WATER POLLUTION.   Term Paper ID:18268 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Discusses various contaminants of domestic, agricultural & industrial supplies, methods of treatment & purification.... More...

12 Pages / 2700 Words 7 sources, 48 Citations, OTHER Format $48.00 Return to List of Papers

Paper Abstract: Discusses various contaminants of domestic, agricultural & industrial supplies, methods of treatment & purification. Paper Introduction: Water is an essential ingredient for life and may be the most precious resource the earth has to offer humanity. Many believe, however, that this valuable commodity is in danger as a result of man-made pollution. Through disrespect, shortsightedness and neglect, the species may be compromising its own survival unless there is significant improvement in water quality and management. The purpose of this paper will be to discuss water and its pollution through the various contaminants found in domestic, agricultural and industrial uses. In addition, a review of the legal issues and current methods of water treatment and purification will be included. All the fresh water in the world's lakes, creeks, streams and rivers equals less than .01 percent of the earth's total water supply (4:80). The system is continually replenished by Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. It is able to retaliate againstpollutants. All the fresh water in the world's lakes, creeks, streams and riversequals less than . For,while the Clean Water Act provided funds for secondary-treatment wastewater facilities, the Safe Drinking Water Act did not. Very little lead is naturally found in water. "Neglect that's gone on for acentury is going to be on the backs of current ratepayers," says JackSullivan of the American Water Works Association (5:35). Today, however, much of this watersupply is contaminated on the way down to the ground by gases and particlesthat mankind introduces into the air (4:8 ). And, since groundwater in aquiferstravels at rates as low as a meter per year and as high as meters per day,there was ample time in many instances for TCE to heavily pollute thesystem (1). But once you do she works amazingly fast"(2:35). Thus, when contaminated fluids weretransported to waste dumps, part of the TCE evaporated, but much remained,ultimately encountering groundwater. Further, human excreta contains some of theworst contaminants known with microorganisms acting as agents of cholera,typhoid fever and dysentery. Though each country varies in its water uses,agriculture is the main user around the world. It is apparent that the cleanupprogram mandated are not working. And, though management of water resources, of both their quantityand quality, is now widely practiced all over the world, the results,particularly in quality control, have been inadequate (4:9 ). But the price of cleaning up their pollutionproblem may be out of reach. 8 _94; September 1989.5. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claims thatAmerican corporations dumped 55 million pounds of toxic waste into thecountry's lakes, streams and rivers (5:33). As a result, water quality in many of America's lakes have reboundedand scientists have learned two things. Many believe, however,that this valuable commodity is in danger as a result of man-madepollution. Abelson, P. Even large water systems will undergo "rate shock" as they meet thestandards required by the 1986 amendments. Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, poses a greater healthrisk than any other environmental pollutant (7:31). "Average globally, seventy-three percent of water withdrawn from the earth goes for this purpose"(4:8 ). Many solutions fortreating waste water have been developed and implemented and for somecities, recycling this water has augmented limited fresh water supplies.Some of the major water quality success stories in America have come as aresult of antipollution efforts in this area (2:35). Foundmainly in groundwater sources, nitrate is a threat primarily to infantsunder six months of age who can become seriously ill from drinking waterhigh in this compound. Newsweek, 24 July 1989, 26-42.3. However, health officials found that treatment technologies createdto prevent widespread disease may also be carcinogenic. Nitrate is dangerous to infants when contaminated water is mixed withformula. However, though the future looks promising, each aquifer isdifferent, which means each polluted system must be treated differently.No single cure-all exists. In addition, a reviewof the legal issues and current methods of water treatment and purificationwill be included. Scientists have found thatunder special reducing conditions TCE was almost completely destroyed in afew days. In fact, the EPA also estimates that water supplies now account for15 percent to 2 percent of a child's total lead intake (7:3 ). Recycling our most prolific by-product. Flap over fluoride. And, second, the relative fast recovery of these water sourcescontain an important political lesson, That "its a tunnel with a bright,cheery light at the end" (2:35). Of this amount,about 27, cubic kilometers return to the sea as flood vater, another5, cubic kilometers flow into the sea in uninhabited areas, leavingabout 9, cubic kilometers readily available for human use andexploitation (4:8 ). Larger systems usually incorporate somekind of water treatment that aerates the water and, in so doing, dispersesradon gas. Although organic waste is biodegradable, it is packed with tinyorganisms that are unsatiable consumers of dissolved oxygen. The reality is thatcosts will skyrocket if small systems are forced to comply as mandated.Rates could go from $15 to $5 a quarter to $5 a year (5:35). TCE's physical properties facilitate its widespread occurrence. Theimprovements have increased the importance of drinking water as a source oflead. Hidden as it is from view, groundwater can become pollutedwithout generating much of an outcry until it is too late to reverse thedamage. To increase supply is more costly and inmost cases postpones an inevitable crisis. A laissez-faire attitude towardwater management could bring about a return to the past. history in Boston, says,"Ecological control produces visible, satisfying results. Through disrespect, shortsightedness and neglect, the speciesmay be compromising its own survival unless there is significantimprovement in water quality and management. Where the population density is low, the waste can be degraded bymicrobes through a process known as self-purification. Trouble at the waterworks. Ithas a boiling point of 88 degrees centigrade and a density of about 1.46(1). In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act which authorizedthe EPA to set and enforce standards for hazardous substances in drinkingwater. TCE is the major contaminant found in groundwater and is thechemical most often uncovered at Superfund sites where large quantities ofit were widely used for decades in degreasing and the wastes werecarelessly discarded (1). Jacobson, J. The Progressive 33-35; June 1989.6. Manyexperts believe that the 1986 amendments will bring about a "revolution" inwater treatment. Much of America's concerns about drinking water center on how thewater looks, tastes or smells. The EPA says this form of pollution in farm areas is worsening. In small rural areas, water-treatment facilities usually do not havethe technology nor the funds to contain toxins. Experts are now more concerned about lead's presence in drinkingwater due to recent surveys showing higher levels existing in water thanhad been assumed. A result of better water quality is increased stress on watertreatment. Scientific American. As a result,aquatic life, both plant and animal, are deprived of this precious life-sustaining element (3:88). L. Waste enters lakes, streams and other water systems in dischargesfrom point sources such as sewers, drainage pipes and/or from runoff. Itcan also be carried along indirect paths. Literature Cited1. Bacteria in the baby's digestive tract turns the relativelyharmless nitrate into nitrite, which can then result in"methemoglobinemia," a condition which deprives vital organs of oxygen(7:32). But some water, specificallythat coming from private wells in rural areas, may contain many times thenormal amount. What money there is usually goes to the large,municipal treatment facilities. However, where itsdensity is high, large quantities of waste accumulate in bodies of water,including the ocean, and harming aquatic life. In reality, however, fresh water is becoming increasinglyscarce as population, agriculture and industrial uses grow. While most human's daily nitrate intake comes from vegetables, aboutone percent generally is supplied by water. "Unfortunately, water that is hazardous toyour health usually looks, tastes, and smells just fine" (7:3 ). Added up, about 11 percent of the Unites State's population isserviced by these systems. While it cleans up 75 percent of thepopulations drinking water, it is in the smaller systems where most of theviolations occur (5:34). The most widespread group of pollutants are the chlorinatedhydrocarbons, in particular TCE (trichlorethylene) and its degradationproducts (1). The states have not done much better. Fresh water is used for public drinking purposes, in agriculture andfor industrial uses. Many blame it on the price tag necessaryto do the job. In June 1986, amendments to the Act were passed by Congress requiringthe EPA to establish primary drinking water standards for 83 contaminantsby June 1989 (5:34). In this fresh water, highly chlorinated hydrocarbons are very stable,with half-lives as long as a million years or more. However, because the water supply and the human population areunevenly distributed, water availability becomes a problem. Further, levels once considered safe now are known to beunhealthy. Waste water, the results of population and industrial pollution, hasbeen a major polluter of fresh and sea water. The EPA also says that as many as eight million people may haveundesirably high radon levels in their water supply (7:31). Safe drinkingwater is now an expensive commodity. Other types of industrialwaste, paper, concrete, glass, iron and certain plastics, may be unsightlybut they are innocuous and nontoxic. "By 1986, EPA had set standards for onlytwenty-two of them" (5:33). It can be organic, such ashuman and animal excreta and agricultural fibrous waste, or inorganic whichincludes waste generated by a wide range of industrial processes and bydisposal of industrial products. Both metals do produce offensivetastes and odors and can stain clothes and fixtures, however, there is noknown negative health effects from them. Pollutants that once went into rivers now have to go somewhereelse. "According to EPA estimates,inhaled radon causes between 1 , and 4 , lung-cancer deaths eachyear" (7:31). Thesesources include service pipes from the water mains, leaded solder inplumbing fixtures and brass faucets. Discover 34-35; July 1989.7. Thedisturbing news is that some of these pollutants or poisons are not evenregulated under the EPA. Chemical fertilizers and manure fromanimal feed lots are particularly rich sources of nitrogen compounds.These convert into nitrate in the soil and then migrate into thegroundwater (7:31). Further, it is very soluble. Further, states or water systems were mandated tomonitor for many unregulated contaminants. There are about 3 , small water systems in America serving fewer than 3,3 customers each(6:33). An example is when water leachesthrough contaminated soils transports the contaminants to a lake or river(4:82). As a result, between 1971 and 1985, 111,228 cases of waterbornediseases were reported, a significant increase since 192 (5:33). The developing nervous systems of fetuses and children areparticularly at risk and studies show that lead exposure at an early agecan cause permanent learning disabilities and hyperactive behavior (7:3 ).In addition, lead can also increase the chances of low birth weight ininfants and is associated with elevation in blood pressure, chronic anemiaand peripheral nerve damage. Industrial waste can include heavy metals as well as large quantitiesof chemicals and pesticides which are characterized by toxicity andpersistence in that they are not degradable under natural conditions or inconventional sewage-treatment plants (4:82). The purpose of this paperwill be to discuss water and its pollution through the various contaminantsfound in domestic, agricultural and industrial uses. Thesystem is continually replenished by rainfall and water vapor from theatmosphere in the form of rain or snow. Volatile Contaminants of Drinking Water. An example ischlorine which, when combined with organic matter such as leaves, forms anarray of substances known as trihalomethanes (THMs). Threats to the world's water. The National CancerInstitute has found that Chloroform, a common THM, is linked to increasesin bladder cancer among those who drink water from publicly-treatedsystems. Further, these same companiesburied another 3.9 billion pounds of pollutants in the ground, over oraround the aquifers that supply half the nation's drinking water. Today, the most volatile of contaminants as a result of waste andpollution have been identified and the means of destroying them are beingdiscovered. Inaddition, since 1974, more thin 2,1 different contaminants have beenfound in public-water systems. Still, public concern about possible contamination of watersupplies is a fact of life (1). Lead, on the other hand, a commonmetal found in drinking vater, is tasteless, odorless and colorless and yetat certain levels is toxic (7:3 ). Thesepermits can be revoked at any time. The more visible the pollution, the more apt it is to becleaned up. Maurits la Riviere, J.W. Nichols, C. One is that the environment, as aliving system, is very resilient. The Clean Water Act of 1977 stipulated that cities and towns had tocontrol the quantity and quality of effluents discharged into waterways bytreating waste water so as to prevent pollution (3:89). Other farm chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers, are ending up indrinking water sources as well. An area of the earth's surface equaling the size of India iscurrently under irrigation with an eight percent increase annually. In fact,many experts believe that waterborne radon causes more cancer deaths thanall other drinking-water contaminants combined. And, though other compounds areadded to drinking water for safety and health reasons, such as fluoride--the ionic element of fluorine, which when introduced to developing teeth,replaces the less reactive atoms like sodium and potassium in theinfrastructure of the tooth enamel making it stronger as a result--in theend, it is the small water-treatment facilities that are bearing the bruntof the agricultural and other water pollution problems (6:34). Water-purifying is becomingmore complex and costly as the number of pollutants in water increases. H. Forinstance, people who get their water from wells most often complain aboutdiscoloration by iron or manganese. "The World Resources Institute estimates that 41, cubic kilometersof water per year returns to the sea from the land, counterbalancing theatmospheric vapor transport from sea to land" (4:8 ). Areas such asIceland have an overabundance while countries such as Bahrain have noaccess to fresh water and are dependent on desalinization of seawater.Further complicating the situation is the amount used by different groups.The average American consumes more than seventy times as much water eachyear as the average resident of Ghana in Africa (4:8 ). Part of the focus on lead stems from the fact that it has beenremoved from other things such as gasoline, paint and in food cans. 1 percent of the earth's total water supply (4:8 ). It is hoped thatbetween government regulations and environmental watchdog groups this willnot happen again. The contaminant's high levels usually stems fromagricultural activities (7:31). As a result, TCE hasbeen the object of much research activity. However, the severity also depends onthe water's chemistry, whether it is soft or acidic. There are two main ways to increase a local water supply whenshortages occur: trapping more water by damming rivers and "mining"groundwater, and by implementing conservation methods related particularlyto irrigation. Instead, it seeps inprimarily through the corrosion of plumbing that contains lead. It is estimated that in principle this is enoughwater to support 2 billion people (4:8 ). This fear has generated cost estimates for making domestic watersources safe at over $8 billion per year for the next 2 years (5:34).Many believe this can also lead to waste of billions of dollars, thuseffective means of reducing water contamination are necessary. The water will evaporateand return to the atmosphere as pure water vapor and the cycle will thenrepeat itself. In trying to accommodate the smaller systems by bending regulationsfor them, the EPA has incurred the wrath of environmentalists who claim theagency appears to condone bad water for rural areas. However, according to the EPA, dangerous chemicals discharged intowaterways equal less than one-fifth the amount pumped into the air (2:35).Thanks to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), thedisturbing ecological images of the 196 s, where waste was pouring directlyinto streams across the country, have been, for the most part, eliminated.Under the NPDES any "point source pumping fluids into a river or lake mustobtain a permit specifying what the discharge can contain (2:35). Nomore (5:34). Further, it is now apparent that the prevention of pollution and therestoration of bodies of water already polluted should take precedence overthe development of purification technology. Easterbrook, G. In 1987, the U.S. Cleaning Up. Records show that in 1987, 21states took no enforcement action against violators of the Safe DrinkingWater Act, despite the fact that there were more than 1 , violationsaffecting forty million Americans (5:8 ). Nature can'trecover till you stop polluting. Consumer Report 3 -32; January 199 .----------------------- 14 And, evidence now shows that some of theseare causing cancers, not only among the people who live with and use thechemicals but also city people where small residues of these chemicals turnup in urban drinking sources (8:3 ). Water is an essential ingredient for life and may be the mostprecious resource the earth has to offer humanity. And, with nofederal funds available, the situation becomes even more critical. 88-89; July 19894. Olivenstein, L. And, every three years EPA mustdevelop a list of 25 new contaminants for possible regulation. Since 1974, 48 states have established standards for contaminants andmonitoring schedules just as stringent as the federal government's (5:34).However, neither governmental entities are providing much if any money tohelp the cleanup process. Science, 12 January 199 , 141.2. Further, fresh water is constantly moving towards the ocean and in sodoing picks up other particles and dissolved matter--organic and inorganicwaste. In particular, mininggroundwater in order to increase supply should be avoided unless it can beguaranteed that the aquifer from which the vater is taken can bereplenished. Many experts believe that water-management projects should leantoward increasing the efficiency of water consumption rather thanincreasing water supply (4:92). Severe lead poisoning can cause brain damage and even death.However, the effects of chronic, low-level poisoning can be much moresubtle. It is mostlikely found in water from private wells or from community water systemsserving fewer than 5 people. Another serious pollutant found in drinking water is nitrate. The pollutants that matter most: Lead, radon, nitrate. It is a product ofuranium and is found in the earth's crust. The need foran integrated approach is paramount, for in every river and lake basin,socioeconomic and environmental concerns must dovetail so that humangrowth, industry, energy production, agriculture, forests, fisheries andwildlife can coexist. Though most radon seeps into households from the earth,entering through holes and cracks in the foundation, between 1 and 18 deaths each year are attributed to radon found in drinking water. Jacqueline Warren, a senior attorney with the NaturalResources Defense Council, says that in the past we were treating watertoday like in the 193 s: "A little sand filtration, a little chlorine. EPA estimated that in 1986 some 4 million Americans were usingdrinking water containing potentially hazardous levels of lead (7:3 ). Paul Levy, head of the authority buildingthe most ambitious water-cleansing system in U.S. Predictions of what will happen if sound principles of watermanagement are not implemented can be based on the past when rivers turnedinto sewers and lakes into cesspools. USA Today. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

Many of our Papers can be Downloaded From This Site!

PLEASE READ THIS, IT IS IMPORTANT!

Office hours are Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm (PST). You may place orders for custom research over the phone during office hours. E-mail requests can be made to our graduate and undergraduate department any time, and will be reviewed during office hours. You may also contact customer service any time through e-mail, and we will review your message during business hours. A great many papers can be downloaded right from this site, but not all of them. If you would like to know if a particular paper is downloadable, just look in the description for: "Available for Internet Download: Y" or "Available for Internet Download: N" If you wish to purchase a paper which is NOT available for immediate download, you will need to make other shipping arrangements. Also, please be aware that these orders are processed Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm (PST). If you place your order after 4:45pm on Friday, it will not be processed until the following Monday morning. We charge $8 per page for all of our pre-written reports, plus shipping (and tax for California residents). However, the highest cost of any ONE report is $136, or 17 pages. Please, take a moment. Make sure you have chosen the report you want or need BEFORE you complete your order. If you are not sure, allow us to help you. We do not offer refunds or exchanges, so it is important for you to let us answer your questions during office hours. Reports which are e-mailed or downloaded are in Microsoft Word format. We are making more reports available for e-mail delivery faster than we can update our listings. Please call to check on the status of particular reports. There are many other shipping options which are listed on the Checkout page.