Water Quality and Water Management
Topic 6
Water Quality and Water Management
What determines water quality?
Drinking water should be colorless, odorless and flavorless; this means that there are no organisms and sediments in the water, but it does not mean that if your drinking water look, smells and taste clean, that does not mean that there is nothing else it.
Water also contains dissolved solids:
•Sulfur
•Calcium
•Magnesium
If water contains a lot of dissolved calcium and magnesium it is called hard water. But soft water contains less calcium and magnesium.
Dissolved solids are just one factor that can affect water quality.
Different ways how humans activities can affect water quality:
People are part of the water cycle. We take fresh water from rivers, lakes and underground. We use it for different purposes. All of these activities add substances to the water and many of these substances are pollutants that can harm living things.
Such as:
•Urban run-off
•Air Pollution
•Industrial Waste
•Treated Sewage
•Oil Spills
Some pollutants occur naturally in the environment and others do not. People add substances to the water that do not occur naturally in the environment. These are called Toxic substances.
Toxic Substances are used for:
•Agriculture
•Manufacturing
•Production
•Mining
•Refining
Toxic substances cause environmental problems because they can remain in the water for a very long time.
Acid Precipitation is cause by dissolved Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide in the atmosphere.
These waste gases are caused by cold burning industries, metal smelters and auto mobiles.
These chemicals return to Earth in precipitation that can be more acidic than vinegar.
Organisms in Water
Organisms play an important role in food chains that begin with microscopic plants and animals. Other organisms can live in water that is slightly polluted, although some organisms can only survive in unpolluted water that has lots of oxygen. Scientists can
Water Quality and Water Management
What determines water quality?
Drinking water should be colorless, odorless and flavorless; this means that there are no organisms and sediments in the water, but it does not mean that if your drinking water look, smells and taste clean, that does not mean that there is nothing else it.
Water also contains dissolved solids:
•Sulfur
•Calcium
•Magnesium
If water contains a lot of dissolved calcium and magnesium it is called hard water. But soft water contains less calcium and magnesium.
Dissolved solids are just one factor that can affect water quality.
Different ways how humans activities can affect water quality:
People are part of the water cycle. We take fresh water from rivers, lakes and underground. We use it for different purposes. All of these activities add substances to the water and many of these substances are pollutants that can harm living things.
Such as:
•Urban run-off
•Air Pollution
•Industrial Waste
•Treated Sewage
•Oil Spills
Some pollutants occur naturally in the environment and others do not. People add substances to the water that do not occur naturally in the environment. These are called Toxic substances.
Toxic Substances are used for:
•Agriculture
•Manufacturing
•Production
•Mining
•Refining
Toxic substances cause environmental problems because they can remain in the water for a very long time.
Acid Precipitation is cause by dissolved Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide in the atmosphere.
These waste gases are caused by cold burning industries, metal smelters and auto mobiles.
These chemicals return to Earth in precipitation that can be more acidic than vinegar.
Organisms in Water
Organisms play an important role in food chains that begin with microscopic plants and animals. Other organisms can live in water that is slightly polluted, although some organisms can only survive in unpolluted water that has lots of oxygen. Scientists can