Different kinds of water pollution include: – Chemical and industrial processes. –
Pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides. – Sewage – e.coli, and other organisms.
Let’s Talk About Pollution . . . Water Landfills and Dumps and more
Water Pollution (all these facts come from the website Grinning Planet at http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/07-26/water-pollution-factsarticle.htm)
What are the water sources that we are concerned about in Gary? We get our drinking water from Lake Michigan Well water comes from groundwater
All Gary residents drink city water which comes from Lake Michigan. Our health is affected by water quality in many ways besides drinking water: Swimming Bathing Fishing Water sports and recreation
What is Water Pollution?
Water pollution is the contamination of any body of water by any toxic substance in a toxic amount that affects the biological or chemical integrity of the water, or causes harm to plants, animals, or humans who come in contact with it.
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Different kinds of water pollution include: – – – – – – – – – – – –
Chemical and industrial processes Pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides Sewage – e.coli, and other organisms Oil, gasoline and additives Personal Care Products, Household Cleaning Products, and Pharmaceuticals Carbon dioxide Plastic Medical waste Sediment Air pollution Noise Heat
The EPA divides water pollution into two categories depending on its origin: – POINT source pollution comes from harmful substances being discharged directly into the water from a stationary source such as industrial discharge pipes, sewage treatment plants, and ships. – NON-POINT source pollution is the indirect delivery of harmful substances into the water body through ways such as road and parking lot runoff of salt and deicers, agricultural runoff such as fertilizers and animal waste, air deposition, and mining activities.
How Does Water Pollution Affect Us? from the website, GRINNING PLANET*
Untreated sewage, poorly treated sewage, or overflow from under-capacity sewage treatment facilities can send diseasebearing water into lakes, rivers and oceans. In the US, 850 billion gallons of raw sewage are sent into US rivers, lakes, and bays every year by leaking sewer systems and inadequate combined sewer/storm systems that overflow during heavy rains. Leaking septic tanks and other sources of sewage can cause groundwater and stream contamination.
Beaches also suffer the effects of water pollution from sewage. The chart shows the typical reasons that about 25% of the beaches in the US are put under water pollution advisories or are closed each year. It's clear that sewage is part of the problem, even in what is supposedly the most advanced country in the world.
*http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/09-06/water-pollution-causesarticle.htm
Sources of pollution that resulted in beach advisories and closings (Source: U.S. EPA and Grinning Planet)
Combined Sewage Overflows in Gary According to the Gary Sanitary District, combined sewage overflows in 2007 equalled 236 million gallons, which was a reduction from 3.8 billion gallons. http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS1 67298+27-May-2008+BW20080527
How does this affect us? The main concern about sewage in water is the risk of infectious diseases. This is why beaches are closed when there are high readings of an organism called E.coli, for example, which can cause illness, especially in vulnerable populations.
Other kinds of water pollution The main ways humans are exposed to water pollutants is through drinking and bathing, eating fish or shellfish which are from polluted waters, swimming and other water contact sports. Also, as we have seen recently, water pollution in flood waters can also pose a risk to human health.
People who use city water, which has to meet Federal drinking water standards, are at very low risk of exposure to almost all types of water pollution through drinking and bathing. Individuals who live in areas with contaminated ground water and use wells should have their wells tested frequently.
In summary . . . Federal laws address water pollution. Industries receive permits that limit the amount of pollution they can discharge into rivers and lakes. Citizens can submit input into these permitting decisions but they are rarely decided on the local level.
Several organizations, such as the Save the Dunes Council, are active in water quality issues in Northwest Indiana and welcome citizen support. Recently, citizens protested the granting of the water permit for the BP Refinery because of concerns that contamination of Lake Michigan would be increased. Administrative and legal actions are one form of environmental action.
There is little evidence that the water pollution in Lake Michigan of the Grand Calumet River or the Little Calumet is a major environmental health risk to the people of Gary under normal circumstances BUT there are growing concerns nationally about the increasing level of pharmaceuticals and hormones in our water supply
Questions to Think About… Is it possible to deal with water pollution on the community level? Should water pollution be a priority for community action? Are there other water issues you want to hear about?
Landfills and Dumps How do landfills and dumps affect the environment? Leaching
chemicals into groundwater Fugitive dust Volitalization (evaporation) of chemicals into the air
How do they affect human health? Some studies have suggested that people living closer to active hazardous waste landfills may have higher levels of birth defects and cancer – Why? If chemicals from the landfill or dump affect the water people drink it may put them at higher risk for disease.
If chemicals from the landfill volitalize into the air where they can be breathed, or attach themselves to dust which blows into the community, people can be exposed to those chemicals through breathing and children can be exposed by playing in the dirt. The most dangerous landfills in the U.S. are often classified as Superfund Sites.
These sites go onto a National Priority List for remediation, or clean up. The Gary area has had several dumps and landfills which have become Superfund sites HOWEVER these have all been remediated which means the toxic chemicals have been removed and the sites covered with vegetation.
Once a Superfund site has been remediated, the risk from these sites is considered “acceptable” which means low enough to protect the community’s health. This is because most of the chemicals have either been cleaned up and removed, and/or any means of exposure to them by the community has been blocked or eliminated.
Non-hazardous waste dumpsites, though unsightly, may not present an immediate risk to the health of the community from chemical contamination, but may have other safety issues related to access, dust, and infestation by rodents. They may also contain hazardous substances from old cars, appliances, electronics.
Landfills and dumpsites in Gary fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. EPA, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, or the Gary Department of Environmental Affairs. ALL hazardous waste landfills require a permit to operate .
Other Contaminated Materials Storage Facilities The U.S. Steel CAMU (Corrective Action Management Unit) dredgings from the Grand Calumet River and hazardous waste from USS The East Chicago Contained Disposal Facility dredgings from the Indiana Harbor Ship Canal and other?
Junk Yards Garbage Transfer Stations Waste incinerators/recyclers Junk yards may leach oils and fluids into the ground; tire fires Garbage transfer stations transfer garbage to landfills Waste incinerators (also an air issue) and recyclers require permits if waste is stored on site.
Buildings: Abandoned and Occupied
Lead Asbestos Pesticides and insecticides Abandoned: Old transformers? Capacitors? Abandoned: Structural damage and structural integrity?
What’s in Your Neighborhood?
Auto body shops? – paint, fumes, solvents, noise, hazardous waste, other?
Nail salons? – solvents, fumes, hazardous waste, other?
Dry cleaners? – solvents, fumes
Truck stops?
Next Time . . . Pesticides Indoor chemical exposures
– plastics – flame retardants – others? What
else do you have questions about?
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