Science Unit 8 Lesson 2 Flashcards
(39 cards)
Cuyahoga River was called the River that oozes rather than flows. How did it get to that point?
For over a century, the Cuyahoga River was used by the city of Cleveland as a dumping ground for chemical and sewage wastes.
Due the ambulance of chemicals in the Cuyahoga River, what happened? When did they finally address the problem?
It was such a problem that the oil slicks on the river caught fire 13 times. However, when the river caught fire on June 22, 1969, the country finally took notice. This is because the cultural revolution of the 1960s and 1970s included a new awareness and appreciation of the environment.
What is the Clean Water Act (CWA)?
regulates discharges of pollutants into U.S. waters and regulates the quality standards for surface water
What is the Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA)?
a federal agency of the United States government that sets and enforces guidelines that protect the environment
How much sewage water does the US produce every day?
The United States produces roughly 34 billion gallons of sewage every day.
Where did wastewater go pior to the Clean Water Act?
Prior to the Clean Water Act (CWA), wastewater could be legally dumped into surface waters with little or no treatment. Industrial wastewater was also dumped directly into the nearest body of water. These practices led to situations like the Cuyahoga River fire.
What lead to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)?
In 1970, President Nixon signed the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Why was the clean water act created?
To regulate water pollution
What authority does the CWA give to the EPA?
It gave the EPA the authority to set standards for industrial wastewater. It made it illegal for anyone to discharge pollutants without a tightly controlled permit.
What did the CWA do to help with point-source pollution?
The CWA also funded the construction of sewage treatment plants to help reduce municipal point-source pollution.
What are some Environmental regulations costs?
The costs include businesses having to find a way to safely dispose of wastes, instead of simply discharging them into the water or ground. Because the CWA made point-source pollution illegal, the EPA can fine businesses that break the law.
What are benefits of having cleaner water?
- Municipalities save money on cleaning water for drinking when the water is less polluted.
- Tourism earnings increase when the water is clean enough to swim or fish in.
- Waterfront property usually has a higher value when the water is cleaner.
What do supports of the CWA agrue?
Supporters of the CWA argue that all water is connected in the water cycle. Therefore, wastes that are discharged into ditches or ponds will run into larger bodies of water over time.
What is a major benefit of the CWA?
Another major benefit of the CWA is that by the late 1990s, it provided more than $62 billion in grant money for municipalities to construct or expand their treatment works. In the late 1980s, the CWA was amended to include the State Revolving Fund, which has provided over $126 billion in loans to states. As the money is repaid, it returns to the fund where it can be loaned to fund additional projects.
How are waterways like pior to the CWA and now?
Prior to the CWA, only about one-third of U.S. waterways were safe for swimming and fishing; now nearly two-thirds of waterways qualify.
How is it going for wetlands?
While wetlands are still being lost, the rate has dropped from 500,000 acres per year to 60,000 acres per year.
How are the water systems now than in 1993?
Now, about 93% of water systems for U.S. communities meet all the health-based standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This is an increase of over 14% since 1993.
What is the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)?
act passed in 1974 that ensures drinking water is safe by requiring drinking water be monitored for microorganisms, disinfectants, disinfectant by-products, inorganic and organic chemicals, and radionuclides
What is the weakness of the CWA and the SDWA?
One of the weaknesses of the CWA and SDWA is that, while point-sources of pollution have become much more strictly regulated, not enough has been done to address nonpoint-source pollution such as city and farm runoff.
What kind of area produce a lot of runoff?
Areas that are heavily populated, used for livestock, or where pesticides and fertilizers are applied all produce a great deal of runoff pollution that ends up in rivers, lakes, and oceans.
What is the definition of nonpoint-source pollution?
pollution that does not come from a single, identifiable point
What is the definition of runoff?
precipitation or irrigation water that reaches streams, rivers, lakes, or the ocean, often carrying pollutants
While it’s true that most municipalities in the U.S. now treat their sewage wastewater, overflows do still happen resulting in raw sewage being leaked or dumped into waterways. Why does that happen?
This is largely due to how sewers developed through history. Initially, before flush toilets and running water, sewers were only designed to handle stormwater to reduce flooding in streets. As plumbing was installed in housing, sewage drained into existing stormwater sewers
Up until the 1970s, in many places the combination of stormwater and household sewage was simply dumped into a local body of water. How is it like now?
Now, however, nearly all combined sewage wastewater is sent to the local publicly owned treatment works (POTW) where sewage sludge is separated out. The wastewater is then cleaned before being reintroduced to local waterways. However, because populations have grown dramatically, the combined sewer systems must now handle far more wastewater than they were designed for. During heavy rains, this leads to overflows.
