WATER and WATER POLLUTION Water - Fresh vs. Salt (and everything in between) Water Cycle Water Quality Indicators Water Pollution - point and non-point Water Conservation Water Environmental Disasters Water - Fresh vs. Salt (and everything in between) Water Cycle Water Quality Indicators Water Pollution - point and non-point Water Conservation Water Environmental Disasters

Where is the Water?

The Water Cycle …..Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Runoff, Infiltration, Transpiration…..

Use of water in the U.S. United States Industry 11% Public 10% Power cooling 38% Agriculture 38%

How can we (you) conserve water?  List at least three ways….  A person needs (wants) about 1 gallon water/day for hydration  In the US each person uses about 188 gallons/day  An additional 657 gallons/person/day are used for irrigation, industrial use.  List at least three ways….  A person needs (wants) about 1 gallon water/day for hydration  In the US each person uses about 188 gallons/day  An additional 657 gallons/person/day are used for irrigation, industrial use.

Kinds of Water Pollution  Inorganic Pollutants - petroleum, phosphorus, nitrates, heavy metals, radioactive materials  Organic Pollutants - Pesticides and Herbicides, Materials for common household and industrial use  Biologic Pollutants - invasive species in the water  Inorganic Pollutants - petroleum, phosphorus, nitrates, heavy metals, radioactive materials  Organic Pollutants - Pesticides and Herbicides, Materials for common household and industrial use  Biologic Pollutants - invasive species in the water

Scale of Pesticide Use in US  Since 1959: 50-fold increase in pesticide use  Most present pesticides are x more toxic than those used in 1050’s  About 25% of pesticide use in US is in houses, gardens, lawns, parks, swimming pools, and golf courses  Average lawn receives 10x more pesticides than equivalent area of cropland  Since 1959: 50-fold increase in pesticide use  Most present pesticides are x more toxic than those used in 1050’s  About 25% of pesticide use in US is in houses, gardens, lawns, parks, swimming pools, and golf courses  Average lawn receives 10x more pesticides than equivalent area of cropland

Pesticides  Each year about 250,000 people are admitted to hospitals and/or emergency rooms with pesticide poisoning  They last and last (persistence)  So why use them??  Each year about 250,000 people are admitted to hospitals and/or emergency rooms with pesticide poisoning  They last and last (persistence)  So why use them??

Balance the good and bad?  Save human lives (malaria, bubonic plague, typhoid fever)  Increase food supplies (even now 55% of world’s potential food supply is ‘lost’ to other species)  Increase profit for farmers ($1investment è$4 increased profit  Balance good and bad?????? Can it be regulated????  Save human lives (malaria, bubonic plague, typhoid fever)  Increase food supplies (even now 55% of world’s potential food supply is ‘lost’ to other species)  Increase profit for farmers ($1investment è$4 increased profit  Balance good and bad?????? Can it be regulated????

Water Quality  Biological - bacteria, micro and macro invertebrates, animal and plant life  Chemical - pH, nitrates, phosphates, DO  Physical- turbidity, solids  Biological - bacteria, micro and macro invertebrates, animal and plant life  Chemical - pH, nitrates, phosphates, DO  Physical- turbidity, solids

Point and Nonpoint Sources of Water Pollution NONPOINT SOURCES Urban streets Suburban developmen t Wastewater treatment plant Rural homes Cropland Factory Animal feedlot POINT SOURCE S

Ocean pollution  Dumping Waste  Oil spills  Dumping Waste  Oil spills

Water Treatment

New Technologies in Water Treatment

Solutions to water pollution and shortage Prevent groundwater contamination Greatly reduce nonpoint runoff Reuse treated wastewater for irrigation Find substitutes for toxic pollutants Work with nature to treat sewage Practice four R's of resource use (refuse, reduce, recycle, reuse) Reduce resource waste Reduce air pollution Reduce poverty Reduce birth rates Prevent groundwater contamination Greatly reduce nonpoint runoff Reuse treated wastewater for irrigation Find substitutes for toxic pollutants Work with nature to treat sewage Practice four R's of resource use (refuse, reduce, recycle, reuse) Reduce resource waste Reduce air pollution Reduce poverty Reduce birth rates

Water Environmental Disasters  Groundwater Contamination (like in Erin Brockovich’s PG and E, Hinkley)  Oil Spills (Exxon Valdez)  Overfishing  Groundwater Contamination (like in Erin Brockovich’s PG and E, Hinkley)  Oil Spills (Exxon Valdez)  Overfishing

Groundwater Contamination Love Canal ’s, PG&E ’s

Biggest Oil Spills

Worst Oil Spills in United States (and these don’t make the top ten in the world)  Deepwater Horizon (Gulf Coast 2010, 200,000 gallons a day)  Exxon Valdez (Alaska gallons)  Deepwater Horizon (Gulf Coast 2010, 200,000 gallons a day)  Exxon Valdez (Alaska gallons)