Transcript Water Notes Part III

Water
Chapter 5
Part III
I. Cleaning Up Water Pollution
1. The 1972 Clean Water Act was passed to “restore
and maintain the chemical, physical, and
biological integrity of the nation’s waters.”
a. the goal: make waters clean enough for
fishing and swimming
b. many states have passed stricter water
quality standards since then.
2. Other legislation has also been passed: (list) *pg 138*
a. Marine Protection Research & Sanctuaries Act
b. Safe Drinking Water Act (1975)
c. Comprehensive Environmental Response
Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)
3. Despite these, nonpoint pollution continues to be a
problem.
J. The Special Problem of Groundwater Pollution
1. Many things contribute to groundwater
pollution:
a. pesticides
b. chemical fertilizers
c. agricultural chemicals
d. leaky chemical storage tanks
e. industrial wastewater lagoons
2. It is hard to decontaminate aquifers because
the water is among sand and rocks
3. Groundwater recharges so slowly that even
if pollution was stopped today, it would
still be polluted generations from now.
K. Bottled Water
1. Much bottled water is filtered and
treated TAP WATER
2. Bottled water plants are regulated
by the government
3. It is not tested for pollutants as
often as the public water supply
III. Ocean Pollution
A. How Pollution Gets Into Oceans
1. At least 85% of ocean pollution comes
from land.
a. rivers carry polluted water to the
ocean
b. pollution comes from coasts where
much o f the world’s population lives
2. Pollutants are dumped directly into
oceans
a. sludge from wastewater treatment
plants
b. wastewater and garbage from ships
3. Accidental oil spills pollute the ocean
a. major accidents make headlines
(Exxon Valdez, Prince William Sound – 1989)
b. responsible for about 5% of oil in oceans
c. much of the oil pollution is from:
i. small tanker leaks
ii. spillage when tankers load and unload
iii. leaks from offshore oil rigs…
4. Plastic is a major ocean pollutant.
a. does not break down easily
b. marine animals get tangled in fishing line
c. turtles suffocate from eating plastic bags that
look like jellyfish
d. six-pack rings strangle sea birds and kill fish
B. Preventing Ocean Pollution
1. Laws regulate or prohibit ocean pollution.
a. MARPOL = International Convention
for the Prevention of Pollution from
Ships) prohibits discharge of oil and the
disposal of plastics
b. Helsinki Convention (1974) tried to
control land-based sources of pollution
Ex: toxic dumping, runoff, raw
wastewater
2. Nations have created marine refuges to
protect endangered species
3. U.S. has laws to protect oceans:
a. Marine Mammals Protection Act - prohibits
actions that would harm endangered mammals.
b. Oil Pollution Act - requires all oil tankers coming to
the U.S. to have double hulls to protect against oil
spills.
4. Part of the problem is that no one “OWNS” the oceans.
a. past laws permitted nation to control waters 3
miles off shore
b. Law of the Sea Treaty: (U.S. did not sign)
i. nations control territorial seas = 22 km out
from shore (~15miles)
ii. also control exclusive economic zone= 370
km out (~247 miles)
iii. the rest is controlled by the International
Sea Bed Treaty