1. 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

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

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

4. 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

5. EPA Pollutants Microorganisms Disinfectants Disinfectant Byproducts
Inorganic Chemicals
Organic Chemicals
Radionuclides

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

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

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

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

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

11. Radionuclides
Erosion of Natural Deposits
Cancer
Radium, Uranium

12. Artificial Eutrophication
Introduction of excessive nutrients
Fertilizer
Manure
Sewage

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

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

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

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

17. 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

18. 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

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

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

21. Laws Protecting Water

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

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

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

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

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

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

30. 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?