1 - Water Pollution Flashcards
These refer to the available sources of water that can be used for various purposes, including drinking, irrigation, industrial processes, and environmental needs.
Water Resources
It refers to water bodies found on the earth’s surface, such as rivers, lakes, and wetlands, replenished by rainfall and runoff from surrounding areas.
Surface water
It is commonly uses for drinking, agriculture, industrial processes, and recreational activities.
Surface water
It is a water stored underground in permeable rock layers called aquifers, accessed by drilling wells.
Groundwater
This water is crucial for drinking and irrigation, particularly in areas with limited water surface.
Groundwater
It is a significant global challenge, affecting millions of people worldwide.
Water scarcity
It is a continuous and interconnected process where water moves through various stages, redistributing water from one location to another and maintaining a balance between different water reservoirs, including oceans, atmosphere, surface water bodies, and groundwater.
Hydrologic Cycle or Water cycle
It is the combined process of evaporation and transpiration that results in the loss of water from the earth’s surface to the atmosphere.
Evapotranspiration
It represents the total amount of water vapor released into the air from both land and vegetation.
Evapotranspiration
The main compartments of water:
Evaporation
Condensation
Precipitation
Surface runoff
Groundwater flow
Melting
It refers to the water that resides beneath the earth’s surface, stored in porous rocks, soil, and aquifers.
Groundwater
It refers to the water consumed by households for various purposes, such as drinking, cooking, bathing, sanitation, and washing.
Domestic water use
It is the largest consumer of water globally which includes irrigation, livestock watering, and aquaculture.
Agricultural water use
It refers to the usage of water for various purposes, such as manufacturing, processing, cooling, and cleaning.
Industrial water usage
It refers to the water allocated for maintaining ecosystems, protecting biodiversity, and sustaining natural habitats.
Environmental water uses
It refers to the hidden or indirect water uses in the production or trade of goods and services, representing the amount of water required in the entire supply chain, including the production, processing, and distribution of a particular product.
Virtual Water
These are substances that contaminate water bodies, posing significant threats to the delicate balance of aquatic ecosystems and the quality of water available for human use.
Water pollutants
It refers to specific, identifiable locations or outlets through which pollutants are directly discharged into water bodies. These resources typically involve a single, identifiable point of discharge, such as a pipe, outfall, or drainage channel.
Point sources
It occurs when contaminants are released into water systems from industrial facilities, wastewater treatment plants, power plants, or other clearly defined sources.
Point source pollution
Point source pollutants:
Industrial discharges
Municipal wastewater treatment plants
Agricultural runoff
Mining activities
Oil spills
It refers to diffuse and widespread pollution that originates from multiple, often unidentifiable sources, making it challenging to trace the exact point of discharge.
Nonpoint sources
It occurs when pollutants are carried by runoff, seepage, or atmospheric deposition from various areas and then enter water bodies through surface runoff or groundwater flow.
Nonpoint sources pollution
Nonpoint source pollutants:
Agricultural runoff
Urban and suburban runoff
Residential areas
Forests and natural landscapes
Atmospheric deposition
Key persistent challenges in water pollution:
- Nonpoint source pollution
- Aging infrastructure
- Emerging contaminants
- Climate change
