Keeping Our Water Clean Protecting Our Streams and Our Groundwater

1. Keeping Our Water CleanProtecting Our Streams and Our Groundwater CPES 5.1 and 4.12

2. Topics • Toxic chemicals in the water (5.1) • Groundwater and groundwater pollution (5.1 and class model) • Drinking Water (5.5) • Treating Wastewater – sewage treatment and septic systems (4.12) • Mapping a Watershed (class activity) • Watersheds in PA (class activity/worksheet)

3. PA Watersheds

5. Toxic Wastes • Over 70,000 used in and to make products • During manufacturing – wastes produced • EPA • Over 650 toxic chemicals reported • Over 2 billion pounds created – much released into environment • Where do these toxics come from? • Currently created wastes • Legacy of past: • waste dumps • injection wells • Underground tanks

6. Toxic Chemicals – Effects on People • Irritants-corrosives; acids,metal fumes, chlorine, formaldehyde • Asphyxiates-prevent or interfere with oxygen uptake; carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanides • Allergens-formaldehyde; • Neurotoxins-lead & mercury; chlorinated hydrocarbons (DDT, Aldrin) organophosphates (malathion) • Mutagens-damage DNA; cancer;inheritance • Teratogens-PCBs • Carcinogens – cancer causing - PCBs

7. Lead • Example of inorganic “heavy” metal • Damages nervous system and can cause anemia, kidney disease, cancer • Source: • Atmosphere (previous, from leaded gasoline) • Plumbing – lead pipes

8. Toxics in the Environment • Bioaccumulation-selective absorption and storage in selective tissues • Result: increased concentration above environmental exposure • Biomagnification- • Increasing concentration as move up food chain - chlorinated hydrocarbons such as DDT • Not Biodegradable – persistent in environment • may offer advantage in using • CFCs, plastics, DDT and other chlorinated hydrocarbons

9. How Do Toxics Get Into Us? • Air – toxic “precipitation” • Mercury – major source burning coal for electricity • Water- • Groundwater – • Underground tanks • Dumping chemicals onto surface - • Fertilizers, etc • deep-well injection – of industrial wastes (pg. 386) • Greatest concern in PA - old landfills (pg 387) • Dumping into waterways – • Industrial (point sources) – now permitted • from “your” homes through sewage plants, septic systems • Food – biomagnification, especially fish

13. How “Poison” is a PoisonAssessing Toxicity • “The dose makes the poison” • Concentration • How does chemical enter organism? • What is LD50 • Different organisms react differently • Different individuals react differently • Is a mouse a human? • Health affects vs. ecological affects

14. A Story: Love Canal • Near Niagara Falls, NY • ’47 to ’52 – Hooker Chemical Corp. and others – dumped toxic chemicals into abandoned cnal • Covered canal given to school district – elementary school built on site • Local residents exhibit cancer cluster – higher than expected cancers, birth defects, other health problems • Became Superfund site – over $140 million • Many years litigation – homes, school finally relocated

15. Another Story – Woburn, Mass. • Basis for movie A Civil Action • Disease (leukemia) “cluster”: 12 cases vs. expected 5.3 (note: study of disease incidence is epidemiology) • Residents claimed: organic chemicals used in paper processing dumped, then entered public wells – • Courts agreed • Now EPA Superfund Site – money now used to clean wells • Many individuals received compensation from W.R. Grace and Co.

16. Atmospheric Deposition • Polluted precipitation • Metals and acids as air pollutants, end up in water • Numerous fish advisories – greatest in many lakes • In PA – mercury from coal burning – major water contaminate • Maps of PA

17. Fish (378) • Lakes – now key source of toxics, including PCBs, is atmospheric deposition • Over 2000 advisories nationwide • Fish can be used as bioindicators - the “canaries in the coalmine” (biomonitoring) – page 377 • Combined effects of many different chemicals • Synergism – multiplied effect of being exposed to many different chemicals, such as carcinogens

18. Hudson River and GE PCB Contamination • Northern part of Hudson at Hudson Falls, New Your • 200 mile stretch Hudson River a Superfund site • Controversy – Should the sediments containing PCBs be dredged, or just left alone? • Example of differing viewpoints • Videos in class showing differing viewpoints

20. Groundwater – YOU drink it • Groundwater model and reading worksheet – in class activities

21. Where is Pennsylvania’s Ground Water? Everywhere ! • Below Water Table • Filling pore space • Filling fractures

22. 5 Years Recharge Area Recharge Area Discharge Area

23. Hydrologic Cycle in Pennsylvania

24. >50% Homes >50% GW Where is Ground-Water Most Important?

25. Aquifers by Rock Type Sandstone & Shale Carbonate Crystalline Unconsolidated Sand & Gravel

26. Carbonate Rock Aquifers Sandstone & Shale Carbonate Carbonate Crystalline Unconsolidated Sand & Gravel

27. Crystalline-Rock Aquifers Sandstone & Shale Carbonate Crystalline Crystalline Unconsolidated Sand & Gravel

28. Characteristics of Carbonate Rocks Precipitation • Large Openings • High Yields • Vulnerable • High Recharge

29. Groundwater Pollutants

30. Wellhead Protection Area contributing Recharge to well Supply Well

31. What’s in Underground Storage Tanks (380 and discussion of model) • Organics – many carcinogens • Petroleum products, including gasoline • Other stored chemicals • Why is cleaning up groundwater much more difficult than dealing with most surface water problems? • If necessary, how can groundwater be cleaned? (380)

32. Chemical Pollutants from Farms(380) • Nitrates, phosphates, pesticides • Pesticides can be organic or inorganic • Nitrates and “blue baby syndrome” • Oxygen carrying of hemoglobin messed up! • So, what are some solutions to prevent these problems?

33. Waste Disposal – Septic Systems

34. Factors Related to Bacteria in Well Water • Lack of sanitary seal • Lack of grout

35. Protecting Groundwater (386) • Build “secure” Landfills (389) • biggest problem is leachate • Solution - secure landfills Expensive • NIMBY • Remove leaking tanks • Protect recharge areas

36. Treatment of Wastes • Biological - bacteria will break down some wastes • These are called biodegradable • Physical methods – job of environmental engineers • Example: remove by air stripping - Emmaus • Chemical treatments - neutralize, render much less harmful – • Job of chemical and environmental engineers • Problem is cost – how much should be removed • Industries regulated by DEP and EPA • Incineration in high temperature incinerators – • Problem - expensive and some small amounts into air

37. Sewage - Why A Problem4.12 • Sure, it stinks :-( • Diseases • Cholera, dysentery – Number one cause of death in children in developing countries • Decreases DO • Sewage has high BOD • Increases turbidity – solid materials in sewage - undissolved • Adds nitrates and some phosphates • Causes eutrophication, result is low DO

38. Clean Water Act of 1972 • Focused on point sources of pollution • Goal: all rivers and lakes in U.S. cleaned to point of fishable and swimmable • Much better than pre-1970, but about 45% of lakes and rivers not yet meet goal • See chart page 365

39. Detecting Fecal Matter in a Water BodyFecal Coliform Not pathogenic Indicator of fecal pollution

40. Factors Related to Bacteria in Well Water • Lack of sanitary seal • Lack of grout

41. Sewage Disposal • Natural processes - natures way • When does it stop working? • Outhouses • Septic Systems • Sewage Treatment • Wetlands

42. Septic system: Tank and Drainage field Soil acts as filter; bacteria in tank and soil break down sewage

43. Sewage Treatment (365-366) • Primary • Secondary • Tertiary

44. Primary Preliminary • Metal Grating - large solids • Grit Tank • Sedimentation Tank • Undissolved solids settle • About 30% efficient

45. Secondary • Biological degradation of dissolved organic matter • Trickling Filter or aeration tank • Removes about 95% of BOD • Disposal of sludge (anaerobic digestion) • Biosolids – as fertilizer • Ends with chlorinating – WHY? • Most communities use this

46. Summary of Sewage Treatment • What enters - mostly water • Bacteria and viruses • Undissolved solids – high BOD • Dissolved waste materials – High BOD • Some organic and inorganic chemicals • Garbage, stones, pebbles and stones

47. What leaves? • Water clean enough to swim in!! • Treated Sludge – solids that came out of plant • Used on farms - biosolids • If can’t find farms, then to landfill