Water Facts

Water is the most important source of life. Without water, life as we know it will cease to exist. Human civilization has depended on freshwater sources for sanitary, agricultural, and industrial purposes since the dawn of time. Despite its significance, less than one percent of all water on our planet is accessible and suitable for domestic and industrial uses. Over 100 million people in Europe alone do not have access to clean water, and as of 2007, half a billion Chinese had no access to safe drinking water. Scientists predict that we may face a Thirsty World in 2050.

Freshwater sources include surface water (lakes, streams, wetlands, snow, and ice) and groundwater below the earth's surface. Groundwater and surface water interact in many places and within all terrains. This process is known as a hydrologic cycle, the continuous water movement above, on, and below the earth's surface. Streams, for example, interact with groundwater in all landscapes. Streams can gain water from the inflow of groundwater through the stream bed. They can also lose water by overflowing through the stream bed. The difference in altitude between the water table near the stream can determine the direction of the flow. Subaquos springs can form when preferred paths of groundwater flow into each other in the presence of highly permeable sediment.

Groundwater and surface water chemistry are inseparable due to the continuous interaction between the two. Water movement between groundwater and surface water provides a major pathway for chemical transfer between terrestrial and aquatic systems. As a result, any form of pollution introduced can contaminate surface water and groundwater supplies. The effect and severity of the contamination depends on the quantity and type of pollutant, water chemistry, and duration of contact with the source.

Human Activity and Water Pollution

Most toxic substances found in freshwater systems are introduced by human activity. Certain toxins, such as Fluoride or Arsenic, can occur naturally in the environment and end up in freshwater systems. It is important to test every water supply system regularly to identify the toxins and reduce contamination. The quality of every water source can change over time directly or indirectly due to human activity. Farming, Industrial, and Municipal activities are the main contributors to water and environmental pollution.

Farms

Farms often use large amounts of toxic Fertilizers, Herbicides, and Pesticides, which can spread widely. These chemicals can eventually reach underlying aquifers, especially if the aquifer is shallow and not protected by a layer of low permeability substance such as clay. Well water located in close proximity to farms is often contaminated with such chemicals. Organic and inorganic runoff and farm waste is another source of water pollution. Most regulated pesticides degrade or bind into harmless compounds, but some are water-soluble toxins that could be easily detectable in drinking water in low concentrations.

Industrial and Wastewater

Many industrial facilities use freshwater from lakes, rivers, and streams to carry waste and toxic material away from their locations. These runoffs are usually contaminated with chemicals, solvents, petroleum, and other toxins. Asbestos and Arsenic are two highly toxic compounds introduced into freshwater systems due to industrial activity.  Mining projects usually rely on freshwater as the salinity in other sources can interfere with chemicals and corrode heavy equipment.  Mining for heavy metals and minerals can contaminate nearby streams and creeks and introduce large quantities of heavy metals into the hydrologic cycle. Mine waste pile runoffs and mine drainage are major sources of heavy metals such as Mercury, Lead, Aluminum, Nickel, and Iron.

Nuclear power plants also require freshwater for cooling purposes. Most water is recycled back into streams, rivers, and lakes at a higher temperature. This temperature difference is a source of thermal pollution that can decrease the dissolved oxygen level in the water while also increasing the biological demand of aquatic organisms for oxygen. Due to corroded, buried piping, radioactive leakage of Tritium and Cesium can contaminate freshwater sources near nuclear power plants. According to an investigation by the Associated Press, 75 percent of US commercial nuclear power sites have minor leaks that release radioactive waste into groundwater due to leaking pipes. While most of these leaks are limited within the boundaries of the nuclear facility, some have migrated offsite. This is alarming because radioactive particles such as Cesium 137 have a half-life of 30.17 years. Cesium 137 and 134 are common fission by-products of nuclear reactors and weapons. Both isotopes are water soluble and can spread easily in the environment, making contamination seamless. Cesium isotopes are highly radioactive and can increase the risk of cancer with long-term exposure.  Radioactive Cesium has been detected in some drinking water supplies, but the levels are within the US-EPA maximum permitted guidelines. In time, radioactive Cesium contamination in freshwater sources will rise due to increased global nuclear activity and the long half-life of the Cesium isotope.

Petroleum, Oil Sands & Fracking

The use of petroleum products within the last century has skyrocketed globally.  Many industries rely on petroleum and its by-products daily.  The largest quantities of petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel oil, aviation fuel, and heating oil, are used as fuels for various purposes. Petroleum is also used to manufacture products in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and many other industries. Oil spills are very common and can have devastating environmental consequences. Once spread within an area, oil spills can result in a high concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in water sources. Gasoline is a mixture of various hydrocarbons that dissolve to some extent in water and are often toxic. These compounds can be classified as VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Benzene, Dichloromethane, Para-Dichlorobenzene, Ethylbenzene, Toluene and MTBE.  Benzene is considered toxic and causes cancer in humans. MTBE (Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether) is a gasoline additive that reduces emissions in motor vehicles.  Although MTBE has successfully reduced air pollution, several studies have found a small percentage of MTBE in groundwater and surface water across the US and Canada. MTBE can easily dissolve in water and spread through soil. It is also considered a carcinogen. US EPA lists MTBE as a maximum contaminant level (MCL) in drinking water.

Recently, new methods of harvesting petroleum have been employed that require large quantities of freshwater in high-pressure steam. Oil sands (also referred to as tar sands) are a combination of clay, sand, water, and bitumen, a heavy black viscous oil. Because it does not flow like conventional crude oil, it must be heated underground to enable harvesting. Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is a method that involves injecting high-temperature steam underground through a horizontal well to melt the bitumen, allowing it to flow for harvest. Bitumen is composed chiefly of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Sulfur, Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, Nickel, Vanadium, Chromium, and Selenium. The by-products of bitumen mining are stored in tailing ponds. These are wet storage areas that are to hold the toxic sludge produced by oil sands. According to a 2008 report from Canada's Environmental Defence, 11 million liters of contaminated wastewater escapes the tail ponds in northern Alberta daily. This high contamination rate has resulted in elevated levels of Mercury, Arsenic, and PAHs in freshwater sources close to the oil sands. A 2007 study by ecologist Kevin P. Timoney in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta, revealed that all the walleye and female whitefish and almost all the male whitefish tested exceeded US guidelines for mercury consumption.

Like Oil Sands, Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) is a process in which a high-pressure mixture of water, sand, and chemicals are pumped deep into shale and tight rock formations, creating tiny cracks that release oil and natural gas. Numerous chemicals are used in the fracking process, and they can contaminate groundwater and surface water sources. A 2015 study done by the Environmental Protection Agency has concluded specific instances where Hydraulic Fracturing has contaminated drinking water resources, including wells. In the study, the US-EPA identified 134 chemicals detected in hydraulic fracturing-produced water. Heavy metals such as Lead and Mercury, numerous VOCs, Benzene, Methanol, and Radioactive isotopes have been detected in drinking water contaminated by fracking. It is important to note that many chemicals and ingredients used by the fracking industry are trade secrets and kept confidential, which makes it difficult for agencies to identify and screen them.

Urban Pollution

Towns, cities, and urban areas have the potential to contaminate groundwater and surface water sources. Street runoffs are usually contaminated with heavy metals, oil, antifreeze, VOCs, plastics, chemicals, and other contaminants from automobiles and businesses. Sewage generated by homes, lawn fertilizers, pesticides, and septic tank runoffs can contaminate streams and groundwater. Improper disposal of hazardous chemicals down the drain or into nearby streams and lakes is also problematic. Many cities don't have proper garbage disposal programs, which can lead to a buildup of toxic waste, metals, chemicals, and plastics directly into streams and lakes or landfills. The runoff from these landfills will eventually leak into groundwater sources and contaminate drinking water supplies through the hydrologic cycle.

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, such as PFAS, better known as forever chemicals, have been used for decades in various industries for their repellent qualities and have now found their way into our drinking water systems. What is alarming about these fluorinated molecules is that they won't degrade naturally and have been linked to various Cancers. PFAS and other fluorinated molecules can also travel with rain and spread over larger areas over time.

Recent studies have revealed trace amounts of pharmaceuticals and drugs in drinking water supplies across North America. The drugs are flushed down the sewage through our biological effluent. The resulting sewage is treated at specific facilities. Still, due to limited filtering capabilities, the pharmaceuticals bypass these facilities, get introduced into freshwater supplies, and eventually end up in tap water. A Canadian study found record-breaking levels of three pharmaceuticals (the diabetic drug Metformin, the acid reflux drug Ranitidine, and the diuretic Hydrochlorothiazide) in river water in southwestern Ontario. Similar studies have found Pharmaceuticals in the Great Lakes and Minnesota rivers.

Municipal water pollution

Municipalities have a major role in monitoring and filtering public tap water. Municipalities must adhere to specific guidelines set by the EPA in the US or Health Canada in Canada for drinking water.  Although these guidelines are very specific and strict concerning certain known toxins such as Lead, they do not require testing for many contaminants and substances that have not been directly linked to serious adverse health effects. While that protects the public against immediate health problems due to drinking tap water, it is far from ideal in terms of quality drinking water. The standard for the guidelines is enforced as maximum contaminant level or MCLs. This standard varies depending on the type of contaminant and its adverse health effects and is rarely set at zero. Certain contaminants, such as aluminum, are deemed secondary concerns and permitted up to a certain amount but only limited by aesthetic reasons.

The main goal of municipalities is to prevent the transmission of water-borne pathogens such as Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Hepatitis A, Giardia intestinalis, and others. Municipalities use various techniques and compounds to treat the water to achieve this. The most common disinfection solutions are Chlorine and Chloramine. Chlorine has been proven very effective in preventing water-borne diseases for decades. It is added to water as gas or a solution and can remain effective in the pipes during transportation. Despite its effectiveness in killing water pathogens, Chlorine is a highly volatile gas that can readily react with other chemicals and organic compounds in the water to form new compounds known as disinfection by-products. Some of these by-products, such as trihalomethanes (THMs), are thought to cause cancer and pose other long-term health risks.

Chloramine combines Chlorine and Ammonia, a relatively new substitute for Chlorine in water treatment facilities. While Chlorine evaporates into the air relatively quickly, Chloramine is more stable and will last longer in the water, providing extra protection against pathogens. Although Chloramine is more stable, it can also form THMs in the water but at a lower concentration than Chlorine. Both Chlorine and Chloramine are irritants that can damage mucous membranes.

Water treatment facilities are not all the same in terms of filtering capacity and technology. An NRDC study of drinking water systems of 19 US cities has cited that out-of-date plumbing, pollution, and deteriorating infrastructure are responsible for the delivery of water that may pose health risks to some residents. Many municipalities rely on out-of-date treatment facilities and delivery systems that cannot remove Pesticides, Chemicals, and Heavy Metals from drinking water. Overwhelming demand and lack of funding are issues that many treatment facilities have to overcome, and the required changes can't be made promptly. Old lead pipes, accidental pipe damage, and general leaks can lead to water contamination that often goes unnoticed for years and can potentially compromise the health of unaware residents.

Water pollution is a multifaceted problem that is continuously aggravated by human activity. From an environmental perspective, water analysis can reveal many things about our environmental impact since everything eventually ends up in our water. Effective filtration and recycling are crucial due to our increasing demand for freshwater and a global decline in freshwater sources. A proper point-of-use water filtration system capable of filtering out a broad list of contaminants is the best method of ensuring access to pure, healthy water.