Geography
Water Quality
Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, biological, and radiological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the suitability of water for specific uses, such as drinking, irrigation, or aquatic life support. Factors affecting water quality include pollutants, temperature, pH levels, and dissolved oxygen content. Monitoring and maintaining water quality is essential for environmental and human health.
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11 Key excerpts on "Water Quality"
eBook - PDF- Peter Krenkel(Author)
- 2012(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
3 Physical and Chemical Parameters of Water Quality INTRODUCTION The term Water Quality is not a new concept. Ancient British Common Law, from which the riparian water rights were derived, stated that the user of water was not entitled to diminish it in quality (McGauhey, 1968). However, the question as to what constituted quality was neither posed nor answered. Even at the beginning of this century, Water Quality evaluation relied more or less on subjective observations rather than on scientific measurements. Water Quality was expressed in terms such as fresh, dirty, faulty, and potable. Only water used for a public water supply was analyzed by early chemical and bacte-riological methods in order to determine its safety for human consump-tion. Recent developments in Water Quality surveillance methods and con-sequent concern with the protection of human health and the aquatic envi-ronment have broadened the qualification and quantification of Water Quality. It has been only in the past few decades that Water Quality engineering and science have begun to develop from an art to a science. New wastewater treatment methods and the discovery and evaluation of new harmful water contaminants and pollutants have stimulated research 46 Classification of Pollutants 47 activities seeking new and improved methods of Water Quality analysis. Increased emphasis has also been placed on the removal of secondary pollutants such as nutrients or refractory organics and on water reuse. There is no way to define Water Quality precisely. It must be understood that the quantification of Water Quality may have a different meaning to an aquatic scientist concerned with aquatic life, a farmer concerned with irri-gation, or a public health official concerned with the protection of human health. In each case, a different picture of Water Quality can be developed based on the indicators and criteria used for a particular evaluation.
eBook - PDF- Richard Lee(Author)
- 2019(Publication Date)
- Columbia University Press(Publisher)
8 Water Quality by W. E. Sharpe and D. R. DeWalle 8.1. Quality Parameters Forest hydrology, as the science of water-related phenomena that are influenced by forest cover (section 1.5.c), must include the study of forest influences on Water Quality. In fact, much of the current interest in forest hydrologie processes is related to their effects on erosion and sedimentation, water temperature, and water chemistry; forest Water Quality has become a major area of specialization. The conditions, processes, and human actions that ultimately determine the quality of water yield are the subject of this chapter. 8.1.a. Quality Definition Pure water never occurs in a forested ecosystem. Water vapor that condenses on nuclei or other surfaces is contaminated on contact, so even fresh rainwater, which comes as close to being pure as any natural form, invariably contains at least minute amounts of dissolved minerals and salts. When rain strikes a tree canopy, a series of dynamic processes begins that may greatly alter the water's constituents and properties; accordingly, at any point in its movement through the ecosystem, Water Quality is defined in terms of its physical, chemical, and biological character-istics. 218 / Water Quality 8.1.b. Pollution Definition Since all natural waters are contaminated (impure), it is im-portant to differentiate between natural or normal contamina-tion and other levels that can be traced directly or indirectly to human activities. It should be clear, however, that any such distinc-tion cannot be precise; some natural water is contaminated to such an extent that it is unfit for certain designated purposes (e.g., naturally brackish water is unfit for drinking, and pure water from a deep well may serve poorly as a cleansing agent). As a practical expedient, sources of human-caused pollution are usually identified by comparing Water Quality with the average or back-ground contamination in the same area, but unaffected by the suspected source.
- Bradley Striebig, Adebayo Ogundipe, Maria Papadakis, , Bradley Striebig, Adebayo Ogundipe, Maria Papadakis, , Bradley Striebig, Adebayo Ogundipe, Maria Papadakis(Authors)
- 2015(Publication Date)
- Cengage Learning EMEA(Publisher)
Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. 4.3 Water Quality Parameters 195 F I G U R E 4 . 1 1 Training capacity for artisans and technicians to meet rural sanitation needs. Source: Based on WHO (2012) GLASS 2012 Report: UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking Water: The Challenge of Extending and Sustaining Services. World Health Organization. Geneva, Switzerland. 14% 18% 68% Capacity well developed Capacity under development None nutrients and organic matter from soils, biological processes, and the hydrologic factors discussed in Chapters 2 and 3. Declining Water Quality is a concern owing to the stresses imposed by increased human water consumption, agricultural and industrial discharges, and negative effects related to climate change. Poor Water Quality is a concern owing to the economic, environmental, and social impacts that occur if water supplies become too polluted for drinking, washing, fishing, or recreation. Water Quality is determined by measuring factors that are suitable to poten-tial use. Drinking water should be pathogen free, but microbial content of the water may not be a concern for some industrial uses. Broad categories of Water Quality include microbial content, pH, solids content, ionic strength, dissolved oxygen, oxygen demand, nutrient levels, and toxic chemical concentrations. Water pollution may be any condition caused naturally or by human activity that adversely affects the quality of a stream, lake, ocean, or source of ground-water. Pollutants may also be defined as any harmful chemical or constituent present in the environment at concentrations above the naturally occurring background levels.
eBook - PDF- L Hamill, F G Bell(Authors)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Butterworth-Heinemann(Publisher)
Chapter 5 GroundWater Quality 5.1 Introduction In any evaluation of groundwater resources the quality of the water is of almost equal importance to the quantity available. In other words, the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the water are of major importance in determining whether or not water is suitable for domestic, industrial or agricultural use. Furthermore, details appertaining to groundWater Quality may throw some light on such factors as the interconnection between surface water and aquifers, groundwater movement and storage. When water infiltrates into the ground its quality is modified by a number of processes. For example, the amount of precipitation which moves into and evaporation loss from the ground influence the character of the soil water, as does the reaction of the latter with the soil particles. Of particular importance is the role played by water as an agent of chemical weathering which leads to the dissolution of minerals. Rainwater may leach salts which have accumulated at the surface into the groundwater. As a consequence the intensity is important because downward percolation of salts is much more significant as a result of infrequent heavy downpours rather than prolonged light showers. These salts may be concentrated in the groundwater as a result of evaporation and transpiration. Evaporation is most effective when the air is warm, dry and moving. Water loss by transpiration depends on the type and density of the vegetative cover, which is governed by climate and, to a lesser extent, soil type. Climate also affects the rate of chemical weathering and degree of dissolution of the soluble products. Micro-organisms and plants also influence the composition of groundwater. The quality of water in the zone of saturation reflects that of the water which has percolated to the water table and the subsequent reactions between water and rock which occur.
eBook - PDF- W. Kleiböhmer(Author)
- 2001(Publication Date)
- Elsevier Science(Publisher)
References pp. 314-318 280 Chapter 9 In conclusion an increasing earth population with an ever increasing demand for water will compete for the same water resources of ever poorer quality. The limited availability of drinking water is anticipated as a major reason for war in the future. However, a lot of examples reveal the positive impact of new technologies for water pro- tection, like advanced waste water treatment, recycling of process waters, water-saving techniques in industry and households. The task for the future for a sustainable water management is to maintain and restore the chemical, physical and biological integrity of waters with regard to different usage and under consideration of water as a natural habitat for animals and plants. The sustainable way of water usage includes to comply with Water Quality standards concerning pollution emission, and to use only renewable water resources. The bases are legislative regulations and voluntary agreements in terms of threshold values for emissions and quality targets for the protection of water and its particular usage against hazardous substances. Furthermore, the distribution of water has to be improved in its original form or in the form of food. 9.2 DEFINITIONS The term quality is well known in all areas of work and life, like quality of life, analytical quality assurance, quality management. Quality is derived from the Latin word 'qualis', which means how things are conditioned. The term quality is not independent from a certain scale or certain requirements, which define whether the required demands are fulfilled or not. From the viewpoint of quality management quality can be defined according to the norm DIN EN ISO 8402 as totality of attributes of a unit with regard to its suitability to fulfill defined and presupposed requirements. A unit can be a tangible or intangible product, an activity or a process, an organization, a system or a person.
eBook - PDF- John McCormick(Author)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- Bloomsbury Academic(Publisher)
135 Chapter overview Key arguments 7 Water: Quantity vs. Quality ▪ Unlike air, water is multidimensional in terms of the forms in which it is found, the uses to which it is put, the distribution of supplies, and the threats it faces. ▪ There have been improvements in access to improved water supplies and sanitation facilities, but the variable quality of water means that human health still suffers in many parts of the world. ▪ Water policy is still approached mainly from a local perspective, and water is still mainly seen as a private rather than a public good. ▪ Efforts to approach water quantity and quality from a global perspective are limited, and there is almost nothing in the way of an international water regime. ▪ Whether in terms of quantity or quality, water is approached mainly from the perspective of its value to humans, and less so with its ecological value in mind. ▪ The plight of wetlands illustrates the way in which the significance of freshwater habitats has long been overlooked. A long with air, water is one of the most essential, most fundamental, and most widely used of all natural resources. Without it, life as we know it would not be possible, and it is no surprise that almost all the world’s great cities and population centres have been built on or near a ready source of surface water. Unlike air, however, which has only one use and comes in only one form, water presents a multifaceted management challenge. It comes in several different forms, it serves multiple purposes, water policy must address matters both of quantity and of quality, and while pollution is the only man-made threat 136 Environmental Politics and Policy to air quality, water is threatened both by pollution and by overexploitation. Too much water in the wrong place can be as much of a problem as too little water, and the environmental dimensions of water management must be seen alongside its economic, social, and even occasionally cultural dimensions.
eBook - PDF- Rose Marie O. Mendoza(Author)
- 2019(Publication Date)
- Arcler Press(Publisher)
• Fe, Ca, Mn in the textile industries, and so forth. Since the factors which determine the quality of water are complex, large variations are observed between lakes or rivers in different hydro-climatic zones or in different continents. Likewise, the reaction to anthropogenic impacts also varies greatly. As a result, there is no universally applicable standard for defining the baseline biological or chemical quality of waters (Lenat & Crawford, 1994; Wang, Lyons, Kanehl, & Bannerman, 2001). Though the significant proportion of all Water Quality degradation worldwide is attributed to anthropogenic influences, there are several environmental catastrophes and natural events which can result in, locally, to a severe worsening of the aquatic environment. Few examples include hurricanes, torrential rainfalls, mudflows, unseasonal lake overturns and glacial outbursts. However, some natural events are intensified by human activities, examples include soil erosion because of heavy rainfall in deforested areas (Jones & Clark, 1987; Harding, Benfield, Bolstad, Helfman, & Jones, 1998). It often takes many years to restore the quality of natural water, and that again depends on the geographical scale as well as on the intensity of the event. In 1980, the eruption of Mount St. Helens, in the United States, and the succeeding mudflows, are still causing an intense impact on quality of downstream water (D. Rickert, US Geological Survey, pers. comm.). Biochemical Ecology of Water Pollution 24 Figure 8: A schematic illustration of the statistical global distribution of natural waters and their appropriateness for various uses as defined by guideline as well as maximum allowable concentrations (MAC). A: An element of single natural origin (e.g., K+) and with concentrations lying always within guideline values. B: An element having more than one natural origin (e.g., Na+) which may occur in concentrations restricting its use or are too high for the majority of purposes.
eBook - PDFPrinciples of Water Resources
History, Development, Management, and Policy
- Thomas V. Cech(Author)
- 2018(Publication Date)
- Wiley(Publisher)
C H A P T E R 5 133 WATER POLLUTION BASIC PARAMETERS OF Water Quality INORGANIC CHEMICALS ORGANIC CHEMICALS WATERBORNE DISEASES Water Quality MANAGEMENT Each component of the hydrologic cycle— precipitation, surface water runoff, surface water and groundwater storage, and evaporation/ transpiration—changes the quality of a water body. For example, precipitation in the form of rain or snow can carry airborne pollutants to the Earth’s surface; surface water runoff can cause erosion and trans- port sediments; groundwater recharge can introduce chemicals into aquifers; and evaporation can elevate concentrations of pollutants in bodies of water by reducing the total volume of stored water. Each nat- ural component of the hydrologic cycle can have a negative effect on surface and groundWater Quality. Humans also have a tremendous effect on Water Quality. All of us contribute waste to the environment through the consumption of resources such as food, clothing, housing, and fuel for heating/cooling and transportation. The rapidly growing world popula- tion is contributing to the deterioration of our existing Water Quality and is creating significant challenges for water managers, industry, and fish and wildlife agen- cies. This chapter will explore problems and solutions that are currently addressed throughout the world. WATER POLLUTION Pollution (from the Latin word pollutus, meaning “to soil or defile”) can occur either naturally or through human (anthropogenic) activity. Water is considered to be polluted if it is unusable for a particular purpose. Natural processes—such as chemical reactions between water and rocks/soil, erosion and sedimentation caused by flowing water, percolation of surface water into groundwater aquifers, and the residence time of water stored in rivers, lakes, wetlands, and aquifers—can all create or increase pollution. In some locations, water is naturally of such poor quality that plants and animals cannot survive.
eBook - PDFWater Pollution Control
A Guide to the Use of Water Quality Management Principles
- Richard Helmer, Ivanildo Hespanhol(Authors)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
Even more important, elevated levels of bacteriological contamination and, to a lesser extent, other types of pollution can render water bodies unsuitable for recreational use. This is of particular concern in those countries of the region where tourism is an important source of foreign exchange and employment. In general, recreation is a much neglected use of water within the ECLAC region and is hardly considered in the process of water management despite the available information that sug-gests that pollution in recreational areas is a serious problem. This is of particular concern as the recreational use of water is very popular in the region and is also concentrated in water bodies closest to the large metro-politan areas. Many o f these are increasingly contaminated by domestic sewage and industrial effluents (ECLAC, 1989), 2.3.6 Amenity use Criteria have been established in some countries aimed at the protection of the aesthetic properties of water. These criteria are primarily orientated towards visual aspects. They are usually narrative in nature and may specify, for example, that waters must be free of floating oil or other immiscible liquids, floating debris, excessive turbidity, and objectionable odours. The criteria are mostly non-quantifiable because of the different sensory percep-tion o f individuals and because of the variability of local conditions. 2.3.7 Protection of aquatic life Within aquatic ecosystems a complex interaction of physical and biochem-ical cycles exists. Anthropogenic stresses, particularly the introduction of chemicals into water, may adversely affect many species of aquatic flora and fauna that are dependent on both abiotic and biotic conditions. Water Quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life may take into account only physico-chemical parameters which tend to define a Water Quality that protects and maintains aquatic life, ideally in all its forms and life stages, or they may con-sider the whole aquatic ecosystem.
eBook - PDFStantec's Water Treatment
Principles and Design
- John C. Crittenden, R. Rhodes Trussell, David W. Hand, Kerry J. Howe, George Tchobanoglous(Authors)
- 2022(Publication Date)
- Wiley(Publisher)
that exist as a separate phase (i�e�, as solids)� Water with particles is a suspension, not a solution� Particles include silt, clay, algae, bacteria, and other microorganisms� pH Parameter describing the acid–base properties of a solution� 19 2 Physical and Chemical Quality of Water Naturally occurring water is a solution containing not only water mole- cules but also chemical matter such as inorganic ions, dissolved gases, and dissolved organics; solid matter such as colloids, silts, and suspended solids; and biological matter such as bacteria and viruses. The structure of water, while inherently simple, has unique physicochemical properties. These properties have practical significance for water supply, Water Quality, and water treatment engineers. The purpose of this chapter is to present background information on the physical and chemical properties of water, the units used to express the results of physical and chemical analyses, and the constituents found in water and the methods used to quantify them.
- Richard M. Stuetz, Thomas Stephenson(Authors)
- 2009(Publication Date)
- IWA Publishing(Publisher)
Taste is also used in the case of potable waters where tainting compounds can cause so called off-flavours in drinking water supplies resulting in customer complaints. 1.4.3 Chemical Parameters Chemical parameters are those which relate to the concentrations of chemical species in water. Some of these parameters, such as cyanide, arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium can be toxic. Others are health related: nitrates have been linked to infantile methaemoglobinaemia, nitrites to bowel cancers, sodium to heart disease. Some are measures of chemicals deliberately added such as acids and alkalis for pH control, aluminium and iron for coagulation, chlorine and ozone for disinfection, fluoride for dental health while others such as alkalinity, hardness and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) may indicate problems if the water is used in industry for cooling or steam raising. It is necessary to understand the chemistry of water and wastewater to be able to predict how it will behave when we add or remove chemical species ( Process Sciences and Engineering for Water and Wastewater Treatment – Unit 1). 1.4.4 Biological Parameters Water systems include potable water, lakes, rivers and leisure pools such as swimming pools and jacuzzis. For water to be used for human consumption, it must be free from organisms that are capable of causing disease. In the late 19th century, acute waterborne diseases, such as cholera and typhoid fever were common. Since then, a whole range of infectious diseases, mainly bacterial, viral and protozoan, have been found to be water borne. It is important to remember that before a disease can occur, the host must have been in contact with an infectious dose of the disease-causing agent. This can be defined as the number of a particular pathogenic organism required to cause a disease in man and can differ for different types of organisms.
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