Water Pollution & Treatment

Science 8
Chapter 2C
NCSCOS 3.07
 Warm-Up: copy each sentence
with the correct response.
1. The 3 classes of indicators are
____, biological, and chemical.  Bio-
2. Nitrates from fertilizers found in indicator
a water supply are _________.  Physical
3. The dirtiness or cloudiness of  Watershed
water is ______.
4. pH is a method of measuring the  Algal Blooms
_____ of water.  Chemical
5. An living organism that is used to indicators
evaluate water health is a  Acidity
_______.
6. ______ can form in turbid water  Turbidity
or in the presence of nitrates.
7. A _____ is an area of land that
shares the same water.
What is Pollution?
A pollutant is any substance or form of
energy that can cause harm to the
environment and make it unfit for
organisms.

Two types of water pollution:

1. Point Source
2. Non-Point Source
Water Pollution Sources
 PointSource- you know the one source
of pollution; it is identified; easier to
detect and control

 Non-point Source- comes from many

sources that can not be easily identified;
harder to control
Point-Source examples:
 Pipe from Sewage Plant
 Pipe from Industrial Factory
Point-Source examples:
Point-Source examples:
 Oil Tanker Spill
Non-Point Source examples:
 RUNOFF!!!
 Water comes from across a large, more
diffuse area of land
 From…farms, lawns, parking lots, streets,
construction sites, acid rain from air
pollution, etc.
Non-Point Source examples:
Non-Point Source examples:
Non-Point Source examples:
Non-Point Source examples:
Biomagnification/Bioaccumulation
 Pollution gets into smaller organisms
 Amount builds up as it gets passed up food chain
 Chemicals could end up in food eaten by humans
North Carolina Pollution
 Sedimentation – increases turbidity
◦ Erosion
◦ Development
◦ Agriculture – tilling soil, irrigation, livestock

 Nutrient Pollution – increases Nitrate &

Phosphate levels in water
  Algae Low Oxygen
 Fertilizers run off in storm water
 Fecal Coliform Bacteria from animal feces
Water Treatment
 Sewage Treatment Plants
◦ Process raw waste & get water ready to enter
back into rivers
◦ 1.) Sludge separated, chlorine used to kill
harmful bacteria
◦ 2.) Oxygen & sludge-eating bacteria used

 Septic Systems
◦ Small wastewater system used by home or
business in rural area
◦ Sludge consumed by bacteria
◦ Cleaner water exits & spreads into ground
Septic System
Water Treatment
 Drinking Water Treatment Plants:
 1. Water piped in from river or lake
 2. Flows through mixers, clumping agents
& chemical disinfectants added
 3. Clarifying pool separates large particles
 4. Filters separate tiny particles of dust &
dirt
 5. Chlorine used to kill bacteria
 6. Clean water goes to water storage tank
EPA
 The Environmental Protection Agency
sets and enforces water quality standards
for wastewater, pollution & drinking
water.
 Focuses on protection of surface
freshwater resources
What can we do to help?!
 Pick up pet waste
 Pick up litter
 Plant vegetation
 Dispose of chemicals & wastewater
appropriately
 Reduce amount of water used