%)
 Water Pollution & Treatment
State Water Laws
Surface waters:
 Riparian Doctrine (mostly in East…pre-1850 law)
 Right to use water (not own it) goes to land owner adjoining
stream, lake…
 Right to reasonable use (?), but must return to stream before
it leaves property
 A property owner has the right to receive flow undiminished
in quantity and quality but cannot diminish either for those
downstream either (tough to interpret!)
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State Water Laws
Surface waters:
Prior Appropriation Doctrine more common in West
 First person to divert and use has the primary water right
(and it may be passed on)
 Right to use water is separate from other property rights
Some states have regulations on how used and primacy:
 1983 California Supreme Court decision over Mono Lake
diversions  LA
 Public Trust Doctrine in which state must protect common
heritage such as lakes, wetlands…
 Decided LA must curtail some of use of diverted water (Prior
Appropriation)
 Water Pollution & Treatment
State Water Laws
Groundwater:
 Absolute Ownership Doctrine
 Landowners can pump as much as they like (works ~ OK in
wet climates like East)
 Reasonable Use Doctrine (or American Rule)
 Amount of groundwater withdrawn based on reasonable use
for aquifer and application
 Problems with what is reasonable and managed by permits
(control?)
 Water Pollution & Treatment
State Water Laws
Groundwater:
 Correlative Rights Doctrine (California)
 Like absolute rights, but divides between all landowners in
area sharing resource
 Requires determination of safe yield for aquifer
 Prior Appropriation Doctrine
 As in surface waters adopted by many states in West
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Federal Water Laws
 Refuse Act of 1899
 Can’t discharge refuse into streams (except streets and sewers)
 Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1956
 Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958
 Water resource projects must coordinate with U.S. Fish & Wildlife
 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969
 Requires EIS
 Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970
 Expanded 1956 Act to include oil and hazardous pollution
 Generated R&D funds for mine drainage and Great Lakes
 Water Pollution & Treatment
Federal Water Laws
 Clean Water Act of 1972
 Clean up nation’s waters
 Funds for sewage treatment and technology
 Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation
and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980
 Established Superfund to clean up hazardous waste sites
 Hazardous Solid Waste Amendments of the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act of 1984
 Regulates underground storage tanks
 Water Quality Act of 1987
 Established policy & control of non-point sources of pollution