Sources of water pollution

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1 Water pollution Reu.notebook J Sources of water pollution A pollutant is any substance or form of energy that can cause harm to the environment and make it unfit for use by organisms. 1

2 Water pollution Reu.notebook Point source pollutants are from a single identifiable source (you can "point" to the "source"). It's easier to control or eliminate. Ex. oil spilling from a supertanker, waste products from factories, sewage systems, power plants, or oil wells We often think about point source pollutants as being more a direct source of pollution. Non point source pollutants are from many places or a source that's not easy to identify, so it's harder to get rid of. It can happen when rain or snow moves through the ground and picks up pollutants as it moves towards a major body of water Ex. run off of fertilizers from fields & lawns, storm water drainage from lawns, streets, or parking lots, or acid rain from air pollution. Non point source pollutants often are considered more of an indirect source of pollution. 2

3 The largest source of water pollution in NC is runoff from paved areas and roads. Runoff can carry oil, gasoline, pesticides, fertilizers, sand & sediment into water systems. Drag the words to the correct place in the sentence. Sources of pollution include waste from gardens, lots, sites, landfill areas, logging areas, tanks and farmlands that is pumped into ponds, lakes, rivers and oceans. septic parking construction Pull tab for answers 3

4 What is the lady doing that is threatening our environment? Click on the best answer choice. Pull for More Fertilizer, weed killer and A: Raking Soil pesticides from our gardens wash into storm drains and B: Spreading fertilizer streams when it rains. These C: Risking chemicals our bird introduce life toxins and nitrates into the water, which D: Growing then pollute plantsour drinking water. They also encourage massive algae growth that uses up the oxygen in water, thereby killing fish and animals as well as creating a terrible smell. What should this man be doing? Large farms produce lots of animal waste, which enters surface streams and finally ends Picking up up in after our his drinking pet to help water. This save our waste environment contaminates our drinking water with dangerous germs that can cause diseases like dysentery, hepatitis and parasitic infections. Pull for More 4

5 Oil and grease from cars, sand, gravel, salt and other chemicals build up on the ground, in parking lots and on our streets. When it rains, very little water penetrates into the tarmac and concrete so these pollutants are washed into the stormwater drains that carry unfiltered waste into our rivers and drinking water. Click on the threat to our environment Car fluids that get washed down stormwater drains, filter into nearby ponds and lakes, posing a threat to our drinking water. Dumping of garbage at community landfills can pollute surface water and ground water. Choose 3 pollutants. 5

6 The careless dumping of waste harms our ground water supplies. Scientists are worried that drinking even small amounts of these chemicals over a long time could affect us. That is why it is so important for all of us to learn how to prevent such pollution. The people below are doing many things that can damage the environment. Click on 5 things endangering our environment. Sprinkler systems carry waste materials, from the grass and other surfaces, into our ground water supplies. Applying fertilizer Littering causes pollution and contaminates our water. Pouring oil directly down the drain. Oil from leaking cars pollutes our drinking water. 6