pollution & stewardship
clean water act
(1972) a law that works to correct toxic effluents from industries through establishing safety standards, clean up guidelines, and penalties
safe drinking act (1974)
a law that works to provide standards for what is safe water to drink
coagulation
chemicals that act like magnets and get particles like sediment and dirt to stick together
what are the ways to be a good steward?
conservation of resources, clean up polluted areas, establishment of nature preserves and wildlife areas
what did the safe drinking water act of 1974 protect?
drinkable/potable water
pros and cons of percolation
effective but time consuming
filtration
extracts small particles
where does the safe drinking water act protect water?
in the United States
how does advancing technology improve water quality standards?
it can help filter the water and the stuff we can't see (better cleaning process)
what two things can happen to water after it hits the ground?
it can run off land or move to soil
what is bioretention? how does it work?
it filters polluted storm water from plants
explain how environmental stressors such as urban and/or agricultural runoff, industrial inputs and over-fishing can impact aquatic populations?
it will decrease the population
benefits of corporate stewardship?
make a bigger difference because they have more resources
what role do federal and state governments have in attempting to control point source pollution sites?
make laws and regulations
has the 1972 clean water act been successful?
no, the water is starting to get worse again
what is the leading source of water pollution?
non point sources
how effective is water treatment?
not fully protective
flocculation (floc)
particles that stick together due to coagulation
water is filtered through
percolation
what are some ways to decrease non point source pollution?
pick up after your pet, use organic fertilizer, compost, wash your car on grass, properly dispose of oil, do not put anything in storm drains
what kind of pollution does the clean water act of 1972 mostly correct?
point source pollution
why was the clean water act put in place in 1972?
pollution was on the rise
how does treated water get to your home?
pumps draw water from reservoir to water treatment plant then home (pipes)
why are laws like the safe drinking water act necessary at a federal level?
so pollution does not get out of control
why would the federal government and city government find it necessary to regulate water standards?
so the water will be safe and potable
why is soil percolation important to know and understand when you are developing an area?
so you can know about flooding
point source pollution
source of pollution is known and identifiable
non point source pollution
source of pollution is too widespread to identify or blame
what influences the way water flows through soil?
texture, pore size, size of sand particles
clarification
the separation of water and floc
how do chemicals, hazardous wastes, oils, etc contribute to pollution and water quality ?
they will eventually flow to our bodies of water and can harm organisms
what was the goal of organizations like the Tennessee Water Keepers?
to enforce laws like the clean water act
stewardship
to protect the environment
what was the goal of the 1972 clean water act?
to reduce pollutants from companies
real life examples of point source pollution
toxic effluents from a factory, agricultural runoff
real life examples of non point source pollution
urban runoff from roads and parking lots, neighborhood runoff from storm drains and sewage leaks such as pig waste or pesticides, and over fishing from fisheries
what are some things that are polluting our water?
urban runoff, agriculture
water is recycled through the...
watercycle
what are some ways non point source pollution can be controlled? how do they work?
wetlands remove sediments from water
water treatment plants
where they filter, remove, and chemically sanitize water to provide drinkable water