Water Quality
Stuart Wheeler and Louis Morales
The Problem
We need to find a way to keep our own water consistently clean. Not only because it sounds right, but it is a neccesity in our everyday lives. If we want to find an effective way of cleaning the unsanitary water in our community, we have to start with our city first.
Coppell, Texas
The water quality in Coppell is not a huge problem. The EPA has rated Coppell's water quality 88 out of 100. In Texas, it can get hot and dry, but recent flooding has been an issue. When floods happen, the urban run-off around the city collects into the water supply. This makes the water extra dirty and harder to clean. As a nation, the EPA has rated the U. S. 55 out of 100.
National Water Quality Problems
- Contaminated water
Nearly a billion people use and consume unhealthy water on an average day. This unhealthy water can carry viruses or diseases such as cholera, dysentery, polio, or typhoid
(Goings, David. "Water conservation." The Gale Encyclopedia of Science. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. 5th ed. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2014. Science in Context. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.)
- Acid Rain
This affects our lakes and precipitation that are contaminated from the acid rain; “Acid rain occurs when sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), released from fossil fuel burning and industrial processes, react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form various acidic compounds.”
("Acid Rain." Encyclopedia of Environment and Society. Ed. Paul Robbins. Vol. 1. Los Angeles: Sage Publications Inc., 2007. 2-4. Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.)
- Rain Water
When water from rain and melting snow runs off into our rivers and roads, it picks up toxic chemicals, dirt, trash and disease-carrying organisms along the way.
Human Causes
Urban development: Our population has grown, so has the demand for housing, food and clothes. In Addition, more cities and towns are developed, they have resulted in increase use of fertilizers in construction activities, inadequate sewer collection and treatment, landfills as more garbage is produced, increase in chemicals from industries to produce more materials.
Animal waste: The waste produce produce by animals is washed away into the rivers when it rains. It gets mixed up with other harmful chemicals and causes various waterborne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, jaundice, dysentery and typhoid.
Burning of fossil fuels: Fossil Fuels like coal and oil when burnt produce substantial amount of ash in the atmosphere. The particles which contain toxic chemicals when mixed with water vapor result in acid rain. Also, carbon dioxide is released from burning of fossil fuels which result in global warming.
Chemical fertilizers and pesticides: Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used by farmers to protect crops from insects and bacterias. They are useful for the plants growth. However, when these chemicals are mixed up with water produce harmful for plants and animals.
"Sources and Causes of Water Pollution - Conserve Energy Future." ConserveEnergyFuture. 15 Apr. 2013. Web. 7 Jan. 2016.
Backflow Prevention (Diagram)
Back Flow Prevention Pipes
CottonWood Creek
WATER BACKFLOW PREVENTION
The purpose of a backflow prevention device is to keep unsafe drinking water from mixing with the potable water supply. A backflow prevention device is to be installed on:
all residential irrigation systems;
fire sprinkler systems;
commercial facilities where chemicals are used
boiler systems
other systems where drinking water could become contaminated.
Backflow Prevention helps the City of Coppell ensure a safe drinking water supply for its residents.
A way we could gather our community to take a stand on this issue is create a local organization that is contributing to help the cause. More aquifers and friendly water purifiers are also ways we can contribute when we are not around.
What are possible solutions?
1. What can I do?
Research Solutions or inventions to provide better quality water.
2. What can my family do?
Promote your organization and support the cause.
A single family can save water and prevent it from contaminated, if we
don’t use much water in washing our cars, using regular toilets that wastes
alot of water, not take long showers, and more.
3. What can the community do?
Help out the cause and help with the Backflow Prevention Plan.
4. What can the global community do?
We can turn it from a local to country wide plan, and help out more than just
our community.
In Conclusion...
We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.
- Jacques Cousteau
Citations
http://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/styles/large/public/2015-09/wc_l2_office_water_uses.jpg
http://www.coppelltx.gov/government/departments/utility-billing
http://en.calameo.com/read/0031146349397112bea48
http://www3.epa.gov/watersense/our_water/water_use_today.html