Environmental Geology, November 8.ppt

Supply of Water Resources Use of Water Resources Ground Water Water Resources Over the last century Human population has increased 3x Global water withdrawal has increased 7x Per capita water withdrawal has increased 4x About one-sixth of the world’s people don’t have easy access to safe water Most water resources are owned by governments and are managed as publicly owned resources Too Little Water Human water needs A person needs about 1 gallon water/day for hydration In the US each person uses about 188 gallons/day An additional 657 gallons/person/day are used for irrigation, industrial use. Total per capita use is about 2000 gal/person/day If world’s water supply were 100 liters, the usable supply would be about 0.5 tsp US has highest per capita water withdrawal, followed by Canada, Australia, Russia, Japan Problems with Using Groundwater Groundwater Pollution 70,000 chemicals are used not; effects of many are not known Each year another 700-800 new chemicals are produced 55 million tons of hazardous chemical wastes are produced in the US each year The 20 most abundant compounds in groundwater at industrial waste disposal sites include TCE, benzene, vinyl chloride…all are carcinogens, and also affect liver, brain, and nervous system Kinds of Water Pollution Inorganic Pollutants Organic Pollutants Biologic Pollutants Inorganic Pollutants Examples: Pb in gasoline Radionuclides Phosphorus, nitrogen (Great Lakes) Other heavy metals Inorganic Pollutants 3 groups 1) Produce no heavlth effects until a threshold concentration is exceeded—e.g., NO3 –ook at , 50mg/liter; at higher levels: methaemoglobinaemia 2) No threshold—e.g.—genotoxic substances: some natural and synthetic organic compounds, microorganic compunds, some pesticides, arsenic 3) Essential to diets: F, I, Se—absence causes problems, but too much also causes problems Inorganic Trace Contaminants Mercury—methyl Hg and dimethyl Hg in fish—probably most significant path to humans—Minamata Bay, Japan, 1950’s