1. Living in the Environment
Water Pollution
G. Tyler Miller’s
Living in the Environment
12th Edition
Chapter 19
Dr. Richard Clements
Chattanooga State Technical Community College

2. Key Concepts Types, sources, and effects of water pollutants
Major pollution problems of surface water
Major pollution problems of groundwater
Reduction and prevention of water pollution
Drinking water quality

3. Types and Sources of Water Pollution
Point sources
Refer to Tables 19-1 and 19-2 p. 477 and 478
Nonpoint sources
Water
Quality
Good
8-9
Do (ppm) at 20˚C
Slightly
polluted
Moderately
Heavily
Gravely
6.7-8
Below 4.5
Below 4
Biological oxygen demand
Water quality
Fig. 19.2, p. 478

4. Time of distance downstream
Pollution of Streams
Oxygen sag curve
Factors influencing recovery
Clean Zone
Decomposition
Zone
Septic Zone
Recovery Zone
Normal clean water organisms
(Trout, perch, bass,
mayfly, stonefly)
Trash fish
(carp, gar,
Leeches)
Fish absent, fungi,
Sludge worms,
bacteria
(anaerobic)
8 ppm
Dissolved oxygen
Biological oxygen
demand
Oxygen sag
2 ppm
Concentration
Types of
organisms
Time of distance downstream
Direction of flow
Point of waste or
heat discharge
Fig. 19.3, p. 479

5. Pollution of Lakes Eutrophication Slow turnover Thermal stratification
Discharge of untreated
municipal sewage
(nitrates and phosphates)
Nitrogen compounds
produced by cars
and factories
Discharge of treated
(primary and secondary
treatment:
nitrates and phosphates)
Discharge of
detergents
( phosphates)
Natural runoff
(nitrates and
phosphates
Manure runoff
From feedlots
Phosphates,
ammonia)
Dissolving of
nitrogen oxides
(from internal combustion
engines and furnaces)
Runoff and erosion
(from from cultivation,
mining, construction,
and poor land use)
Runoff from streets,
lawns, and construction
lots (nitrates and
phosphates)
Lake ecosystem
nutrient overload
and breakdown of
chemical cycling
Slow turnover
Thermal stratification
Fig. 19.5, p. 482

6. Case Study: The Great Lakes
Great Lakes drainage basin
Most polluted areas, according to the Great Lakes Water Quality Board
“Hot spots” of toxic concentrations in water and sediments
Eutrophic areas
CANADA
WISCONSIN
MINNESOTA
IOWA
ILLINOIS
INDIANA
OHIO
PENNSYLVANIA
NEW YORK
MICHIGAN
Nipigon Bay
Thunder Bay
Silver Bay
St. Louis R.
Jackfish Bay
St. Mary’s R.
Spanish R.
Penetary Bay
Sturgeon Bay
Saginaw
Bay
Saginaw R.
System
St. Clair R.
Detroit R.
Rouge R.
Raisin R.
Maumee R.
Black R.
Rocky R.
Cuyahoga R.
Ashtabula R.
Thames R.
Grand R.
Niagara Falls
Niagara R.
Buffalo R.
St. Lawrence R.
Fig. 19.7, p. 484

7. Groundwater Pollution: Sources
Low flow rates
Cold temperatures
Waste lagoon,
pond, or basin
Mining
site
Pumping
well
Water
pumping
Sewer
Cesspoll,
septic
tank
Hazardous
waste
injection
Buried gasoline
and solvent
tanks
Landfill
Road
salt
Unconfined freshwater aquifer
Confined freshwater aquifer
Confined aquifer
Discharge
Leakage
from faulty
casing
Groundwater
Groundwater flow
Few bacteria
Fig. 19.9, p. 487

8. Groundwater Pollution Prevention
Monitoring aquifers
Leak detection systems
Strictly regulating hazardous waste disposal
Storing hazardous materials above ground

9. Ocean Pollution Fig. 19.11, p. 489 Industry Nitrogen oxides from autos
and smokestacks; toxic
chemicals, and heavy
metals in effluents flow
into bays and estuaries.
Cities
Toxic metals and
oil from streets and
parking lots pollute
waters; sewage
adds nitrogen and
phosphorus.
Urban sprawl
Bacteria and
viruses from sewers
and septic tanks
contaminate shellfish
beds and close
beaches; runoff
of fertilization from
lawns adds nitrogen
and phosphorus.
Construction sites
Sediments are washed into waterways,
choking fish and plants, clouding
waters, and blocking sunlight.
Farms
Run off of pesticides, manure, and
fertilizers adds toxins and excess
nitrogen and phosphorus.
Red tides
Excess nitrogen causes explosive
growth of toxic microscopic algae,
poisoning fish and marine mammals.
Closed
shellfish beds
Closed
beach
Oxygen-depleted
zone
Toxic sediments
Chemicals and toxic metals
contaminate shellfish beds,
kill spawning fish, and
accumulate in the tissues
of bottom feeders.
Healthy zone
Clear, oxygen-rich waters
promote growth of plankton
and sea grasses, and support fish.
Oxygen-depleted zone
Sedimentation and algae
overgrowth reduce sunlight,
kill beneficial sea grasses,
use up oxygen, and degrade habitat.
Fig , p. 489

10. Case Study: Chesapeake Bay
Drainage
basin
No oxygen
Low concentrations
of oxygen
PENNSYLVANIA
NEW YORK
WEST
VIRGINIA
MARYLAND
DELAWARE
NEW
JERSEY
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
Cooperstown
Harrisburg
Baltimore
Washington
Richmond
Norfolk
Chesapeake Bay
Largest US estuary
Relatively shallow
Slow “flushing” action to Atlantic
Major problems with dissolved O2
Fig , p. 490

11. Oil Spills
Sources: offshore wells, tankers, pipelines and storage tanks
Effects: death of organisms, loss of animal insulation and buoyancy, smothering
Significant economic impacts
Mechanical cleanup methods: skimmers and blotters
Chemical cleanup methods: coagulants and dispersing agents

12. Solutions: Preventing and Reducing Surface Water Pollution
Nonpoint Sources
Point Sources
Reduce runoff
Clean Water Act
Buffer zone vegetation
Water Quality Act
Reduce soil erosion

13. Technological Approach: Septic Systems
Require suitable soils and maintenance
Household
wastewater
Perforated
pipe
Distribution
box
(optional)
Septic tank
Manhole (for
cleanout)
Drain
field
Vent pipe
Nonperforated
Gravel or
crushed
stone
Fig , p. 494

14. Technological Approach: Sewage Treatment
Mechanical and biological treatment
Raw sewage
from sewers
Bar screen
Grit
chamber
Settling tank
Aeration tank
Chlorine
disinfection tank
Sludge
Sludge digester
Activated sludge
Air pump
(kills bacteria)
To river, lake,
or ocean
Sludge drying bed
Disposed of in landfill or
ocean or applied to cropland,
pasture, or rangeland
Primary
Secondary
Fig , p. 494

15. Technological Approach: Advanced Sewage Treatment
Removes specific pollutants
Effluent from
Secondary
treatment
Alum
flocculation
plus sediments
Activated
carbon
Desalination
(electrodialysis
or reverse osmosis)
Nitrate
removal
Specialized
compound
(DDT, etc.)
98% of
suspended solids
90% of
phosphates
dissolved
organics
Most of
dissolved salts
Recycled to land
for irrigation
and fertilization
To rivers, lakes,
streams, oceans,
reservoirs, or industries
Fig , p. 495

16. Technological Approach: Using Wetlands to Treat Sewage
(1) Raw sewage drains by
gravity into the first pool
and flows through a long
perforated PVC pipe into
a bed of limestone gravel.
(3) Wastewater flows through
another perforated pipe
into a second pool, where
the same process is repeated.
(2) Microbes in the limestone gravel
break down the sewage into
chemicals, that can be absorbed
by the plant roots, and the gravel
absorbs phosphorus.
(4) Treated water flowing from the
second pool is nearly free of
bacteria and plant nutrients.
Treated water can be recycled
for irrigation and flushing toilets.
45 centimeter
layer of limestone
gravel coated with
decomposing bacteria
First concrete pool
Second concrete pool
Sewage
Wetland type
plants
Treated
water
Fig , p. 497

17. Drinking Water Quality
10 to 20 percent
Greater than 20 percent
Not tested
Contaminated Probability
Bottled water
Safe Drinking Water Act
Maximum contaminant levels
Fig , p. 488