Water Pollution The introduction of chemical, physical or biological agents into water that degrade the quality of the water. How does water become polluted? Industrialization Population Growth

Point Source Pollution One Source Power Plants Factories Industrial Facilities Waste Water Treatment Plants Easy to Identify Heavily Regulated

Love Canal Niagara Falls 36 sq. blocks 21,000 gallons Hooker Chemical Company Landfill Toxic Chemicals 100 Homes School Birth Defects Cancer

Nonpoint Pollution Multiple Sources Carried by Rain Harder to spot Oil and grease from cars Herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers from lawns Salt from roads Waste from livestock and septic systems Harder to spot Even harder to regulate Most important source of pollution

EPA Pollutants Microorganisms Disinfectants Disinfectant Byproducts Inorganic Chemicals Organic Chemicals Radionuclides

Microorganisms Cryptosporidium, Giardia Rotifers Parasite Diarrhea, Vomiting Human and Animal Fecal Waste Rotifers

Disinfection Byproducts Disinfecting Drinking Water Cancer, Anemia, Liver & Kidney Disorders Bromates, Chlorite

Disinfectants Killing Microbes Eye/nose irritation; stomach discomfort, anemia Chlorine

Inorganic Chemicals Refineries, Factories, Electronics, Pulp Mills Intestinal Lesions, Allergic Dermatitis, Kidney Damage Arsenic Asbestos Lead Mercury

Organic Chemicals Herbicides, Chemical Factories, Insecticides Cancer, Reproductive Difficulties, Liver & Kidney Problems, Cataracts, Cardiovascular Disease Benzene, Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, Styrene, Toluene

Radionuclides Erosion of Natural Deposits Cancer Radium, Uranium

Artificial Eutrophication Introduction of excessive nutrients Fertilizer Manure Sewage

Artificial Eutrophication Effects ↑ Plant biomass ↑ Algae ↑ Turbidity ↓O2

Artificial Eutrophication Consequences Decrease in Water Flow Unsuitable for Human Consumption Fish Die Offs

Thermal Pollution The degradation of water quality by any process that changes the temperature of the water Industrial Discharge Electrical Generation

Thermal Pollution Environmental Effects Increased Turbidity Sediment Loading Loss of Vegetation Thermal Shock Changes in Dissolved O2 Distribution of Organisms

Biological Magnification Increase in concentration of pollutants in successive trophic levels Producer → Primary Consumer → Secondary Consumer → Tertiary Consumer Plant → 10 ppm Insect → 100 ppm Fish → 1,000 ppm Bird → 10,000 ppm

Biological Magnification DDT Pesticide Does not break down Stored in fat Harmless to humans Bad for birds Interferes with calcium deposition in shells Shells soft & weak Shells break, chicks die

Biological Magnification DDT Silent Spring Rachel Carson Banning of DDT Birth of modern environmental movement 1960’s

Biological Magnification DDT Many pesticides have replaced DDT Better for birds Harmful to humans

Laws Protecting Water

Clean water Act 1972, amended in 1977 Regulate discharge of pollutants Gave EPA authority to regulate pollution control Set water quality standards Surface water only

Safe Drinking Water Act 1975 Protect quality of drinking water Both ground water and surface water Set standards for water purity Requires public water systems to comply with health standards

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act CERCLA Superfund 1980 Owners of hazardous waste sites and those responsible for introducing toxins into environment responsible fo clean up Reduced ground water pollution

Water Quality Act 1987 Clean up polluted runoff New waste water treatment plants Protect estuaries

International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships MARPOL 1973, 1978 161 countries Discharges from ships Oil Sewage Garbage

Helsinki Convention 1974 120 countries Control land based sources of ocean pollution Mercury Cadmium DDT

Oil Pollution Act 1990 Response to Exxon Valdez All oil tankers required to have double hulls Plan to control and clean up spills

Marine Mammal Protection Act 1972 Prohibits any action that could harm or endanger marine mammals Ecosystem approach

Enforcement Who has jurisdiction Territorial Waters Law of the Sea Treaty 1973 Territorial waters 12 nautical miles Exclusive Economic Zone 200 nautical miles What about the rest of the ocean?