Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
TAble 10.3
Water Quality Problem
s and Pollution Sources
Source
Common Associated Chemical Pollutants
Cropland
Turbidity, phosphorus, nitrates, temperature, total solids
Forestry harvest
Turbidity, temperature, total solids
Grazing land
Fecal bacteria, turbidity, phosphorus
Industrial discharge
Temperature, conductivity, total solids, toxics, pH
Mining
pH, alkalinity, total dissolved solids
Septic systems
Fecal bacteria (e.g.,
Escherichia coli
,
Enterococcus
), nitrates,
phosphorus, dissolved oxygen and biochemical oxygen
demand, conductivity, temperature
Sewage treatment plants
Dissolved oxygen and biochemical oxygen demand,
turbidity, conductivity, phosphorus, nitrates, fecal
bacteria, temperature, total solids, pH
Construction
Turbidity, temperature, dissolved oxygen and biochemical
oxygen demand, total solids, toxics
Urban runoff
Turbidity, phosphorus, nitrates, temperature, conductivity,
dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand
Note:
When monitoring water supplies under the Safe Drinking Water
Act (SDWA) or the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES), utilities must follow test procedures approved by the USEPA for
these purposes. Additional testing requirements under these and other
federal programs are published as amendments in the
Federal Register
.
Except when monitoring discharges for specific compliance purposes, a
large number of approximate measurements can provide more useful infor-
mation than one or two accurate analyses. Because water quality and chem-
istry continually change, making periodic, repetitive measurements and
observations that indicate the range of water quality is necessary, rather than
testing the quality at any single moment. The more complex a water sys-
tem, the more time is required to observe, understand, and draw conclusions
regarding the cause and effect of changes in the particular system.
General Preparation and Sampling Considerations
The sections that follow detail specific and equipment considerations and
analytical procedures for each of the most common water quality param-
eters; however, two general tasks should be accomplished any time water
samples are taken. We discuss them below.
