Science - Ch. 11 - Water Systems Flashcards
*in Walkerton, one of their wells became contaminated because these 3 things happened at once:
*What was the bacteria called?
(7 died, 2000 ill)
2 The amount of chlorine used was not being monitored. (not enough)
*#1 A normal farming activity (manure) resulted in bacteria seeping into the ground and washing into the well water
*Escherichia coli
Recharge (*think of rain barrel)
Refill
What are the natural causes of water table changes?
flooding: water table to rise
droughts: water table to gradually drop
earthquakes: water table to drop + affect groundwater’s potability
Examples of ways human activities affect the water supply
- human-made dam collapsing
- overuse or misuse of water
- water diversion and export
Examples of overusing or misusing water
- overuse of wells: there will be less water if the groundwater is not properly recharged and a lot of it is being used by wells.
- farming and industry practices: they use a lot of water for their operations but do not discharge as much water as extracted.
- water diversion and export: (water bottle industry) removes large quantities of water & discharges less than extracted. When exported, the water is not returned to the watershed it came from.
Discharge
release or pour out
3 types of contents of the contaminates of water. Give examples for each.
- biological: both visible and microscopic organisms (ex. bacteria, viruses, algae)
- chemical: dissolved substances that come from natural processes or human activity (ex. salt, pesticides, fertilizer)
- physical: all materials that do not dissolve in water (ex. plants, animal waste, garbage)
What is Giardia? What illness can it cause?
a microscopic parasite often found in the feces of beavers and other animals that can cause an illness called “beaver fever”
water treatment methods (3) What + how?
- septic systems: self-contained wastewater treatment facility. Separates the solid and lighter materials to leave water that can go through the holes to seep into the soil into the ground water supply.
- wetland technology: a wetland is land that is saturated with water for long periods of time (ex. swap). Water-loving plants that grow here can filter and purify water. The plants and microorganisms remove and recycle nutrients + roots and soil filter out contaminates.
- the wastewater treatment plant: a physical plant and network of underground pipes that gets the waste to the plant
Examples of things that effect our drinking water (8)
- air pollution
- power stations
- factories
- runoff from city streets
- run-off from farmland
- habitat destruction
- waste water
- oil spills
chlorine
chemical used to disinfect water
contaminants
content that is harmful to humans, animals, and the environment
septic tank
tank in which wastewater from all indoor sources (ex. toilets, sinks, and bathtubs) enter to be cleaned
waste water
water that has been used
When do the levels of the water table drop or rise?
The level of the water table will drop as the amount of groundwater decreases.
The top of the water table will rise closer to the ground’s surface, this means that the water table might reach the surface and lead to flooding.
Where do most Canadians obtain their drinking water from?
Most Canadians obtain their drinking water from a lake, river, or reservoir.
What is the wetland technology?
Water-loving plants that grow in wetlands can filter and purify water.
What is the wastewater treatment plant?
A network of underground pipes that get to the physical plant. For example, for a city with a population of about 50 000, a wastewater treatment facility may cost over $40 million to build and maintain.
What is 5th the step in the water treatment system?
- the drinkable water is distributed to all the business and homes in the community.
What is the 1st step in the wastewater treatment system?
- wastewater leaves your home through the pipes and is pumped into the wastewater treatment system.
What is the 2nd step in the wastewater treatment system?
- wastewater passes through screens to remove large particles
What is the 3rd step in the wastewater treatment system?
- wastewater enters the grit chamber that removes small particles like coffee grounds.
What is the 4th step in the wastewater treatment system?
- wastewater passes into a primary treatment tank. Heavy solids sink to the bottom forms into sludge. The material that floats gets skimmed off the top.
What is the 5th step in the wastewater treatment system?
- The grey water enters the aeration tank. It contains microorganisms and bacteria that digest the organic waste.
What is the 6th step in the wastewater treatment system?
- The wastewater passes into another settling tank. The microorganisms settle to the bottom as sludge. Some of it is returned to the aeration tank.
What is the 7th step in the wastewater treatment system?
- chlorine is added into the wastewater to disinfect it. Most of the chlorine is used up before step 8.
What is the 8th step in the wastewater treatment system?
- The cleaned and treated water is discharged back into the environment.
How many steps are in the wastewater treatment system?
8 steps are in the wastewater treatment system.
Explain the statement, “The water that flows into your sink or bathtub has flowed through your local watershed.”
All water that falls to Earth flows through a watershed. Tap water is water that is removed from an area of the watershed, such as a river or lake (for us it is Lake Ontario). It has flowed through the local watershed.
Describe four threats to our drinking water sources.
run-off from city streets and farmland, waste water, oil spills, pollution
List the steps for the water treatment plant (4/6)
- wastewater leaves your home through the pipes and is pumped into the wastewater treatment system.
1. screening out large solids
2. addition of a chemical so that solids clump and settle out
3. filtration through a membrane of sand and gravel
4. addition of chlorine to kill micro-organisms +fluoride may be added to prevent tooth decay. - the drinkable water is distributed to all the business and homes in the community.
