Lecture 2 of Water Pollution

● Heavy metals include: lead, mercury, chromium, cadmium, and arsenic

○ Can find arsenic in hard rock or granite
○ Lead is absolutely deadly in high concentrations
● Methyl mercury toxic to most living organisms
● Chemical plant in Minamata Bay, Japan, released mercury in 1938
● First reported ecological changes in 1950
● By 1953 humans poisoned
○ Neurological disorder

● Streams and rivers around the world are extensively polluted

○ However, they can cleanse themselves of many pollutants if we do not
overload them or reduce their flows
○ Adding excessive nutrients to lakes from human activities can disrupt
their ecosystems, and prevention of such pollution is more effective and
less costly than cleaning it up

● Ground Water Cannot Cleanse Itself Very Well. Chemicals used in agriculture,
industry, transportation, and homes.
● Source of drinking water for about half of the U.S. population
● Common pollutants
○ Fertilizers and pesticides
○ Gasoline
○ Organic solvents
○ Fracking
● Pollutants dispersed in a widening plume
● Ground water can be untouched for thousands of years
● Every landfill leaks

● Safe Drinking Water Act

○ Sets maximum contaminant levels for any pollutants that affect human
health
● Health scientists
 ○ Strengthen the law
● Water-polluting companies
○ Weaken the law
● Companies are getting a million liters for a few bucks
● Suck up ground water so they can sell it

● There Are Many Ways to Purify Drinking Water

● Reservoirs and purification plants
● Process sewer water to drinking water
● Expose clear plastic containers to sunlight (UV)
● The LifeStraw
● PUR – chlorine and iron sulfate powder

● Bottled water can be useful but expensive

● The U.S. and Canada has some of the world’s cleanest drinking water
● Bottled water less regulated than tap water
● Use of bottled water can create environmental problems