Chemicals in water come in a variety of forms, safe and unsafe, organic and inorganic. They also come from a variety of sources, from pollution to water treatment.
Organic and Inorganic Chemicals in Water
While some chemicals in water are harmless at lower concentrations, many chemicals in water are toxic. Chemicals in water come in two basic varieties, organic and inorganic. Organic chemicals in water are chemicals that can naturally occur. These include chemicals from food processing waste, petroleum products, and cosmetics. Inorganic chemicals are chemicals that do not naturally occur. Some inorganic chemicals in water come from heavy metals from industrial by-products, cars, and fertilizers.
Chemicals in Water: Water Treatment
We think of water treatment as a process that removes chemicals from water, purifying it. However, in the process of eliminating the chemical contaminants in water, water treatment also adds some chemicals in water. Water treatment is applied not only to drinking water, but also to water that’s used for industrial, medical, and other purposes. The goal of water treatment is to make water safe enough to return to natural environments without causing negative ecological effects. Water treatment can refer to water settling and filtration, but it can also refer to the chemical processes of disinfection, desalination and coagulation. Contaminants in water include bacteria, viruses, and chemical pollutants like fertilizers. Water treatment is hugely important because waterborne diseases kill 1.8 million people each year.
Naturally Occurring Chemicals in Water
Chemicals in water do not necessarily constitute water pollution. Some chemicals can naturally occur in water (like sodium and calcium, for instance). However, even these chemicals can harm us and Earth’s ecosystems if they are too highly concentrated.
Chlorine is commonly used to disinfect our water. However, chlorine in water can also harm us. Because of this, we need to learn how to remove the chlorine in water, or how to entirely replace chlorine usage in our water treatment.
Why Chlorine Is Added into Our Water Supply
Chlorine is well-known and widely used to disinfect our water. Chlorine in water deactivates various pathogenic microorganisms (like bacteria or viruses), which cause illness. Authorities chlorinate public water supplies in order to kill the hazardous bacteria present in our water or water pipes. In addition to disinfecting water, chlorine is also used to disinfect various home and hospital areas and to bleach fabrics. We have used chlorine in water as a disinfectant for over two hundred years.
How Chlorine in Water Can Hurt Us
Although chlorine can disinfect our water, it can also hurt us if ingested. Chlorine in water can form into toxins called trihalomethanes (THMs); THMs correlate with diseases like asthma, eczema, bladder cancer, and heart diseases. Studies have shown that drinking large amounts of chlorinated tap water dramatically increasespregnant women’s risk of miscarriages and birth defects.
How We Can Remove Chlorine from Water
Carbon filters remove chlorine, THMs, and other harmful contaminants from our water. Additionally, while they produce the same excellent water quality that electronic filters produce, carbon filters are much cheaper. You can also remove chlorine and other contaminants from water without a home filtration system by placing water in an uncovered container and leaving it inside your refrigerator for twenty-four hours.
Water Treatment Alternatives to Chlorine in Water
Although we need to disinfect our water, we don’t need to use chlorine to do so. Several Canadian and European cities are disinfecting their water using the ozone instead of chlorine. Some cities in the United States, like Las Vegas and Santa Clara, are also switching to this alternative. However, the easiest way to get rid of the chlorine in water is simply to filter it out.
In July of 2010, the United Nations declared access to safe drinking water a human right. This resolution follows years of global campaigning to bring recognition to the problems of safe water and sanitation access. About 884 million people cannot access safe drinking water, and more than 2.6 billion people cannot access basic sanitation. More than two million people die annually due to a lack of clean drinking water and diseases caused by contaminated water. Diarrhea caused by drinking infected water is the second largest cause of the death of children under five years old.
The Importance of Water and Sanitation Access
Improvements in water and sanitation systems in developing areas of the world are directly linked to improvements in overall quality of life. Implementation of closed sanitary systems decreases child mortality by one-third. Access to clean water increases human productivity and overall health. Also, since access to water is often subject to discriminatory practices based on class, race, or gender, wider access to water can aid social equality in developing regions.
International Policies
Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) have begun programs to improve global access to drinking water and sanitation. The UN has declared the time period between 2005 and 2015 an International “Water For Life” Decade, during which massive educational and developmental programs have been implemented to increase the world’s access to water and sanitation. The WHO also has several programs in place that intervene in areas where water access is at risk; these programs educate people about water management and sanitation.
Education
Education is vital to the drive for water and sanitation access. Undereducated populations need to understand the risks of using contaminated water. Local and governmental authorities need to learn the costs and advantages of developing new water distribution programs. People need to learn techniques for harvesting rainwater, creating wells, and treating, storing, and distributing water. Programs that help to build and install these systems are also very helpful.
The discrepancy between clean water access in the industrial world and in the developing world is alarming. Although this discrepancy has tapered in recent years, the problem of water access continues to plague much of the world’s population. People in privileged parts of the world continuously need to assist the less fortunate in their struggle for health and dignity. People who wish to help the UN and WHO to meet their goals can visit their websites for more information on how to donate time and money to their cause.
If you’ve come to this article wondering, “What is wastewater?” then you’ve come to the right place. Here, you’ll learn what wastewater is, where it comes from, where it goes, how to examine it, and how it’s treated. When you’re finished reading, you’ll have the basics you’ll need to properly understand what wastewater is.
What Is Wastewater?
The World Health Organization (WHO), defines wastewater as water that contains enough contaminants to be unfit for drinking by humans. The ability to safely drink water is the measure used to judge water as waste. Not all wastewater is easily identifiable. The tiniest doses of some pollutants can contaminate large amounts of water. This is why it’s important to know where wastewater comes from.
Where Does Wastewater Come From?
There are two basic categories of wastewater sources caused by humans. The first source comes from people’s everyday consumption of products. The proper term for this kind of wastewater is “domestic” wastewater. Two of the largest sources of domestic contaminants are homes and cars. As people cook, clean, wash clothes, shower, and paint their homes, contaminants leak into the water. When people drive, they leave behind rubber, oil, gasoline, and other chemicals. All of these seep into water and make it unsafe to drink.
The second major source of wastewater is commerce. These sources are termed \”industrial\” sources of wastewater. Manufacturing and agriculture are some of the largest contributors to wastewater problems. Pesticides, pharmaceutical leftovers, and coolants are just a few examples of the chemicals businesses dump into water. Industrial waste is a problem because it contains high concentrations of contaminants that can pollute water very quickly.
Although difficult to categorize as domestic or industrial, runoff water is another source of contamination. When it rains, pollutants can be picked up as the rainwater runs across roofs, roads, or any other surface and collects in streams and storm drains.
Where Does Wastewater Go?
Ideally, wastewater goes to water treatment plants to be made clean again. If not, it runs off into natural sources of water such as lakes, streams, and rivers. Most local governments in the United States take responsibility for ensuring that water is clean and safe to drink. To do this, they take what is wastewater and separate out liquid and solid contaminants. Chlorine, special bacteria, and other chemicals are then used to remove most of the liquids that pollute water. Solid waste is often broken down and physically filtered out.
You now know what is wastewater: it’s any water judged unsafe for consumption by humans. You have also learned the major sources that contribute to the pollution of water. Finally, you now know how water is treated and made safe for drinking again.
The production of stainless steel, like many industrial processes, creates dangerous water pollution. Steel pollution in water can decrease water quality for human consumption, kill native plants and animals, and make water sources unusable for agriculture. There are many factors one must consider when trying to understand the nature of pollution caused by stainless steel manufacturing.
Coke and Steel
A major source of steel pollution lies not in the production of the steel itself but in a necessary ingredient in steel production: coke. Coke, a product of bituminous coal, is used as a fuel and reducing agent in the smelting of iron ore. Although it occurs naturally, natural coke is usually of insufficient quality for industrial use. Thus, coke must be manufactured. Its manufacturing process creates air pollution in the form of coke oven gas, naphthalene, ammonium compounds, crude light oil, sulfur and coke dust. The coke production process creates large amounts of water polluted by coke breezes–tiny coke particles–and other solid compounds. Although emissions from coke facilities are filtered, these pollutants still escape into the environment. As an essential part of the process, coke pollution must be considered steel pollution.
Coal Mining
Furthermore, one must consider the mining of the bituminous coal used to create coke. Coal mining is responsible for the presence of large amounts of acidic pollutants in the water near mines (in addition to air pollution and ecosystem disruption). Water quality and agriculture are often deeply impacted by local coal-mining operations. Additionally, coal processing facilities create materials rich in iron sulfides that oxidize into sulfates, causing water to acidify. Coal pollution overlaps with steel pollution and must be considered part of the problem of steel pollution.
Pickling Steel
Sheets of stainless steel must often be softened through a heat treatment process called annealing. Annealing stainless steel leads to the presence of oxide scale deposits on the steel. These deposits are removed by treatment with nitric, hydrofluoric, and hydrochloric acids in a process known as pickling. The byproduct of pickling is highly acidic, a dangerous pollutant to groundwater.
In The End
These are just a few of the sources of pollution associated with the production of stainless steel. The causes and impacts of steel pollution are far-reaching and multifaceted. It is only through a holistic understanding of manufacturing and consumption that stainless steel pollution can be understood and addressed.
The United States has been mining coal for hundreds of years. Today, 45 percent of our electricity still comes from coal-fired plants, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The seemingly inexhaustible supply of this carbon-based fuel comes at a heavy environmental cost. The resulting air, water and soil pollution has a serious impact on human health as well. Beyond currently-operating coal production, abandoned mines also pollute water. It is estimated that Pennsylvania has 2,400 miles of streams still being polluted from closed mines.
Types of Coal Mining
Coal can be extracted in two basic ways. Deep extraction requires digging shafts far underground that follow seams of coal underground. Strip mining involves clearing huge tracts of land of vegetation and stripping the top layer of coal from the earth’s surface. Strip mining is by far the most damaging in terms of coal pollutants. Destruction of trees and vegetation on entire mountaintops causes erosion and landslides as well as water pollution.
Coal Pollutants
The slag produced by the unprofitable part of strip-mined soil contains large amounts of toxic metals. When coal is extracted from the profitable strip-mined soil, great amounts of fresh water are used in the process. What’s left over is called sludge, and it is even more toxic than slag. High concentrations of mercury, arsenic, lead and selenium may be found in sludge, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Water and Air Pollution
Huge amounts of slag are dumped into stream beds, where they overwhelm the ecosystem and leach into aquifers that supply drinking water. Sludge, on the other hand, is stored in abandoned mines and aboveground facilities. The leaching problem is the same, with toxic metals entering the drinking water supply. These coal pollutants often go undetected because testing is not routinely carried out.
Environmental Effects
Destruction of river, stream and reservoir ecosystems is common in areas where coal mining is carried out. Coal pollutants from the wind-blown soil of deforested mountaintops contributes to acid rain elsewhere. Loss of habitat for nearby animals further damages the natural environment. Pollutants find their way into the food chain, deforming and poisoning species as they go. These pollutants reach the top of the food chain when humans consume vegetables, meat and fish.
Tankless water heaters work by heating water as it comes into your house. This water is heated on an as-needed basis. Either electric coils or gas burners are responsible for the original generation of heat. Subsequently a heat exchanger transfers this heat to incoming water that is supplied at the water main and which comes from your community’s fresh water supply. The incoming water, which is activated when you turn on your faucet or shower, activates the water heating system and the heat exchanger, heating the water before it travels up the pipes to the shower or sink you are using. The temperature can be preset in these systems so that they heat water to a specific temperature that is monitored by a thermostat.
Cost
Though more efficient than tank based hot water heater and thus cheaper over the long term, tankless water heaters can be fairly expensive on initial purchase. Often they can cost between $1000 to $2000 for the system itself and several hundred more for installation. Thus, a homeowner must be prepared to pay around $1500 to $2500 in total for a tankless water heater.
Pros
Long Term Savings
A tankless water heater does not have to continually heat the water in a water tank to keep it at the desired temperature. It only needs to heat water at the time of use so that it reaches the desired temperature. This means that a tankless water heater ends up using much less energy in the long run, though as noted above it is usually more expensive initially.
Space Economization
Because they do need a large and bulky tank, a tankless water heater takes up much less space than a tank heater. This allows for the space to be used for other things or simply frees up basement space to be used for living or recreation.
No Limits on Hot Water
There are theoretically no limits on the hot water that can be produced with a tankless water heater. With a tank system, when the tank runs out of hot water, the house occupants need to refrain from taking showers or using hot water in other ways until the water in the tank is again heated.
Cons
Initial Expense
As noted above, these systems can be quite expensive initially. Though they save a lot of money in the long term, they are sometimes simply out of a homeowner’s price range initially and thus are not practical in a financial sense.
May Be Intermittent
Sometimes, due to the fact that water must be continually heated and then sent up the pipes, there will be intermittent periods of hot and cold water. This usually does not occur with a water heater since the water in the tank is already at the desired temperature and only needs to be sent to the shower or faucet. It often sets up a situation in which a faster flow rate produces intermittent water temperature and a slower one produces more even temperature.
Only Common Heat Sources
These systems generally only work with electrical or gas heat. This means that alternative energy sources like solar heat are hard to implement with tankless heating systems. However, most people do have the more common heating methods in their houses, so for the most part this is not a problem.
Cool, refreshing, crystal clear water tastes great on a hot summer day, but most people don’t give much thought to what’s actually in their drinking water. The following is an explanation of how water treatment affects the tap water that people drink every day.
Aluminum Sulfate
Alum, or aluminum sulfate, is added to water to aid in filtration. Alum acts as a coagulant to bind fine suspended particles together into larger particles that can then be filtered out of the water. It results in water that is clearer, and the alum itself will be cleared from the water. Because the aluminum is filtered back out along with the particles it binds to, it poses no health risk.
Fluoride
The EPA reports that fluoride is added strictly for the dental benefits. Fluoride does not improve the actual quality of the water supply, but it is proven to help protect the teeth of people who consume it. However, water fluoridation is becoming increasingly controversial. The National Water Council currently advises parents not to give fluoridated water to infants. Further, the Centers for Disease Control estimate that one in three children in America have irreversible damage to their permanent teeth as a result of fluoride. Supporters point to evidence showing fewer cavities for people consuming fluoridated water while opponents claim that there are serious health risks, including the risk of cancer. Of all the chemicals added to water, fluoride is the most controversial, and the only one that is not needed for actual water quality.
Chlorine
The EPA reports that chlorine is added as a disinfectant. Derivatives of chlorine, including chlorine dioxide and chloramines, are also added to prevent water supplies from turning into breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses. The health problems with consuming high levels of chlorine are clear. However, water departments around the nation are careful to use enough chlorine to kill bacteria without using so much as to cause health problems.
Potassium Permanganate
This oxidizing agent is added to lake water. It is used to clear the water of iron, manganese, and some natural tastes and odors. Removing the iron and manganese ensures that the water does not cause stains on clothing and plumbing fixtures. After being oxidized by potassium permanganate, these minerals become insoluble and can be easily removed through basic filtration methods. However, concentrated levels of potassium permanganate can be harmful to the skin.
Polyphosphate
Used as a liquid substance, polyphosphate helps to isolate the iron, manganese, and calcium in water. When added to water, polyphosphate protects water lines by preventing corrosion of pipes.
Any chemical added to water has the potential to cause health problems. However, it is important to weigh the potential risks against the health benefits that are gained by having clear, clean water that is free of algae, bacteria and viruses. Regardless of where you live, it is a good idea to have an additional filtration system in your own home to remove some of these chemicals.
Total dissolved solids is a measure of all dissolved charged molecules (ions) and organic matter in water (World Health Organization, 1996). The ions can be derived from salts, minerals, or heavy metals in the water that may or may not be beneficial for health. A fresh water stream, for example, will tend to have relatively high amounts of total dissolved solids due to organisms living in the water, the leaching of minerals and salts from rocks, sand, clay, and silt, and decomposing organic matter. These dissolved substances are generally not harmful to human health, but water contaminants like arsenic and pesticides can be. Industrial plant operations can be another source of total dissolved solids in the form of runoff and air pollution.
Units of TDS
The unit of measure for total dissolved solids is expressed as mass per unit volume water; typically in milligrams (mg) per liter (Harrison, 2001). Parts per million (ppm) is another commonly used unit of measure for indicating TDS, but it is used to indicate mass per unit mass of water. If total dissolved salts are in mg/L then this can be expressed directly as ppm. The most common method for measuring TDS is a conductance meter, which measures how well water conducts an electric current (World Health Organization, 1996). Pure water is actually a good electrical insulator, but when salts, minerals, and metals are added to the water it turns into an excellent electrical conductor. Generally speaking, the higher the TDS the more efficiently water conducts electricity.
Health Concerns
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends water intended for human consumption have less than 500 mg/L TDS (Harrison, 2001). When total dissolved solids exceeds 1000 mg/L it is considered unfit for human consumption (think mud puddle). Mountain spring water generally has total dissolved solids in the range of 50 to 160 mg/L and mineral water from a natural source ranges between 300 and 400 mg/L. Research studies examining the effects of total dissolved solids on human health have found an inverse relationship between TDS values and the risk of cancer, heart disease, and death (World Health Organization, 1996).
Hard water is defined as having a TDS greater than 170 mg/L and is more commonly a concern because it will cause mineral buildup (scaling) in pipes and fixtures, and can eventually destroy a home’s plumbing system. The total dissolved solids for tap water generally ranges between 160 and 420 mg/L, so most tap water will cause mineral deposition. For this reason it may be more cost effective to reduce the amount of dissolved solids in the water using a filtration system, rather than eventually replacing a home’s entire plumbing system.
In July, 2010, the United Nations and the World Health Organization recognized access to safe and clean drinking water as a basic human right. The resolution to grant the right to water, which passed unopposed, is seen as an extension of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that expresses the right to an adequate standard of living. The global campaign to raise recognition for the lack of access of much of the world’s population to clean water and sanitation has been ongoing for years. Although most people may agree on the need for address the global water crisis, not everyone agrees that declaring the right to water and the subsequent governmental responsibility is the best way to create access.
A lack of water as a barrier to health and well-being
Although many people living in industrial nations take water and sanitation for granted, an estimated 884 million people lack access to safe drinking water and a total of more than 2.6 billion people do not have access to basic sanitation. Every year, more than two million people die due to a lack of drinking water and diseases caused by contaminated water. Diarrhea, mainly caused by drinking infected water, is the second most important cause of the death of children below the age of five.
Development slower than the growth of population
The need to declare a right to water access has grown as the population of the world has grown without infrastructure and resources developing at an adequate rate to keep that population safe and healthy. Some believe that we have reached peak water. Unfortunately for the poor who live in places where water resources are scarce, access to water is often restricted with bias towards particular races, socioeconomic classes, or cultures. By passing the resolution, the United Nations hopes to put pressure on governments across the world to solve water access problems, including putting an end to discriminatory practices in water distribution.
Is it the government’s job?
Does the declaration of the right to water does require a government’s help. It may, but this newly announced right it does not explicitly provide the means by which any nation might reach the goal of actualizing the right to water. In many cases, the places with the biggest problems are the ones that lack the very organizational resources required to solve those problems.
Should water distribution be privatized?
There are some who believe that the best way to guarantee efficient worldwide water distribution is the privatization of water resources. Private corporations have historically demonstrated their ability to quickly and efficiently create infrastructures for the acquisition and distribution of resources. Private business often has access to expert technical knowledge that some governments may lack, especially in rural or underdeveloped areas. Free market competition also has the effect of improving the quality of the products being offered, a situation that could play into the favor of governments shopping for “water service.”
Water spanning political boundaries
The ability to distribute water fairly and efficiently is also complicated in some places by the fact that water resources often span political boundaries. Even if a government desires to recognize the right to water, its relationship with neighboring nations might impinge upon its ability to do so. Another problem, one that increases in seriousness with each passing year, is that there is simply less water to go around. Poor agricultural practices and the expansion of the world’s deserts have left some places without water to speak of.
How will this right to water be implemented?
Although the resolution of the United Nations is seen by many as a step in the right direction, no one is entirely certain how to proceed towards making it a reality. One thing that seems certain is that the debate and hardship will continue.
