Water Done Right … at the Source McGuire, Michael J.
Journal - American Water Works Association,
September 2014, 2014-09-00, Volume:
106, Issue:
9
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
If we do a proper job with source protection, we not only save a lot of money on treatment but we also enhance public health protection and sustainability. Everyone who has worked in the water supply ...field knows that protecting the source pays huge dividends. One dollar spent preventing a contamination problem saves hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars on cleaning up the problem. This month, six feature articles deal with the source water and supply topic.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The crux of groundwater protection lies in a profound understanding of the sources of pollutants and their impacts on human health. This study selected 47 groundwater samples from the Fengshui mining ...area in central Shandong Province, China, employing advanced hydrogeochemical techniques, positive matrix factorization (PMF), and Monte Carlo analysis methods, aimed at unveiling the characteristics, origins, and health risks of water pollutants. The results indicated that the majority of samples exhibited a slightly alkaline nature. Notably, the concentrations of fluoride (F
−
) and nitrate (NO
3
−
) exceeded China’s safety standards in 40.43% and 23.40% of the samples, respectively. Moreover, a water quality index (WQI) below 50 was observed in approximately 68.09% of the sites, suggesting that the water quality in these areas generally met acceptable levels. However, regions with higher WQI values were predominantly located in the northern and southern parts of the mining area. PMF analysis revealed that regional geological and industrial activities were the primary factors affecting water quality, followed by mining discharges, fundamental geological and agricultural processes, and leachate enrichment activities. The health risk assessment highlighted the heightened sensitivity of the youth demographic to fluoride, with a more pronounced non-carcinogenic risk compared to nitrate, affecting about 31.89% of the youth population. Hence, it is imperative for local authorities and relevant departments to take prompt actions to remediate groundwater contamination to minimize public health risks.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The concept of aquifer vulnerability is certainly useful in the field of groundwater protection. Nevertheless, within the scientific community, the definition of vulnerability is still under debate ...and lacks standardisation. As a consequence, the methods for evaluating the vulnerability degree are numerous and often lead to conflicting results. Thus, in this study, three methods that are commonly used in groundwater vulnerability assessments due to their easy application (namely DRASTIC, GOD and TOT) were utilised in four areas of the Piedmont region (NW Italy). The results obtained by the different methods were compared and correlated with the nitrate concentrations in the groundwater. The aims of the study were (i) to evaluate the effectiveness of the adopted methods and their comparability, (ii) to discuss the limits of the intrinsic vulnerability methods and (iii) to verify the applicability of nitrate as a tracer in the assessment of groundwater vulnerability or explain the reasons why it is not applicable. It was observed that the three intrinsic vulnerability methods are not able to uniquely identify the most or least vulnerable areas. Additionally, the comparison of the intrinsic vulnerability indexes only occasionally showed a reasonable correlation. Furthermore, there was no clear correlation between the vulnerability indexes and nitrate concentrations in the groundwater. These results could be explained by several reasons: (1) the methods are mostly based on the level of groundwater protection provided by the overlaying lithologies and do not consider the physical processes occurring in the aquifer; (2) the intrinsic vulnerability methods only consider vertical pathways for contaminants, but a pre-existing contaminant could be present in the aquifer; (3) groundwater nitrate concentrations are affected by the nitrate input and surplus; and (4) nitrates are subject to physical and biological attenuation in aquifers and cannot necessarily be considered stable tracers in the assessment of groundwater vulnerability.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
An intrinsic vulnerability map for a groundwater protection area for Datong City in China was developed using DRASTIC method which had been adapted to deal with the limited availability of data in ...the region. The compiled vulnerability map was then validated using two sets of Nemerow pollution indices which both integrated eight pollution parameters in the groundwater (pH, chloride, sulfate, nitrate, nitrite, total dissolved solid, total hardness and chemical oxygen demand) but were calculated by different approaches to provide integrated water quality assessments rather than specific pollution assessments like nitrate. The intrinsic groundwater vulnerability is divided into four classes due to the DRASTIC index values which lie in the range of (4, 8) in this study: “low”, “moderate”, “high” and “very high”. The validation process showed that the DRASTIC index values have a close correspondence with both sets of Nemerow pollution indices in the study area. The approaches used in this study for obtaining net recharge and vadose zone media data and values of hydraulic conductivity of aquifer sediments could be utilized elsewhere in China where there is a limited availability of data, as could the process of validating vulnerability maps using Nemerow pollution indices.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
•The effects of climate change on river flows and dispersion of CSO discharges were studied.•E. coli based drinking water treatment classes were not sensitive to changes in river flows.•Increasing ...CSO loads have a greater impact on drinking water classes than river flow.
Discharges of combined sewer system overflows (CSOs) affect water quality in drinking water sources despite increasing regulation and discharge restrictions. A hydrodynamic model was applied to simulate the transport and dispersion of fecal contaminants from CSO discharges and to quantify the impacts of climate and population changes on the water quality of the river used as a drinking water source in Québec, Canada. The dispersion model was used to quantify Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentrations at drinking water intakes. Extreme flows during high and low water events were based on a frequency analysis in current and future climate scenarios. The increase of the number of discharges was quantified in current and future climate scenarios with regards to the frequency of overflows observed between 2009 and 2012. For future climate scenarios, effects of an increase of population were estimated according to current population growth statistics, independently of local changes in precipitation that are more difficult to predict than changes to regional scale hydrology. Under “business-as-usual” scenarios restricting increases in CSO discharge frequency, mean E. coli concentrations at downstream drinking water intakes are expected to increase by up to 87% depending on the future climate scenario and could lead to changes in drinking water treatment requirements for the worst case scenarios. The greatest uncertainties are related to future local discharge loads. Climate change adaptation with regards to drinking water quality must focus on characterizing the impacts of global change at a local scale. Source water protection planning must consider the impacts of climate and population change to avoid further degradation of water quality.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
This study utilized the DRASTIC approach combined with GIS technology to assess groundwater vulnerability and contamination risks in a research area. The DRASTIC simulation generated a risk ...assessment map, categorizing locations based on vulnerability levels. The analysis revealed varying vulnerability levels, with areas of significant industrial activity and high population density exhibiting elevated nitrate levels in nearby wells. The model’s outcomes were validated against field measurements of nitrate concentrations, demonstrating a high degree of consistency. The R-index technique was employed to assess sensitivity to nitrate contamination, identifying areas at greater risk. The study highlights the importance of considering hydrogeological characteristics and agricultural practices for groundwater protection and management. Overall, the DRASTIC approach proves valuable in assessing groundwater risks and informs decision-making for sustainable resource management.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Objective Karstic spring water is an important source of water supply for the karst areas of northern China. To rationally evaluate and scientifically exploit karstic water resources, it is important ...to identify the recharge, runoff and discharge conditions of spring water and to clearly depict the boundary of the spring area. Methods Targeting the issues of ambiguous border and unknown replenishment situations of the Gudui-Nanliang spring groups, this paper investigated and analysed the karst hydrogeological conditions of the spring area and the distribution characteristics of δD, δ18O and 87Sr/86Sr isotopes in the karstic water. The water-rock interactions and the hydraulic connection along the recharge-runoff path of karstic water were systematically examined by using isotope technique. Results The results show relatively large range of δ18O values in the karstic water. This is mainly attributed to the impacts of altitude effect, isotopic shift of oxygen in hot water, evaporation-induced enrichment and mix
