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Outline

The Water Issue

The Hydrologic Cycle

Chapter 15
Human Influences on the Hydrologic Cycle

Water Management
Kinds of Water Use

Kinds and Sources of Water Pollution

Water-Use Planning Issues

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The Water Issue The Water Issue

Water is needed for life on Earth.

70% of Earth’s surface is covered by water (oceans)

Water quality is as important as its quantity.  Which represent 97% of all the Earth’s water.

Water has remarkable physical properties:
3 % is freshwater, a tiny fraction is available for use.

 Water molecules are polar:

Potable water is unpolluted fresh water, suitable for
 one part of the molecule is slightly positive, and the other is slightly
negative. drinking.

 Molecules tend to stick together.

Shortages can be directly attributed to human-induced
 They also can separate other molecules from each other (solvent).
water pollution.
 It stores heat

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The Water Issue The Water Issue

World Health Organization estimates,

 25% of world’s population does not have access to safe drinking

water.

According to U.N. Environment Program,

 5-10 million deaths occur each year from water-related diseases,

 For example cholera, malaria, dengue fever, and dysentery.

 Illnesses have been increasing over the past decade

Without economic investments in safe drinking water supplies,

the rate of increase will continue.
Freshwater resources
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Where does Drinking Water Come from Where does Drinking Water Come from
Water sources and use Water use
Main Sources : Average water consumption Country

Surface water: lakes and rivers 500 L/person/day UAE
330 L/person/day Britain

Ground water: wells and acquifer 215 L/person/day France
150 L/person/day Jordan

Water consumption: Daily Water Use ………

Agriculture: 70%

Industry: 20%

Domestic and municipal: 10%

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The Hydrologic Cycle The Hydrologic Cycle

General Description General Description

All water is locked into a constant recycling process called
the hydrologic cycle.

 Solar energy evaporates water.

 Evapotranspiration is the process of plants and soil giving off water.

Transpiration Evaporation Evapotranspiration

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycleevapotranspiration.html
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The Hydrologic Cycle

Human Influences on the Hydrologic Cycle
Related Terms & Information

Runoff and the infiltration rate are greatly influenced by
Runoff
human activity, e.g. Roads, buildings, bridges, etc… water that moves across ground surface and enters
streams and rivers.

A major concern in many urban areas is transportation of
storm water. e.g.
Groundwater
 Flooding problems is water that fills spaces below the ground surface
 Combining storm-sewer water with wastewater at treatment plant
 Treatment plant cannot treat all water and therefore discharges it
Water entering the soil is either
 taken up by plant roots or

Water incorporated into a product, or lost to atmosphere  moves downward until it reaches an impervious layer of rock,
through evaporation or evapotranspiration, and accumulates in porous strata called an aquifer.
 cannot be reused in the same geographic area and is said to be
consumed or lost
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The Hydrologic Cycle The Hydrologic Cycle

Related Terms & Information Related Terms & Information

An unconfined aquifer is usually near land’s surface.

A confined aquifer is bounded on top and bottom by

layers impermeable to water.

 Water in these aquifers is stored under high pressure and

recharged by rain and surface water from a geologic recharge
zone.

 An impervious confining layer is called an aquiclude.

 A permeable confining layer is called an aquitard.

Aquifers and groundwater

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Kinds and Sources of Water Pollution

Kinds of Water Use
Terminology

Water use, varies around the world, based on
Dissolved organic matter

 Availability of water is a significant water pollution

 Degree of industrialization problem because it decays in the
water.

Water use can be classified into,

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
1. Domestic use
2. Agriculture use is the amount of oxygen required
3. Industrial use to decay a certain amount of
4. In-Stream use organic matter.
Public attitude is a major cause of water loss.
 Water usage leads to pollution. BOD acts as an indicator of the
quantity of pollutant present
As long as water is a considered limitless, inexpensive resource,
few conservation measures will be taken. 15 16

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Kinds and Sources of Water Pollution Kinds and Sources of Water Pollution
Terminology Terminology
Units of Measurement:
Nutrients can also be a pollution problem.
Pollutants concentration (amount), in the environment, can be expressed with  Eutrophication is excessive growth of algae and aquatic plants due
different units. to added nutrients.

 i.e. Ratio of Amount of Pollutant to Amount of Water

Percentage (%) or Parts per hundred (pph) :
 e.g. 5 g NaCl in 100 g water is a 5 % NaCl solution
 Keeping in mind that 1 liter is the volume occupied by 1000g of water

Point source is a source of pollution readily located and
identified.
 Municipal and industrial waste discharge pipes.

Parts per million (ppm or mg/L) :
Nonpoint sources are more difficult to identify and control.
 1 ppm = 1mg/L = 1 x 10-3 g/L
 Diffuse pollutants from agricultural land and urban paved surfaces

Parts per billion (ppb or ug/L) : come from nonpoint sources.
 1 ppb = 1 ug/L = 1 x 10-6 g/L  Acid rain
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Kinds and Sources of Water Pollution Kinds and Sources of Water Pollution
Terminology

Individuals can protect surface and ground waters from
nonpoint pollution:
Point and Nonpoint Sources of Water Pollution
 Use less toxic or nontoxic alternatives to commonly used home chemicals.

 Buy chemicals only in the amount you intend to use. More is not better.

 Take unwanted chemicals to hazardous waste centers.

Do not pour down the drain or on the ground.

 Use water-based products whenever possible.

 When landscaping your yard, select native plants that require less water,
fertilizers, and pesticides.

 Test your soil before applying fertilizers.

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Kinds and Sources of Water Pollution Kinds and Sources of Water Pollution
Industrial & Thermal Water Pollution Ground Water Pollution

Factories and industrial complexes frequently dispose of waste in
Major sources of groundwater pollution include:
municipal sewage systems.  Agricultural products: Pesticides and fertilizers
 These wastes may require special wastewater treatment.
 Underground storage tanks: Leakage

Mining is a special source of industrial water pollution.
 Chemical run-off is released into streams.  Septic tanks
 Water draining from mines is highly acidic.  over 20 million septic tanks in U.S.; ~ 6% are operating improperly.

Thermal pollution  Surface impoundments

 An increase in temperature, even a few degrees, may significantly alter some  ~71% are unlined
aquatic ecosystems
 99% have no leak-detection system
 73% have no restriction on the waste placed in the impoundment
 Ways to overcome thermal pollution and its effects,
 Large, shallow cooling ponds : Heat dissipated from pond.
 Landfills
 Cooling towers : Heated water sprayed into air, cooled by evaporation.
 ~ 90% of N. American landfills have no liners to stop leakage.
 Dry towers : Heated water pumped through tubes to release heat into the air
 96% do not have systems to collect leachate that seeps
(similar to a radiator). 21 22

Water-Use Planning Issues Water-Use Planning Issues

So what is involved with planning of Water-Use?
Problem:
Future issues will have to be addressed:

Historically, wastes were discharged into waterways, therefore , this
 Affects water quality
 Increases cost of treatment to others downstream

Now, Population is growing and domestic water use inc.
 But water is not enough to satisfy everyone’s needs.
1. Increased demand for water, will demand diverting water to high-
use areas.
2. Demand for wastewater treatment and reuse of existing water
increases
3. Salt buildup due to evaporation may lower water quality.

Solution: 4. Groundwater over-pumping will cause water tables to be lowered.

Metropolitan areas must deal with and provide,
5. Seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers will ruin water supplies.
 Water supply for human and industrial needs
 Wastewater collection and treatment
6. There will be increased demand for water-based recreation, which
 Storm water collection and management demands high water quality.
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Water-Use Planning Issues Water-Use Planning Issues

1. Increased demand for water, will demand diverting water to high- 2. Demand for wastewater treatment and reuse of existing water
use areas. increases

This involves transferring water from one area to another.

This requires three (3) treatment steps to produce water
that can be discharged:

Major consequences of diverting water for irrigation and other
purposes  Primary Sewage treatment
 Secondary Sewage Treatment
 Water bodies downstream are deprived of their source of water.  Tertiary Sewage Treatment

 Results in serious ecological effects, e.g.

Lake levels decline,

Affecting fish and other wildlife populations.

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Water-Use Planning Issues Water-Use Planning Issues

Treatment Step Description Information
3. Salt buildup due to evaporation may lower water quality.
Primary -Remove large particles by filtration -Filtrate contains NO particles
“Filtration and - Pump remaining water into settling ponds -Filtrate contains, organic matter,
Settling” and lakes dissolved salt, bacteria, and
Salinization is an increase in salinity caused by growing salt
microorganisms
concentrations in soil.

Secondary -Organic matter degraded using added - Liquid free of organic matter
“Biological bacteria and organisms
Process” - To increase bacterial growth, either water 4. Groundwater over-pumping will cause water tables to be lowered.
is aerated, or is sprayed in the air

Tertiary Remove inorganic nutrients, using -Alternative, use effluent to irrigate

expensive chemicals golf courses, roadside vegetation,
cropland
- Nutrients taken by plant and
reduce stream and lake
contamination

Disinfection Wastewater effluent before discharge, is

disinfected using chlorine, ozone, or UV
light to kill organisms 27

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Water-Use Planning Issues

5. Seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers will ruin water supplies.

Groundwater mining :
removes water from aquifer
faster than it can be
replenished.

 Extended periods of mining

can lead to:

 Land settling
 Lowering of the water table.
 Saltwater intrusion into wells
near coastal areas.

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