1. A Brief History of U.S. Water Quality
1970’s – At least 65% of water tested in U.S. waterways was unsafe for fishing or swimming
1972 – Clean Water Act passed by U.S. Congress
~2000 – Only about 33% of the nation’s waters are considered unsafe
WHY?
Efforts to reduce “point source pollution” have met with success (legislation regulating industry)
But, most of damaging pollution is “nonpoint source pollution” that comes from several places and reaches streams by way of RUNOFF – very difficult to control!
Define point-source and non-point source pollution.

2. What is the point of testing water quality?
If we can’t trace the specific source of pollution, how can we possibly stop it?
We know which substances are largely responsible for decreasing water quality, because we understand ecology.
By testing the quality of the water, we find out what pollutants are present and can propose possible sources.
Creating an environmentally aware public through EE will promote a more environmentally friendly way of life.

3. Water Quality Index (WQI)
We test for nine parameters outlined by the National Sanitation Foundation
The data is analyzed and the product is a score between 0 and 100 (worst to best) to compare stream health.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
Fecal Coliform pH
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
Water Temperature
Phosphates (Orthophosphates)
Nitrates
Turbidity
Total Dissolved Solids

4. Fish need to breathe, just like humans do!
Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
Fish need to breathe, just like humans do!
Oxygen comes from:
Churning at surface
Photosynthesis from aquatic plants
Oxygen is depleted by:
- High turbidity
- Increased temperature
Decreased SAVs
If there is not enough dissolved oxygen…
Measured in:
mg/L and % Saturation
Acceptable limit:
At least 5-6 mg/L
High turbidity means less sunlight can reach SAVs and photosynthesis rates slow down. Less O2 is produced.
The same way a paper towel can only hold so much water, water can only hold so much O2 – it has an oxygen saturation point. The higher the temperature, the less O2 the water can hold.
Decreased SAVs mean less photosynthesis potential. Less O2 is produced.

5. Would you want to swim in your toilet?
Fecal Coliform
Would you want to swim in your toilet?
…Neither do the fish!
E. Coli is a naturally occurring intestinal bacteria
- Not usually harmful
May indicate other harmful microorganisms
Sources:
Sewage contamination
Natural mammal population
To a nominal degree, bird populations
Measured in:
# of bacterial colonies per 100mL of water
Acceptable Limits:
Drinking: 0, 0
Primary: <200, <1,000
Secondary: <1,000, <5000
E. Coli is the most common fecal coliform.
Many pathogenic organisms are present in raw sewage, so E. coli can indicate presence of harmful orgs.
Primary contact – high area dermal contact, swimming
Secondary contact – low area dermal contact, washing vegetables
According to a study done in New York,
In all, the data indicate that the feces from these birds, especially the gulls, contain what can be considered significant numbers of FC per gram. Considering the average weights and FC concentrations of the gull and goose feces examined, they can potentially contribute approximately 1.77 × 108 and 1.28 × 105 FC per fecal deposit to the surface water, respectively. The potential FC impact of these birds is relative to the numbers and types of birds, as well as the duration and time of day that the birds roost on the surface water and their defecation rates. These investigators additionally collected several old, sun-dried fecal samples from docks adjacent to the reservoir and found significant numbers of viable FC bacteria. Samples were analyzed in the same fashion as the fresh feces except that additional buffer was used to facilitate pipetting of the sample. The dried “cakey” feces from five geese yielded a range of FC concentration, from 8.2 × 102 to 3.0 × 105/g. This indicates that runoff from bird feces may also impact water supplies, even if the birds do not roost overnight on the water. Most significantly, it appears that hundreds or thousands of birds roosting on the surface water, especially near intakes to aqueducts, would have an adverse effect on the microbiological quality of the water. This point is further proven in that counts of FC in the Kensico Reservoir decreased significantly once the NYC DEP Waterfowl Mitigation Program was implemented

6. A change in the aquatic atmosphere can STRESS out aquatic life!
pH affects chemical and biological processes
Cellular respiration
Stresses body systems of most organisms
Factors:
Acid rain - Heavy precip
Sewer overflow - Melting snow
Ag runoff - Dissolved
Accidental spills minerals
Optimal Range: – 8.2
Most Rainwater: 5.6
DC Rainwater: 4.2 – 4.4
Low pH (acid) can make toxic substances more mobile and easier for aquatic plants and animals to absorb.
Aquatic plants help to buffer the pH by absorbing CO2, thereby raising the pH (CO2 makes water more acidic)
pH: the inverse log of the ratio of H+ ions to OH- ions
NO UNITS!

7. Biochemical Oxygen Demand
Tells us how much micro-organic matter is floating around in a stream
Measures how much oxygen is used by bacteria that help to decompose dead organic matter
Factors that affect BOD:
- Algae, organic matter, blooms when nutrients are in excess
- Raw sewage, adds organic matter to water
If BOD is high:
Too much O2 is consumed
Fish cannot survive
Acceptable limit:
5 mg/L or less is ideal
> 30 mg/L is unsafe
When too much organic matter is in the water, the living matter eats nutrients and the dead matter breaks down when bacteria use oxygen to decompose it. So, if there are excess nutrients that cause algal blooms (which then die) or if there is a lot of raw sewage (organic waste) dumped in the water, LOTS of decomposition happens and too much oxygen gets used up – this can cause other aquatic organisms to suffocate!

8. Temperature Change
Aquatic organisms can’t pull on a sweater like we can – they need consistent temperatures!
Affects chemical properties of water
- Affects biological and physical processes in the aquatic ecosystem
Examples:
Oxygen content
Photosynthesis rates
Metabolic rates
Sensitivity to toxics, parasites, diseases
Acceptable limit:
< 4-5 degrees Celsius change per mile of stream
Factors:
Bank vegetation removal
Impounding water
Discharge of heated water

9. Phosphates (Orthophosphates)
Orthophosphates are the limiting factor for plant growth!
Aquatic plants and algae use phosphates for metabolic reactions and growth
Source:
Fertilizers
Detergents
Industrial wastes
Acceptable Limits:
1 mg/L is ideal
>4 mg/L causes eutrophication
Define EUTROPHICATION:
Eutrophication is the increase of nutrients in a body of water. This causes excess algae and plant growth, which increases turbidity and decreases photosynthesis of plants on the bottom of the water body. When those algae die, oxygen-consuming bacteria decompose the organic matter. Both of these processes decrease the amount of dissolved oxygen in the stream.
Extra Nutrients  More Algae  More Turbidity  Less Photosynthesis
 More Algae + Bacteria that Decompose Organic Matter
= Less Dissolved Oxygen!

10. Nitrogen is an indicator nutrient!
Nitrates
Nitrogen is an indicator nutrient!
Measured because:
Extremely high levels can indicate harmful pollution sources
Can make groundwater unsafe for humans
Needed for plants and animals to build protein and nucleic acids
Acceptable Limits:
< 4.4 mg/L
Nitrogen is abundant in the environment.
> 4.4 mg/L is unsafe for drinking water!
Sources:
Animal waste, esp. duck and goose droppings
Decomposing organic matter
Air pollution, esp. commuters

11. Turbidity Imagine that “LA Smog” happens underwater Effects:
Higher water temperatures
Blocks photosynthesis
Clogs gills of fish
Acceptable Levels:
Drinking water < 0.5 JTU
Groundwater < 1 JTU
Stream water < 40 JTU
Suspended particles absorb heat energy from the sun, so water temperature increases with increased turbidity. Warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen, so DO decreases.
Turbid water does not allow as much light to pass through to SAVs for photosynthesis. Photosynthesis decreases and so does oxygen production. DO decreases.
Major Factors:
Soil particles from erosion
Plankton and microbes from eutrophication

12. Total Dissolved Solids
Exactly how much “stuff” is dissolved in this water?
Sources:
HUMAN ACTIVITY
Runoff carrying street salts
Lawn fertilizers
Wastewater treatment outflow
Acceptable Limits:
Drinking water <500 mg/L
Stream water mg/L
(average is ~600 mg/L)
Effects:
Water balance problems for organisms
(example: dissolved calcium)
Low levels limit growth of aquatic life
*** Stat from PG Co. Env. Sci text: 10 million tons of road salt per year are put onto US roadways
High TDS can cause problems with osmosis in aquatic organisms. Water moves from areas of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration (this means: if there is high salinity outside of a cell, and lower salinity inside of a cell, water will leave the cell to move outside where water is in a lower concentration until the concentrations are even).
Phytoplankton and floating aquatic plants require dissolved nitrates and phosphates from water because they have no roots to take up those nutrients.