Non Point Water Pollutants

586 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Essay on water treatment plants

Clean water is one of the most crucial resources on Earth. It supports countless ecosystems as well as recreation and esthetic pleasure. With increased pollutant inputs, clean water has become scares. One major contributor to the decreased water quality is non-point source water pollution. non-point source water pollution causes eutrophication which is the excessive enrichment of water . Eutrophication cripples aquatic ecosystems, creates vast economic losses and is a threat to human health. For these reasons non-point source water polluters should be regulated in order to keep our water supply clean.

Water treatment is considered to be a relevant action to ensure environmental sustainability. With an increase in water pollutants, water treatment plants are forced to develop additional processes in order to adequately purify the polluted water. In a report for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed it was stated that the presence of non-point source pollutants caused “a 35% increase” in cost for the wastewater treatment plant (Rees 2014). As well, a study in …show more content…

Excess nitrogen in water has been linked to methemoglobinemia, a condition where increased levels of methemoglobin are present in the blood preventing oxygen to be carried throughout the body. Methemoglobinemia is potentially lethal to infants. Along with nitrogen, phosphorus indirectly can harm human health. Phosphorus is a catalyst for toxic algal growth. A study from Sarasota County, Florida documented “increased emergency room visit(s) for respiratory illnesses resulting from algal blooms”(EPA 2015). Non-point source water pollutants not only harm humans, but also live stock.Nitrogen enriched water “causes methemoglobinemia and abortions in cattle”(Caraco 1998). Along with live stock, entire aquatic ecosystems are damaged by the eutrophication caused by non-point source water

Show More
Related

  • Relation of Nitrogen and Nitrates to Hypoxia

    569 Words  | 2 Pages

    Currently, the United State’s Gulf of Mexico experiences an annual, seasonal “dead zone” as a result of hypoxia. Hypoxia is a low level of dissolved oxygen (<2mg/L) in an area of water. Hypoxia is typically temporary and seasonal, but the low oxygen levels can be devastating to aquatic organisms. Hypoxia occurs in many oceanic waters worldwide, but there is a growing area of concern in our Gulf of Mexico coast. Hypoxia is largely caused by nitrogen fertilizer application for agriculture, with heavy concentrations coming from the Midwestern US. Nitrogen mobilizes as nitrate, and is transported via surface water runoff. The runoff enters tile-drain supported ditches, enters streams and joins the Mississippi river, eventually reaching the gulf. Nitrate mobilization is a problem for human health, and ag. runoff is also often attributed to the contamination of surface and well-water sources in rural areas. High levels of nitrates restrict the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen. This can harm humans, and is the major cause of infant methemoglobinemia, or “blue baby syndrome”. The safe drinking level standard is 10mg/L.

    Read More

  • Chesapeake Bay

    1367 Words  | 3 Pages

    This is an important topic. It affects the overall health of the population surrounding the Chesapeake Bay, as we eat from it quite often and it can be used as a water source. The chemicals being released into the water are from coal-burning factories and runoff, which can be helped, but it’s almost impractical in this day and age to spend the amount of money required to do so without the technology that can guarantee a fix.

    Read More

  • Change And Change: What Is Climate Change?

    812 Words  | 2 Pages

    Use of pesticides & other fertilizers infuse nitrogen oxide into the water bodies acidifying the water which kills the plants and aquatic animals living in

    Read More

  • Water Pollution in North Carolina

    416 Words  | 1 Pages

    About 80% of the State&#8217;s surveyed freshwater rivers and streams have good water quality that fully supports aquatic life uses, 17% have fair water quality that partially supports aquatic life uses, and 3% have poor water quality that does not support aquatic life uses. Ten percent of the surveyed rivers do not fully support swimming. The major sources of impairment are agriculture (responsible for 53% of the impaired river miles), urban runoff (responsible for 16%), and construction (responsible for 13%). These sources generate siltation, bacteria, and organic wastes that deplete disssolved opxygen.

    Read More

  • Jaffrey Lake Environmental Issues

    799 Words  | 2 Pages

    The natural level of nitrate is usually low with less than 2 ppm. Meanwhile, the maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) and local limit is 10 ppm. If the concentration of nitrate in a body of water exceeds 10 ppm, it can cause health problems for humans, such as methemoglobinemia, and a spike in the growth of plant life, such as algae blooms. As for the amount of phosphate, there is an even lower natural concentration with 0.05 ppm and 0.1 ppm for the local limit. Similar to an excess amount of nitrate, a higher presence of phosphate encourages aquatic plant growth but also the growth of plankton. This overproduction of nitrate and phosphate forms a growth of toxic algae blooms that then decrease food supplies and destroy habitats. Since nitrate is required by organisms to function and phosphate is essential to the development of complex cells, the algae that grows from these nutrients blocks out the sunlight for organisms below the surface of the water. Thus, these organisms die off and bacteria decomposes the waste, releasing more phosphate. The decomposition also uses up oxygen in the water, which will severely inhibit the growth of other organisms, like fish. As conditions worsen and the deadly cycle continues, the body of water will age in an

    Read More

  • Polyethylene: Manufacturing Cycle and Environmental Impact

    885 Words  | 2 Pages

    Stephenson, R., & Blackburn, J. J. (1998). The Industrial Wastewater Systems Handbook. New York: Lewis Publishers.

    Read More

  • Water Pollution in Southern Canada: Causes and Prevention

    1205 Words  | 3 Pages

    'Water pollution is any chemical, physical or biological change in the quality of water that has a harmful effect on any living thing that drinks or uses or lives(in) it. ' (Azeem 1). In Canada, most people live in the southern part along with many agricultural and industrial activities causing the worst cases of water pollution. Water pollution is caused by population growth and industrialization, but can be prevented if proper controls are taken into consideration to help reduce the discharge of waste materials. Water pollution has been a huge disadvantaging concern for humans as well as wildlife for over many decades, but can actually be prevented if attempted. Preventing waste materials from being dumped into lakes and rivers, controlling

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Buckeye Lake

    1275 Words  | 3 Pages

    Water pollution is a very serious problem as it affects one of the most essential ingredients to our very livelihood. The earth is covered in water, in fact about 70% of the Earth is covered in water, only

    Read More

  • An Insight on Wilmington’s Water Pollution

    1651 Words  | 4 Pages

    Storm water runoff is the biggest polluter of streams, creeks, rivers and ocean water systems. “Nationwide, storm water is a leading source of water pollution. About thirteen percent of U.S. rivers, eighteen percent of lakes and thirty-two percent of estuaries are classified as impaired by storm water, which means they are rendered unsafe for swimming or fishing. It also contributes to the degradation of many other waterways” (Coefield, 2010, p.1). The improperly disposed coal waste from Duke Energy easily percolates through t...

    Read More

  • Eutrophication

    911 Words  | 2 Pages

    Eutrophication of bodies of water is a naturally occurring phenomenon. However, the process has been aggravated by the human population. Such man-made eutrophication is caused by excessive discharge of nutrien...

    Read More

  • Case Study of Waste Water Treatment Plants

    1046 Words  | 3 Pages

    Waste water treatment plants are essential to communities of all sizes and must work efficiently. Waste water treatment plant primary priority and responsibility is the treatment of incoming sewage water by the removal of biological and chemical wastes so it can be treated and recycled for future use. There are many government agencies and standards set forth to govern and observe the successful treatment of sewage such as: the Department of Environmental Quality, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and the Clean Water Act of 1972. Compliance and constant monitoring of the treatment plant’s operations are important; as they protect the surrounding community. A spill or backflow of sewage due to a complete system malfunction could potentially be detrimental to the environment and local community. A precise system, of which must be compliant according to government standards, is critical to maintain low levels of wastes that are returned to neighboring water systems after treatment.

    Read More

  • Causes, Effects and Solution of Water Polution

    1069 Words  | 3 Pages

    Oroian, Viman Oana I. "Damaging Effects of Overall Water Pollution." BioFlux (2010): 113-15. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.

    Read More

  • Essay On Causes Of Water Pollution

    560 Words  | 2 Pages

    Water pollution is very harmful to the environment and living things. Water pollution can come from many different sources. If the pollution comes from only one source, such as an oil spill, it is called point-source pollution. If it comes from many different sources, it is called nonpoint-source pollution. Most water pollution affects the immediate area surrounding the source, but there are some types of pollution, such as hazardous, that can affect areas miles away from the source. Water pollution is something that can be prevented; it is important to be aware of the causes of water pollution to keep the environment safe and clean for the many generations to come.

    Read More

  • Water Purification Conclusion

    1155 Words  | 3 Pages

    Chemicals and impurities removed from water may not be disposed properly thus polluting the environment. A sheet volume of discarded filters may add up to landfill mass. The system itself may take up large amount of spaces and cause lots of noises and destructions. There may also be chemical or wastewater spills if not handled properly.

    Read More

  • Water Is an Irreplaceable Natural Resource

    761 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fresh water is a limited resource in many parts of the world. And this will become more dearth due to increasing in population, urbanization and climate change. The major fact for this paucity of fresh water is not only due to demand for water but also due to pollution in freshwater ecosystem. Due to the pollution created by human beings in this ecosystem, the usable water has decreased drastically and the cost of purifying the water has increased dramatically. The main sources of water pollution are point source and non point source. Point sources include pipeline discharge of pollutants such as domestic sewage discharge industrial waste effluents from factories or plants, to receiving waters. In contrast, non-point pollution results from storm runoff, which transports polluting materials diffusely over land.

    Read More

More about Non Point Water Pollutants

Open Document