SALTWATER INTRUSION OF FRESHWATER AQUIFERS - Saltwater intrusion occurs along coastlines in areas where groundwater has been depleted or is currently being over pumped. Because it can take thousands of years to replenish, groundwater stored in aquifers is not considered to be a renewable resource. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) groundwater accounts for approximately 30 percent of liquid fresh water. Through Earth’s hydrologic cycle liquid water that is not absorbed by organisms, returned to the oceans as rain or is not carried off by the prevailing winds as water vapor, percolates through the ground and into groundwater aquifers. As the sea-level rises along coastlines already prone to floodings, such as Florida, or Tangier Island, freshwater aquifers can become contaminated with salt water. Saltwater intrusion is irreversible and once an aquifer is contaminated it is no longer suitable for use. Its main uses are for domestic purposes or agricultural. According to Wired, 90 percent of South Florida’s water supply comes from aquifers and some cities in that region have had to shut down groundwater wells due to saltwater intrusion caused by sea-level rise. One of the most common causes of saltwater intrusion is the depletion of groundwater. Depleting groundwater resources creates a cone-shaped depression in the ground surrounding the pumped area and reverses the flow of groundwater.

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Saltwater Intrusion of Freshwater Aquifers

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Saltwater intrusion is irreversible and once an aquifer is contaminated it is no longer suitable for use. Depleting groundwater resources creates a cone-shaped depression in the ground surrounding the pumped area and reverses the flow of groundwater.This means that instead of water flowing out of the aquifer, water is pulled into the aquifer from the sea.

By Orietta Estrada

Staff Writer for Save The Water™

 

 

Impacts of Global Warming

Scientific Reports published a study in 2015 outlining the impact that global warming is having on a small Virginia island in the Chesapeake Bay.

The results stated that Tangier Island will lose the majority of its landmass due to wave-induced erosion and sea-level rise.

A conservative estimate of how much time the inhabitants of Tangier have to remain on the island is less than 50 years — it is expected that, by 2063, the island will be abandoned.

With the loss of landmass on the island goes millions of dollars in ecosystem services.

Should the sea-level rise intensify, the island will have to be evacuated sooner.

The reason for the sea-level rise, according to the study, is human failure to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

In other words, human assisted global warming is causing the ocean to consume this island.

Tangier Island is just one example of some of the problems that sea-level rise, via human induced global warming, can cause.

Coastal Florida is another example of this and with unique problems such as saltwater intrusion.

Saltwater Intrusion

Saltwater intrusion occurs along coastlines in areas where groundwater has been depleted or is currently being over pumped.

Because it can take thousands of years to replenish, groundwater stored in aquifers is not considered to be a renewable resource.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) groundwater accounts for approximately 30 percent of liquid fresh water.

Through Earth’s hydrologic cycle liquid water that is not absorbed by organisms, returned to the oceans as rain or is not carried off by the prevailing winds as water vapor, percolates through the ground and into groundwater aquifers.

As the sea-level rises along coastlines already prone to floodings, such as Florida, or Tangier Island, freshwater aquifers can become contaminated with salt water.

Saltwater intrusion is irreversible and once an aquifer is contaminated it is no longer suitable for use.

Its main uses are for domestic purposes or agricultural.

According to Wired, 90 percent of South Florida’s water supply comes from aquifers and some cities in that region have had to shut down groundwater wells due to saltwater intrusion caused by sea-level rise.

One of the most common causes of saltwater intrusion is the depletion of groundwater.

Depleting groundwater resources creates a cone-shaped depression in the ground surrounding the pumped area and reverses the flow of groundwater.

This means that instead of water flowing out of the aquifer, water is pulled into the aquifer from the sea.

Stabilizing GHG Levels and Sea-level Rise

Global warming creates warmer ocean temperatures.

The increase in ocean temperature causes water to expand, glaciers to melt, and subsequently, sea-level rise.

Sea-level rise causes changes to evaporation patterns, ruins agricultural land and negatively impacts wildlife.

The impact that climate change will have on coastal communities is dependent on the stabilization of GHG concentrations.

The buildup of CO2 in Earth’s atmosphere is a major factor in global warming and climate change.

Just second to CO2, methane (CH4) is “21 times more effective in trapping heat” than CO2.

That’s because the Global Warming Potential (GWP) associated with methane is amplified when it interacts with aerosols.

Therefore, by mitigating GHG emissions, sea-level rise might be delayed thus giving ecosystems and communities more time to adapt to a changing environment.

An atmosphere with a stabilized GHG concentration of 550 ppm could cause a global temperature rise between approximately 1.5 C and 4.7 C — an increase of 3 C could potentially expose 170 million people (and resources) to coastal flooding and increase the risk for saltwater intrusion and other negative impacts.

Currently, as of January 2016, CO2 levels are at 402 ppm — up from last January which was 399 ppm.

Stabilizing GHG concentrations at 450 ppm would present a greater challenge because of current concentrations levels.

It is estimated that an increase in global temperatures between 1 C and 3.8 C would occur at 450 ppm, possibly exposing 10 million people to coastal flooding.

The total loss of the Greenland and West Antarctic Ice Sheets by 2100 could potentially cause a catastrophic sea-level rise of 12 meters.

As polar climates change, the effects (such as sea-level rise) are likely to be noticed worldwide and are being noticed in coastal communities in the U.S.

Due to the positive feedback mechanisms of climate change and its susceptibility, the Arctic is projected to respond to climate change more intensely than anywhere else on earth — Alaska has warmed at double rate of the rest of the country — and coastal communities in AK are suffering.

Over a period from 1992 to 2011 glacial melt has contributed to sea-level rise, by 2100 sea-level is likely to rise in 95% of the ocean area.

Reducing GHG emissions is important for mitigating sea-level rise.

It’s the only way to help reduce the impacts that global warming will have on coastal communities and saltwater intrusion.

Reducing Carbon Footprints

Reducing GHG emissions begins with making environmentally conscious choices.

By simply opting for one of many alternatives, one can make a significant impact on individual GHG emissions.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Carbonfootprint.com all offer carbon footprint calculators.

Finding out how much CO2 you contribute to the atmosphere as an individual is a great way to start learning about how you can make a difference.

The mission of Save The Water™ is to conduct water research to identify and remove harmful contaminants in water, and to raise public awareness about water contamination and its health impacts.

Although Save The Water™ operates mainly in North America and follows scientific procedures established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the impact of our analytical research and water treatment technology is universally applicable.

In the late 1990s, our co-founder Frank Ramos came across information about cancer-causing chemicals in whales and dolphins. Specifically, he learned two facts: (1) whales and dolphins’ fat tissue contains 1,000 times more man-made, highly toxic chemicals (such as those found in rubber and plastics) than our human tissue; and (2) these creatures are collecting these chemicals through the water in which they live. Frank and his dear friend Allan founded Save the Water™ in 1999. Together, they spent ten years researching water contamination in the U.S., its extent, and the critical need to solve the problem. In July 2013, Save the Water suffered a devastating loss when Allan passed away after a long battle with cancer. Studies have shown that many many cancers are linked to environmental factors such as the water that we drink, including in the United States. Losing Allan reinforced the belief that we must take immediate actions to combat water pollution and continue our mission until we have achieved and sustained our vision: contamination-free, healthy water for all. We believe that this future is within our grasp. But we need your help to achieve this goal for our children and future generations

http://savethewater.org/saltwater-intrusion-freshwater-aquifers/

You might also like:

 

The Hydrological Cycle or Water Cycle

CLICK HERE . . . to view . . . 

https://puricare.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-hydrological-cycle-or-water-cycle.html

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 Groundwater depletion, deterioration of water quality and saltwater intrusion 

CLICK HERE . . . to view . . . 

https://puricare.blogspot.com/2016/05/groundwater-over-abstraction-pollution.html

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Aquifers 

Underground Stores of Freshwater

CLICK HERE . . . to view . . . 

https://puricare.blogspot.com/2019/12/aquifers-underground-stores-of.html

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Desalination Pros and Cons 

CLICK HERE . . . to view . . . 

https://puricare.blogspot.com/2017/02/desalination-desalination-is-process-of.html

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Climate Change and Water

CLICK HERE . . . to view . . . 

https://puricare.blogspot.com/2017/03/water-and-climate-change-climate-change.html

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The Looming Threat Of Water Scarcity

CLICK HERE . . . to view . . . 

https://puricare.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-looming-threat-of-water-scarcity.html

The Process of Saltwater Intrusion: The figure above illustrates how the process of saltwater intrusion into an aquifer system can occur. The boundary between fresh groundwater and saline groundwater is referred to as the freshwater/saltwater interface.  Fresh groundwater discharging to the coast prevents the landward encroachment of saline groundwater.  If this balance is upset by too much water being removed from the aquifer system from pumping, then saline groundwater can migrate landward by a process referred to as “saltwater intrusion”.  If a pumping well is close to the landward migrating freshwater/saltwater interface, the potential exists for saltwater contamination in the well.  (Public domain)

https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/process-saltwater-intrusion

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE - Bacteria are prone to DNA mutations. This is part of their natural evolution and allows them to constantly adapt their genetic makeup. What if nothing happens the next time you pop one of those little bug-busting pills? Your life could be in serious danger. The WHO call antibiotic resistance ‘one of the biggest threats to global health.’ Bacteria are an integral part of our ecosystem and we share our bodies with many of these tiny creatures. However, they can be the root of serious health problems. There are roughly as many human cells as bacterial cells in our bodies, and our microscopic passengers pay their way by helping our immune system and contributing to our metabolism. But bacteria come in all manner of guises. Some can turn from friend to foe, while others are just plain nasty and will make us sick at any chance they get. Since their discovery in the 1920s and their introduction into mainstream medicine after World War Two, we’ve been relying on antibiotics to keep pathogenic bacteria at bay. Antibacterial resistance is on the rise, however. Bacteria are prone to DNA mutations. This is part of their natural evolution and allows them to constantly adapt their genetic makeup. When one bug naturally becomes resistant to a drug, it survives when all others are killed. Now it’s a race against the clock.

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Antibiotic Resistance

What causes antibiotic resistance?

Bacteria are prone to DNA mutations. This is part of their natural evolution and allows them to constantly adapt their genetic makeup - when one bug naturally becomes resistant to a drug, it survives when all others are killed

Written by Yella Hewings-Martin, Ph.D.

Fact checked by Jasmin Collier

Most of us will have taken antibiotics at some point in our lives.

But what if nothing happens the next time you pop one of those little bug-busting pills? Your life could be in serious danger.

The WHO call antibiotic resistance ‘one of the biggest threats to global health.’

Bacteria are an integral part of our ecosystem and we share our bodies with many of these tiny creatures. However, they can be the root of serious health problems.

There are roughly as many human cells as bacterial cells in our bodies, and our microscopic passengers pay their way by helping our immune system and contributing to our metabolism.

But bacteria come in all manner of guises. Some can turn from friend to foe, while others are just plain nasty and will make us sick at any chance they get.

Since their discovery in the 1920s and their introduction into mainstream medicine after World War Two, we’ve been relying on antibiotics to keep pathogenic bacteria at bay.

Antibacterial resistance is on the rise, however.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year in the United States, at least 2,049,442 illnesses are caused by resistance to medicines prescribed to treat bacterial or fungal infections.

What is more, 23,000 people die each year when these drugs fail to work.

So, why have our once reliable antibacterials stopped working, and how do the pesky bugs manage to outfox us? It’s all about mutations.

Mutations, a ‘natural phenomenon’

Bacteria are prone to DNA mutations. This is part of their natural evolution and allows them to constantly adapt their genetic makeup.

When one bug naturally becomes resistant to a drug, it survives when all others are killed.

Now it’s a race against the clock.

How quickly can this one bacterium adapt to the new mutation, and how quickly can it replicate in the face of species eradication?

If the bug comes on out top, it’s bad news for the infected individual and bad news for society at large: the drug-resistant bacterium will likely spread.

Not only has it evaded the grim reaper, but it can also now spread the love by passing the resistance to its numerous offspring, who will soon be the dominant species on the block.

Bacteria are also able to pass genes to other bacteria. This is known as horizontal gene transfer, or “bacterial sex.”

While this process is actually quite rare, bacteria are highly mobile creatures, which gives them plenty of opportunity to come into contact with other microbes and pass on their mutated genes.

But how do genetic mutations equip bacteria with the skills to outsmart antibiotics?

Combating antibiotics

A study recently published in Nature Communications sheds new light on how Echerichia coli and other members of the Enterobacteria family fight off commonly used antibiotics.

A gene called mar is commonly shared by family members.

Some of the proteins encoded in this gene can switch on other genes, explain researchers from the University of Birmingham’s Institute of Microbiology and Infection in the United Kingdom.

“We found two completely unexpected mechanisms,” says senior study author Prof. David Grainger, “that bacteria use to protect themselves from antibiotics. One protected their DNA from the harmful effects of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, and the other prevented doxycyline getting inside bacteria.”

But finding out how Enterobacteria combat antibiotics is only the first step in this decade-long research project.

First study author Prateek Sharma, Ph.D., says that “the resistance mechanisms that we identified are found in many different species of bacteria therefore, our research could lead to the discovery of molecules that could be developed into new drugs that can treat bacterial infections.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) call antibiotic resistance “one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today.”

The need for new drugs is great.

‘Overuse and underuse’ of antibiotics

This week is World Antibiotic Awareness Week. The WHO aim to warn people that inappropriate use of antimicrobials makes drug resistance worse. This includes both overuse and underuse.

This year, they urge everyone to “[s]eek advice from a qualified healthcare professional before taking antibiotics.”

To find out more, here is video from the WHO explaining why they think that “everyone has a role to play to help reduce antibiotic resistance.”

https://youtu.be/-ZX97bIbZBQ

Medical News Today, part of Healthline Media UK, is one of the fastest growing health information sites in the United States. Every month, more than 70 million people come to Medical News Today for our in-depth health content and the latest news in medical research. Consider us your intellectual peer. We unravel the complexities of health information and make it easy to understand.

We take a deep dive into medical research of the past and present, and we break it down to give you the clear-cut facts. Ultimately, we want you to be confident in making informed health decisions for yourself and your loved ones. Using peer reviewed studies and reputable sources, our knowledgeable and curious editors and writers create more than 250 pieces of content every month.

Stay up to date on the latest health news by subscribing to our newsletter or following Medical News Today on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320070

WASTEWATER - Wastewater refers to all effluent from household, commercial establishments and institutions, hospitals, industries and so on. It also includes stormwater and urban runoff, agricultural, horticultural and aquaculture effluent. Dirty water can be thrown away into gutters, on the land, on flowers and grasses, down into the kitchen drains, bathroom drains or flushed down the toilets. It is never returned in the same way that it was withdrawn. We depend on freshwater a wide range of reasons, but unless we revolutionize the way we deal with dirty water, our needs for fresh water will not be met in the near future. This means a lot of pressure on water resources. The more water we withdraw, the more wastewater we will produce. Wastewater is produced in every dwelling. The discharge of wastewater into the environment poses a serious threat, but it is also a huge opportunity for ecological health, social wellbeing, and green employment.

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Wastewater

eSchooltoday.com

Introduction to wastewater
During the natural cycle of water, from the mountaintops down into the oceans, humans capture and divert a lot of the water for agriculture, industrial and municipal use.

After the water is used, it is returned to the environment in a different condition, usually as dirty water (wastewater).

Depending on where you live, dirty water can be thrown away into gutters, on the land, on flowers and grasses, down into the kitchen drains, bathroom drains or flushed down the toilets.

It is never returned in the same way that it was withdrawn.

We depend on freshwater a wide range of reasons, but unless we revolutionize the way we deal with dirty water, our needs for fresh water will not be met in the near future.

Why are we producing so much dirty water? The reason is a combination of factors: population growth, urbanization, industrialization, and food production.

Global populations are expected to exceed nine billion by 2050. Urban populations may rise nearly twice as fast, projected to nearly double from current 3.4 billion to 6.4 billion by 2050, with numbers of people living in slums rising even faster, from 1 to 1.4 billion in just a decade.

This means a lot of pressure on water resources. The more water we withdraw, the more wastewater we will produce.

Wastewater is produced in every dwelling. In developing countries, less water may be withdrawn and less wastewater may be produced, but they largely have very little infrastructure to treat the wastewater.

The picture is very different in developed countries where there is some level of effort made in treating wastewater.

Every day in the UK over 624,200 kilometres (about 387,860 miles) of sewers collect over 11 billion litres of wastewater from homes, municipal, commercial and industrial premises and rainwater run-off from roads and other impermeable surfaces.

The discharge of wastewater into the environment poses a serious threat, but it is also a huge opportunity for ecological health, social wellbeing, and green employment.

This lesson provides some information and talking points that we can use to learn more about the issue.

What is wastewater?

Wastewater refers to all effluent from household, commercial establishments and institutions, hospitals, industries and so on.

It also includes stormwater and urban runoff, agricultural, horticultural and aquaculture effluent.

Effluent refers to the sewage or liquid waste that is discharged into water bodies either from direct sources or from treatment plants. 

Influent refers to water, wastewater, or other liquid flowing into a reservoir, basin or treatment plant.

Sewage is also wastewater. It is wastewater originating from toilets and bathroom fixtures, bathing, laundry, kitchen sinks, cleaners, and similar dirty water that is produced in households and public places.

Water used to irrigate turf and gardens, swimming pools, roof drainage, surface runoff and stormwater are all wastewater but not classified as sewage.

In simple terms, wastewater is all the dirty water from municipal sources (poop, urine and faecal sludge). This includes black water, gray water and yellow water.

All dirty water from all the schools, restaurants, commercial establishments, hospitals, farms, floodwater and all the possible dirty water you can think of is considered wastewater.

Some wastewater contain hazardous dissolved toxins and chemicals, whiles others contain particles, sediments and suspended matter of all sizes.

Agriculture (irrigation, livestock watering and cleaning, aquaculture) uses about 69% to 90% of global fresh water use, and the bulk of it is returned to the soil, waterways or discharged with added nutrients and contaminants.

Types of wastewater

Wastewater comes in three main types namely Blackwater, Graywater and Yellow water.

Blackwater
This is wastewater that originates from toilet fixtures, dishwashers, and food preparation sinks.

It is made up of all the things that you can imagine going down the toilets, bath and sink drains.

They include poop, urine, toilet paper and wipes; body cleaning liquids, anal cleansing water and so on.

They are known to be highly contaminated with dissolved chemicals, particulate matter and is very pathogenic.

Graywater
This is wastewater that originates from non-toilet and food fixtures such as bathroom sinks, laundry machines, spas, bathtubs and so on.

Technically it is sewage that does not contain poop or urine. Graywater is treated very differently from Blackwater and is usually suitable for re-use.

Yellow water
This is basically urine collected with specific channels and not contaminated with either blackwater or graywater.

Sources of wastewater

Domestic Sewage
This includes all wastewater generated by home dwellings, public restrooms, hotels, restaurants, motels, resorts, schools, places of worship, sports stadiums, hospitals and other health centers, apartments and the like. They all produce high volumes of wastewater.

Non-sewage
These include water from floods (stormwater), runoff (rainwater running through cracks in the ground and into gutters), water from swimming pools, water from car garages and cleaning centers.

They also include laundromats, beauty salons, commercial kitchens, energy generation plants and so on.

Wastewater is also generated from agricultural facilities. Water used for cleaning in animal farms, washing harvested produce and cleaning farm equipment.

How is wastewater harmful?

In certain parts of the world, especially in developing countries, wastewater is pumped directly into the sea or into fresh water bodies without any form of treatment.

In other parts of developed countries, lack of adequate wastewater treatment infrastructure, maintenance and outdated systems heavily compromise wastewater treatment efforts.

The effects of this (either treated or partly treated) can be classified in the following:

Water pollution:
Fresh water bodies and marine waters into which wastewater is discharged may be polluted and rendered unsafe for human use.

Depending on what is discharged, aquatic life may be harmed too.

Water security:
There is water scarcity in many places in the world.

Wastewater discharged on lands can leach into underground water tables and potentially contaminate aquifers and underground water.

If discharged in freshwater bodies, it may render water sources unsuitable for use.

Ecosystem services:
All ecosystems are connected and they all ultimately depend on water. Similarly, all water (surface and underground) is connected.

This means careless wastewater discharge can have some serious ripple effect.

One common effect of wastewater is the eutrophication of fresh water bodies and oceans. 

If one part of the ecosystem chain is destroyed, it can upset its entire food chain.

Agriculture / Fisheries / Tourism:
Wastewater for irrigation may contain unsuitable chemicals and higher concentrations of nutrients needed for crops. This can result in delayed and under yielding.

Wastewater used for animal farming may also contain harmful things and chemicals dissolved in them.

Animals may die, and there is a chance that humans that eat such animals may be harmed too. In some places, faecal sewage is discharged directly into the sea.

The discharge contains pathogens and harmful dissolved chemicals which can affect fishing in that area. The smell and such behavior does not encourage tourism to that area.

Health of urban and rural populations:
Wastewater is a big health issue, as it carries and transports a myriad of diseases and illnesses.

It is believed that about 2.2 million people die each year (globally) from diarrhoeal disease. (WHO) At least 1.8 million children under five years die every year due to water related disease, or one every 20 seconds (WHO, 2008).

Management of wastewater

Smart wastewater management is key to poverty reduction. It will sustain ecosystem services; improve food security, health and ultimately the economy.

Good wastewater management efforts will enforce existing policies and introduce new and relevant policies, funding, legislation, encourage voluntary agreements, engage private and public sectors and expand education on the issue.

These five areas must be emphasized:

1. Preventive practices:
Laws, policies and advocacy should be designed to encourage all stakeholders to reduce the generation of wastewater. This will reduce the volume of wastewater that we have to eventually deal with.

2. Capture the wastewater immediately:
Appropriate technology and practices must be laid to capture wastewater straight from its source and directed to the right places for treatment.

This part will involve significant investment, but the long-term benefits will be worth it. It may involve laying different underground pipes to carry different types of wastewater.

3. Treatment:
In many rural dwellings all over the world, the sun, vegetation, soils and bacteria are able to take care of wastewater naturally if discharged into the environment with little or no treatment. It is possible because the volumes are very small.

In urban centers the amounts of wastewater produced is staggering and simply impossible for nature to take care of. This is why we need to treat wastewater using appropriate and relevant technology before discharging into the environment.

4. Recycle and re-use water:
This involves the use of physical, biological and chemical principles to remove contaminants from wastewater. The type of wastewater will determine the kind of principle to apply.

Water recycle, reuse and reclaim are often used to mean the same thing. An example is water that is used over and over again for cooling purposes in an energy plant.

Another example is to capture gray water (those from sinks, shower and laundry drains) and reused for landscaping, construction and concrete mixing purposes.

5. Education, Awareness, Advocacy and Stewardship:
Stakeholders should provide a friendly background for the development of new ideas and technologies to managing the issue.

Each person and all groups of people should be adequately informed about the threat and the need to reduce wastewater and welcome the potential in managing them with socially and culturally appropriate methods and technology.

Wastewater is a resource

Wastewater is a huge resource that if harnessed properly, can bring a lot of health and economic benefits, increase food production, reduce poverty, enhance fishing, tourism, rural and urban livelihoods. Here are a few points to note:

Irrigation and Agriculture:
urban runoff and effluent from animal farms can be captured for irrigation and other farming needs.

This kind of wastewater is usually high in nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, micronutrient and organic matter) and farmers love it. They are able to save on fertilizer cost and also preserve surface and underground water that they would have otherwise used.
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In the US state of California, 31% of reclaimed water is used for crop or landscape irrigation. In Mexico, most of the wastewater from Mexico City is used in irrigation districts surrounding the city, notably the Tula valley.

Note that sludge from treatment sites are also used in composting sites and also sent to rural agricultural fields.

Energy and Construction:
The waste materials (sludge) collected from a treatment plant can be biodegraded in a controlled environment and then combusted (burnt at high temperatures) to release Methane (A gas similar to natural gas).

This can be used in boilers at homes and in buildings, as well as for cooking and heating purposes.

Note that this digester kind of biodegrading can contain contaminants and so the process has to be done properly. The sludge from treatment plants can also be combusted to produce electricity.

Note that there are different types of sludge. Sludge could be faecal (from human and animal poop flushed down the drains) and regular sludge, from rubbish and garbage that get into drains and sewage systems.

Faecal sludge is high in contaminants and must be treated well before discharge.

Household:
Smart thinking by rural and urban dwellers can offer some real benefits to households too. For example, water use in the kitchen can be collected and used to water flowers and lawns.

A couple of gallons each day means a significant saving on water by the end of the year! Families can also reduce the amount of wastewater they produce by smart use of bathrooms.

Facts an figures of wastewater

Water related diseases:
Globally, two million tons of sewage, industrial and agricultural waste is discharged into the world’s waterways and at least 1.8 million children under five years-old die every year from water related disease, or one every 20 seconds.

Wastewater treatment in California USA:
In California, 100,000 miles of sanitary sewers and more than 900 wastewater treatment plants manage the approximately 4 billion gallons of wastewater generated every day by the state’s citizens, businesses and visitors, according to the 2012 California Infrastructure Report Card prepared by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). “This engineered wastewater infrastructure serves their ratepayers and customers and visitors very well in their mission to protect public health and the environment,” the report card noted in an excerpt.
ISBN-13: 978-1-61948-003-2 – Abridged Edition, California Wastewater
Prepared by the Water Education Foundation

    USA daily wastewater processing:
Most homes and businesses send their wastewater to a treatment plant where many pollutants are removed from the water. Wastewater treatment facilities in the United States process approximately 34 billion gallons of wastewater every day.
The Sources and Solutions: Wastewater. http://www2.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/sources-and-solutions-wastewater

   Global wastewater treatment:
Globally, only 20% of wastewater produced receive proper treatment. (UNESCO 2012). Treatment capacity typically depends on the income level of the country, thus treatment capacity is 70% of the generated wastewater in high-income countries, compared to only 8% in low-income countries.
Wastewater Management A UN-Water Analytical Brief
http://www.unwater.org/fileadmin/user_upload/unwater_new/docs/UN-Water_Analytical_Brief_Wastewater_Management.pdf

       Car wash water use
On the average, a self-serve facility uses 20 gallons of water per vehicle with 3-5 gallons of water loss through evaporation and carryout. Tunnel car wash facilities can wash from 100 to 1,000 cars a day, using an average of 80 gallons of water per car. Page 5,7, Guide to Best Management Practices. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Pollution Prevention Program and Industrial Wastewater Section.

       The Great Lakes Sewage Dump:
A study by Sierra Legal found that more than 90 billion litres of untreated sewage were dumped into the Great Lakes each year. That’s the same as dumping over 100 Olympic swimming pools of raw sewage into the Great Lakes, every day!
Page 9, Wastewater treatment, SDWF
www.safewater.org/PDFS/resourcesknowthefacts/WastewaterTreatment.pdf

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