1. Water Pollution and Solutions Chapter 11 section 4

2. How do humans impact watersheds? The release of harmful substances into the environment is called pollution. Any substance that causes pollution is called pollutant. The release of pollutants can negatively affect Earth’s land, water, and air. Most water pollution is the result of human activities. Wastes produced by agriculture, households, industry, mining, and other activities can end up in the water. REMEMBER only 3 percent of Earth’s surface is fresh water. Since this resource is scarce, water pollution can be devastating. 2

3. Surface Water 3 Affected by the wastes produced by farms, businesses, and homes. Land developments can increase the dangers of surface water pollution. As people build more homes, businesses, and roads, soil becomes covered with pavement Therefore, there is less exposed soil for water to soak into rather there is an increase in the amount of runoff. (runoff can carry more pollutants)

4. Ground Water 4 Pollutants that are released onto the ground, such as those found in improperly lined landfills, eventually soak into the soil Takes a long time, but once groundwater is polluted, it is extremely difficult and expensive to clean.

5. Point and Nonpoint sources Water pollutants can be classified point or non point sources, classified by how they enter the water. 5

6. Point Sources Located a specific place Easy to identify, monitor, and regulate example.: pipe gushing wastewater directly into a river or stream

7. Nonpoint Source Difficult to identify and control Expensive to clean up Broad, diffuse areas Example: farms, streets, and construction site runoff 7

8. Other Sources of Pollution Agricultural wastes Household sewage Industry and mining wastes Sediments Heat Oil and gasoline 8

9. Sediment Water that causes erosion picks up sediments, or particles of rock and sand. Covers up food sources, nests, and eggs of organisms Blocks sunlight, preventing plants from growing 9

10. Heat Heat can have a negative effect on a body of water. Factories and power plants release water that has been used to cool machinery. This heated water can kill organisms living in the body of water This type of pollution is called thermal pollution 10

11. Oil and Gasoline Dramatic form of pollution Takes years to recover because the oil floats on water and is difficult to collect They can also leak out of damaged underground storage tanks which can be carried far away form leaking tank. (Therefore, the damaged spot might be hard to locate.) 11

12. Point Source of Polluted Water in France 12

13. Nonpoint sediment from Unprotected Farmland Flows into Streams 13

14. How can water pollution be reduced? Federal and state laws in the United States regulate the use of certain substances that can pollute water. The key to keeping water clean are effective cleanup of oil and gasoline spills, proper sewage treatment, and reduction of pollutants. 14

15. Harmful Effects Pollutants have harmful effects Infections disease organisms can contaminate the drinking water 15

16. July 22, 2012Footer text here16

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18. India’s Ganges River Holy river: religious customs Sewage “The river runs for some 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles), with more than two dozen major urban centers located on its banks. With many factories and business dumping toxic chemicals into the river, human sewage compounds the situation.” “An estimated 3 billion liters (800,000 gallons) of sewage is released into the Ganges each day, of which only a third - according official figures - is processed by treatment plants. Agricultural businesses are also draining the river basin and adding toxic pesticides and fertilizers into the river system.” (Janak Rogers, 2013) Human remains http://www.dw.com/en/indias-polluted-ganges-river-threatens-peoples-livelihoods/a-17237276 18