18.1 Water Pollutants

The principal source of infectious waste material in water is

• industrial waste.

• surface runoff.

• human feces.

• agricultural pesticides.

Examples of point sources of water pollution include

• runoff from farm fields.

• a sewage outfall from a city sewer plant.

• runoff from parking lots.

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The Cyahoga river is notable because

• it is polluted with selenium which led to the death of millions of birds.

• it is routinely flooded with untreated sewage from the city of Cleveland.

• it caught fire.

• it is an Endangered Species Act success story.

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_________ sources of water pollution are relatively easy to monitor and regulate, while _____________ sources of water pollution are difficult to monitor and clean up.

• Domestic; industrial

• Primary; tertiary pollutant

• Point; nonpoint

• Nonpoint; point

The discharge from a nonpoint source of pollution is

• Usually constant throughout the year

• Generally easier to regulate than a point source

• Usually less polluting than a point source

• Highly seasonal in quantity

____________ is to a point source of water pollution as _____________ is to a nonpoint source of water pollution.

• Golf course runoff; atmospheric deposition

• Power plant effluent; golf course runoff

• Atmospheric deposition; golf course runoff

• Power plant effluent; an underground coal mine drain

Factories, sewage treatment plants, and oil wells are __________ sources of water pollution.

• Point

• Primary

• Nonpoint

• Secondary

Atmospheric deposition of contaminants is an excellent example of

• The properties of water that allow it to disperse contaminants

• Nonpoint pollution

• A point source of pollution

• The relative ease in determining sources of contaminants

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Coliform bacteria populations are routinely monitored in drinking water supplies, swimming pools, and at beaches because these bacteria

• Are especially toxic to animals

• May mutate into severely pathogenic strains

• Usually live in pesticide-contaminated water

• Indicate the presence of feces in water

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When natural waters are overloaded with plant nutrients such as nitrate and phosphate ions, they become

• Oligotrophic

• Eutrophic

• Metatrophic

• Dystrophic

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