WATER USAGE

HOW DO HUMANS USE WATER?

Main Uses

• 1. Power Plants– Coal burning– Nuclear power

• 2. Agriculture– Irrigation: Watering crops

Where do we get water from?

• Reservoir: Source of water; artificial lake

• Aquifer: – Source of water underground–Water brought to surface using a well

• Permeable:– Liquids and gases can pass through

• Impermeable:–Won’t let liquids or gases pass through

Water Quality Review

Types of Pollution

• Point Source:– You know EXACTLY where it’s coming from

• Ex. pipes leaking waste into ocean• Ex. Factory leak into water

• Nonpoint Source:– You don’t know exact source; RUNOFF!

• Ex. Rainwater carrying waste to a stream

Turbidity• How dirty/cloudy water appears

Dissolved Oxygen

• Oxygen in water for animals and plants

• A low level of oxygen is bad – Could be caused by eutrophication

pH

• Good pH for water is 6.5-8.5• Too acidic can be harmful

Nitrates and Phosphates

• Nutrients and chemicals from agriculture (fertilizer)

• Too much can cause eutrophication!

Eutrophication

• Too many nutrients get into pond, cause algae to grow out of control

• Plants and animals die• Bacteria decompose dead

organisms, use up dissolved oxygen• Eventually pond turns into a

meadow

Bioindicator

• Can only live in certain water conditions

• If able to survive in certain water, that tells you the water is healthy

Ex. Caddisfly larvae are sensitive to pollution, so if they are thriving, that tells you the water is healthy.

Water Treatment Plant

• Cleans water for human use