IS WATER POLLUTION AND WATER
CONTAMINATION THE SAME THING?
You may think of pollution and
contamination as being the same thing. Perhaps in a general term, they are. But
when it comes to specifically talking about your water, the two, and their
causes are very different.
Pollution is due to the influence or
activities of people, where contamination may be natural.
There are many specific causes of water
pollution, but before we list the toppers, it's important to understand two
broad categories of water pollution:
“Point source” — occurs when harmful substances are emitted directly into a body of water.
“Nonpoint source” — delivers pollutants indirectly through transport or environmental change.
“Point source” — occurs when harmful substances are emitted directly into a body of water.
“Nonpoint source” — delivers pollutants indirectly through transport or environmental change.
An example of a point source of water
pollution is a pipe from an industrial facility discharging effluent directly
into a river. An example of a nonpoint-source of water pollution is when
fertilizer from a farm field is carried into a stream by rain (i.e. run-off).
Point-source pollution is usually
monitored and regulated, at least in Western countries, though political
factors may complicate how successful efforts are at true pollution control.
Nonpoint sources are much more difficult to monitor and control, and today they
account for the majority of contaminants in streams and lakes.
There are many sources of water
pollution; some being oil spills, pesticides and herbicidal usage and
clear-cutting of forestry. But by and large, an annual offender is clearly
industrial chemical pollution.
Almost all bodies of water in the world
have some level of pollution from chemicals and industrial waste. In the United
States, 34 billion liters per year (60%) of the most hazardous liquid
waste—solvents, heavy metals, and radioactive materials—is injected directly
into deep groundwater via thousands of "injection wells."
Although the EPA requires that these
effluents be injected below the deepest source of drinking water, some
pollutants have already entered underground water supplies in Florida, Texas,
Ohio, and Oklahoma. The US is not alone in careless treatment of its
groundwater.
On the other hand, water contamination
is often used to refer to impurities in water regardless of the source or
events that led to the impurities being in the water.
A common impurity or contamination in
water is its TDS count. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) consist mainly of
carbonates, dissolved bicarbonates, chlorides, sulfates, phosphates, nitrates,
calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, manganese, and a few others. They
do not include gases, colloids, or sediment.
The TDS can be estimated by measuring the specific conductance of the water. Dissolved solids in natural waters range from less than 10 mg/l for rain to more than 100,000 mg/l for brines. Since TDS is the sum of all materials dissolved in the water, it has many different mineral sources.
The TDS can be estimated by measuring the specific conductance of the water. Dissolved solids in natural waters range from less than 10 mg/l for rain to more than 100,000 mg/l for brines. Since TDS is the sum of all materials dissolved in the water, it has many different mineral sources.
Turbidity is often a contaminant or
impurity of waters. Turbidity is the term given to anything that is suspended
in a water supply. It is found in most surface waters, but usually doesn't
exist in ground waters except in shallow wells and springs after heavy rains.
Turbidity gives the water a cloudy
appearance or shows up as dirty sediment. Undissolved materials such as sand,
clay, silt or suspended iron contribute to turbidity.
Turbidity can cause the staining of
sinks and fixtures as well as the discoloring of fabrics. Usually turbidity is
measured in NTUs (nephelometric turbidity units).
Typical drinking water will have a
turbidity level of 0 to 1 NTU. Turbidity can also be measured in ppm (parts per
million) and it's size is measured in microns.
Turbidity can be particles in the water
consisting of finely divided solids, larger than molecules, but not visible by
the naked eye; ranging in size from .001 to .150 mm (1 to 150 microns). The US
EPA has established an MCL for turbidity to be 0.5 to 1.0 NTU, because it
interferes with disinfection of the water.
The treatment for turbidity can be
reduced to 75 microns with a cyclone separator, then reduced down to 20 micron
with standard backwashable filter, however flow rates of 5 gpm/ sq. ft. are
recommended maximum. Turbidity can be reduced to 10 micron with a multimedia
filter while providing flow rates of 15 gpm/sq. ft.
Cartridge filters of various sizes are
also available down into the submicron range. Ultrafiltration also reduces the
turbidity levels of process water.
By and large it is the man-made pollutions
of waters that get the most attention, and perhaps rightfully so. But what is
also important is the overall contamination, or natural quality of water that
will help determine the treatments necessary to make a water safe for public
consumption.
https://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water_quality/quality2/j-15-08-water-pollution-contamination-same-thing.htm
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