Water Pollution

Algal Bloom Effects

Algal blooms cloud the water and block sunlight. Underwater grasses die, and animals lose food from that. Reproduction habitats become destroyed, algae die and decompose, and decomposition requires oxygen. Algae can produce harmful toxins.

Algal Bloom

An algal bloom or an algae bloom is a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in freshwater or marine water systems, and is recognized by the discoloration in the water from their pigments. Algal Blooms create red tides.

Biological Pollution

Biological pollutants can travel through the air and are often invisible. Some common indoor biological pollutants are: animal dander, dust mite and cockroach parts, and infectious agents. Biological pollutants can lead to human disease.

Cultural Eutrophication

Cultural eutrophication is the process that speeds up natural eutrophication because of human activity.

Cultural Eutrophication

Eutrophication process that is sped up by humans.

Natural Eutrophication

Lakes gradually age and become more productive over time. They are more photosynthetic. Sources are run off and untreated sewage. Runoff comes from farms, golf courses, urban lawns. Untreated sewage includes leaking septic tanks and CSOs (combined sewage overflows): Sewage overflows

Visual Indications of Eutrophication

Mud, Grass, algae, muddy, smelly, and dead things.

Nonpoint Source Pollution

Nonpoint source pollution is a term used to describe pollution resulting from many different sources. Nonpoint source pollution examples include excess fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides from agricultural lands and residential areas.

Nutrient Pollution

Nutrient pollution is the process where too many nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus, are added to bodies of water and can act like fertilizer, causing excessive growth of algae. This is a nonpoint source of pollution. Red Tides can be caused by nutrient pollution.

Ocean Water Pollution

Oil pollution in the ocean comes from many widely spread small sources. Natural seeps are the largest single source of ocean water pollution. Ocean organisms bio-accumulate mercury pollution.

Point Source Pollution

Point source pollution is any single identifiable source of pollution from which pollutants are discharged. Factories and sewage treatment plants are two common examples of point source pollution. Occurs in almost all of the U.S., but happens more frequently in areas of high industry.

Sediment Pollution

Sediment pollution is the entering of harmful sediments into the water system.

Sources of Eutrophication

Sources of Eutrophication are run off and untreated sewage. Runoff comes from farms, golf courses, urban lawns. Untreated sewage includes leaking septic tanks and CSOs (combined sewage overflows).

Groundwater Pollution

Sources of groundwater pollution include natural sources, surface pollutants leaching through the soil, and leaky underground structures. Chemicals break down more slowly in the groundwater than in surface water. Most efforts to reduce groundwater pollution focus on prevention.

Pathogens

The 4 types of pathogens found in water include bacteria (staph infection, E. Coli, etc.), virus (AIDS, influenza, hepatitis), fungi (aspergillus, athlete's foot, some types of pneumonia), and protists (malaria).

Clean Water Act

The Clean Water Act was passed in 1972. It set water pollution standards, required permits to release point source pollution, and funded sewage treatment plant construction.

Thermal Pollution

Thermal pollution is the harmful release of heated liquid into a body of water or heat released into the air as a waste product of a business.

Prevention of Algal Blooms

To prevent algal bloom, use fertilizers responsibly. Erosion Prevention: Limit exposed soil. Buffer Zones. Proper disposal of sewage. ½ of phosphorus is removed from sewage and falls to bottom.

Erosion prevention

To prevent erosion, limit exposed soil. Create buffer Zones. Properly dispose of sewage.

Waste Water

Water that has been used in the home, in a business, or as part of an industrial process.

Toxic Chemical Pollution

When chemicals are released into our environment and disrupts the balance of our ecosystems, threatening our health, polluting the air we breathe and contaminating our food. Our technological advances have made us a species largely reliant on chemicals and these chemicals are toxic to life and our environment.