Statistical Assessment of Violations of Water Quality Standards under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act

2001 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 606-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric P. Smith ◽  
Keying Ye ◽  
Chris Hughes ◽  
Leonard Shabman

<i>Abstract</i>.—A 37-year series of standardized fish assessments in the Scioto River (Ohio, USA) since 1979 coupled with historical information documents a near complete recovery from heavily polluted conditions in the late 19th and early to mid-20th centuries. Nearly 100 fish species were extirpated downstream from the city of Columbus (Ohio, USA) by sewage and industrial pollution. The 1972 amendments to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act) mandated the control of sewage and industrial pollution. Reductions in loadings of untreated or poorly treated sewage were incremental. Full recovery to near-prepollution composition and abundance took more than two decades after advanced wastewater treatment was achieved. Unpolluted tributaries served as recolonization sources for populations of extirpated species. These positive changes extended across all fish assemblage members as evidenced by increased values of the Ohio index of biotic integrity; modified index of well-being; native species richness, density, and biomass; and the reduced incidence of external anomalies on fish. These restoration successes and their documentation were facilitated by the Clean Water Act that set forth the goals for water quality standards and treatment technology for reducing water pollution and conducting baseline and follow-up monitoring. An important lesson learned was that serious doubts that existed in the 1970s about the feasibility of advanced wastewater treatment technology and the attainability of water quality standards in an effluent dominated river were completely erased by the demonstrated improvements in the fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Scioto River. The extent of improvements in recreational opportunities have tracked that of the biota by an increased use for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and related forms of recreation. However, maintaining these improvements will require continuation of high levels of wastewater treatment and water quality standards. A growing human population that is forecast to increase by one-half million persons by 2050 makes maintaining the currently high levels of biological integrity a continuing challenge. Given the lessons learned with the mosaic of stressors in the Scioto River over the past 150 years, we believe this challenge can be met successfully.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 113
Author(s):  
Siti Jamilatun ◽  
Ilham Mufandi

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji efektivitas arang aktif dari tempurung kelapa untuk pemurnian air di Laboratorium Proses Teknik Kimia, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Yogyakarta. Penelitian terdiri dari tiga tahapan: Tahapan pertama, menganalisis kandungan air Laboratorium Teknik Kimia UAD, Tahapan kedua, pengujian efektivitas arang aktif untuk penjernihan air dengan dua (2) cara: (1) filter kolom arang aktif dan (2) pencampuran arang aktif dan air sampel, kemudian dilakukan pengadukan. Tahapan ketiga, menganalisa hasil pemurnian air seperti analisis pH, kadar logam, kesadahan (hardness), kadar sulfat (SO4), kadar fluoride, dan mineral. Parameter pemurnian air merujuk pada Clean Water Quality Standards Kementrian Kesehatan. Hasil penelitian yang diperoleh menunjukkan bahwa pemurnian air menggunakan metode kolom filter dapat mengurangi kesadahan kalsium karbonat (CaCO3) hingga 15,33%, kadar asam sulfat (SO4) hingga 98,21%, kadar Flourida (F) hingga 93,35% pada ketebalan kolom arang aktif 15 cm. Sedangkan pemurnian air dengan pencampuran arang aktif dan pengadukan selama 30 menit dengan kecepatan 1000 rpm dapat mengurangi tingkat kekesadahan CaCO3 hingga 26,81%, kadar asam sulfat (SO4) hingga 98,23%, dan fluorida (F) hingga 93,35%. Pemurnian air melalui pencampuran arang aktif dan air dengan pengadukan lebih baik daripada penggunaan kolom arang aktif, karena klorida, bahan organik, nitrit, nitrat, Fe, Mn, CN- tidak ditemukan dalam air setelah pemurnian.This study aims to examine the effectiveness of activated charcoal from coconut shells for water purification at the Chemical Engineering Process Laboratory, Ahmad Dahlan University, Yogyakarta. The first stage, analyzing the water content of the UAD Chemical Engineering Laboratory, Second, testing the effectiveness of activated charcoal for water purification in two (2) ways: (1) activated charcoal column filter and (2 ) mixing the activated charcoal and water samples, then stirring. The third, analyzing the results of water purification such as analysis of pH, metal content, hardness (hardness), sulfate levels (SO4), fluoride levels, and minerals. Water purification parameters refer to the Ministry of Health's Clean Water Quality Standards. The results optimum obtained using the column filter in thickness activated charcoal column 15 cm could reduce hardness (CaCO3) by 15.33%, sulfuric acid (SO4) levels up to 98.21%, Fluoride (F) levels up to 93.35%. While by mixing activated charcoal (15 gram) and water (500 ml) with stirring for 30 minutes at a speed of 1000 rpm could reduce hardness levels by 26.81%, sulfuric acid (SO4) levels up to 98.23%, and fluoride (F) up to 93.35%. Purification of water through the mixing of activated charcoal and water with stirring is better than using an activated charcoal column because it is better than the chloride, organic matter, nitrite, nitrate, Fe, Mn, CN- are not found in the water after purification.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1878
Author(s):  
Alan R. Hunt ◽  
Meiyin Wu ◽  
Tsung-Ta David Hsu ◽  
Nancy Roberts-Lawler ◽  
Jessica Miller ◽  
...  

The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act protects less than ¼ of a percent of the United States’ river miles, focusing on free-flowing rivers of good water quality with outstandingly remarkable values for recreation, scenery, and other unique river attributes. It predates the enactment of the Clean Water Act, yet includes a clear anti-degradation principle, that pollution should be reduced and eliminated on designated rivers, in cooperation with the federal Environmental Protection Agency and state pollution control agencies. However, the federal Clean Water Act lacks a clear management framework for implementing restoration activities to reduce non-point source pollution, of which bacterial contamination impacts nearly 40% of the Wild and Scenic Rivers. A case study of the Musconetcong River, in rural mountainous New Jersey, indicates that the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act can be utilized to mobilize and align non-governmental, governmental, philanthropic, and private land-owner resources for restoring river water quality. For example, coordinated restoration efforts on one tributary reduced bacterial contamination by 95%, surpassing the TMDL goal of a 93% reduction. Stakeholder interviews and focus groups indicated widespread knowledge and motivation to improve water quality, but resource constraints limited the scale and scope of restoration efforts. The authors postulate that the Partnership framework, enabled in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, facilitated neo-endogenous rural development through improving water quality for recreational usage, whereby bottom-up restoration activities were catalyzed via federal designation and resource provision. However, further efforts to address water quality via voluntary participatory frameworks were ultimately limited by the public sector’s inadequate funding and inaction with regard to water and wildlife resources in the public trust.


2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 898-904
Author(s):  
D. Ilangeswaran ◽  
R. Kumar ◽  
D. Kannan

Various samples of groundwater were collected from different areas of Kandarvakottai and Karambakudi of Pudukkottai District, Tamilnadu and analyzed for their physicochemical characteristics. The results of this analysis were compared with the water quality standards of ISI, WHO and CPHEEO. In this analysis the various physicochemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, total dissolved solids, Cl-, F-, SO42-, PO43-, NO3-, NO2-, CN-, Nas+, K+, NH3, Mn, Fe, Ca & Mg hardnessetc., were determined using standard procedures. The quality of groundwater samples were discussed with respect to these parameters and thus an attempt were made to ascertain the quality of groundwater used for drinking and cooking purposes in and around Kandarvakottai and Karambakudi areas.


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