Identify major water pollutants, their sources, and their effects on the environment, the economy, and human health.
Identification might include
- sources
- industrial waste
- marine dumping
- sewage and wastewater
- oil leaks and spills
- agriculture
- global warming
- radioactive waste
- leachates—contaminate ground water
- sediments—runoff from the land
- nutrients—promote algal growth and depletes oxygen
- toxins—runoff from land
- pathogens (e.g., Escherichia coli, Legionellosis, Pfiesteria, Cryptosporidium parvum, Salmonella, Listeria, Toxoplasma)
- organisms moving through the ecosystem.
Process/Skill Questions:
- What management practices reduce sediment runoff?
- Why is the agricultural industry often blamed for nutrient pollution?
- Who are the major contributors to nutrient and toxin pollutants?
- What is fracking? How does it affect drinking water and irrigation for crops?
- How does water pollution disrupt entire ecosystems?
- How can picking up after your pets and maintaining your car contribute to reducing water pollution?
Teacher Resource:
Waterborne Disease in the United States Links to an external site., United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention