Lectur 2

Aquifers - body of porous rock or sediment

saturated with groundwater

W A T E R E N V I R O N M E N T
HYDROLOGY
- Study of water
- Science that encompasses the occurrence,
distribution, movement, and properties of
the waters of the earth and their relationship
with the environment within each phase of
the hydrologic cycle
- Deals with the question of much water can Zone of Aquifers:
be expected at any particular time and + Unsaturated zone: water drains down
location through the soil and flows through the root
Surface Water Hydrology zone

- Focuses on the distribution of water on or | root zone | also called as vadose zone or
above the earth’s surface zone of aeration

- Encompasses all water in lakes, rivers, and + Saturated zone: water continues to migrate
streams on land and in air vertically down through the soil until it
reaches a level at which all of the openings or
- Describes the movement and conservation of
voids in the soil are filled with water called
water on earth
as phreatic zone
Processes:
| PHREATIC ZONE/ZONE OF SATURATION |
・ Evaporation: conversion of liquid water
- openings or voids in the soils are filled
from water bodies to water vapor
with water
・ Transpiration: water emitted from plants
- water in this zone is referred to as
・ Precipitation: water is released from the groundwater
atmosphere
Types of Aquifers:
・ Evapotranspiration: combined losses of
water due to evaporation and transpiration
・ Surface runoff
・ Overland flow
・ Direct runoff
・ Interflow: move laterally just below the
ground surface
・ Infiltration/Percolation: move vertically
through the soils to from groundwater
Groundwater Hydrology
- Deals with the distribution of water in the
earth’s subsurface, geological materials
(sand, rock, gravel)
| GROUNDWATER |
1. Unconfined Aquifer
- water that soaks into the soil from rain or other
- Process of infiltration and migration,
precipitation and moves downward to fill cracks
renewing the supply of groundwater, is
and other openings in beds of rocks and sand
referred to as recharge
- a renewable resource though it depends on the
- Water table/phreatic aquifer
environmental conditions
| WATER TABLE | is the upper surface of the zone of
saturation in aquifers that are confined by
Impermeable geologic material
 - The smaller void spaces in the geological - Can be reduced or eliminated through waste
material just above the water table may minimization and proper wastewater
contain water as a result of interactive forces management
between the water and the soil - Domestic sewage/industrial waste
Capillary action - process of drawing water above
its static level
NON-POINT SOURCES
Capillary fringe - zone in which capillary action
- Characterized by multiple discharge points
occurs
- Polluted water flows over the surface of the
2. Perched Aquifers
land or along natural drainage channels to
- Lens of water held above the surrounding the nearest water body
water table by an impervious geologic layer,
- Occur during rainstorms or spring snowmelt,
such as bedrock or clay
resulting in large flow rates that make
3. Confined Aquifers treatment even more difficult
- Aquifers bounded both above and below the - Urban and agricultural runoff
saturated zone by impermeable layers
Confining layers - impermeable layers
OXYGEN-DEMANDING MATERIAL
+ Aquicludes - essentially impermeable to
- When organic substances are broken down
water flow
in water, oxygen is consumed
+ Aquitards - less permeable than the
- Anything that can be oxidized in the
aquifer
receiving water resulting in the consumption
4. Artesian Aquifer of dissolved molecular oxygen
- Water in the aquifer is under pressure - Usually biodegradable organic matter but
- Artesian comes from the french province of also includes certain inorganic compounds
Artois (Artersium in Latin) where in the days
of the Romans, water flowed to the surface of
NUTRIENTS
the ground from the well
- Nitrogen and phosphorus are considered
- The water in a confined aquifer may be under
pollutants when they become too much of a
considerable pressure due to impermeable
good thing
nature of confining layers, which restrict flow
or due to elevation differences in the aquifer. - Sources:
The system is analogous to a manometer. + Phosphorus-based detergents
W A T E R P O L L U T I O N + Fertilizers
+ Food-processing wastes
+ Animal and human excrement

PATHOGENIC ORGANISMS
- Found in wastewater which includes
bacteria, viruses, and protozoa excreted by
diseased persons or animals

SUSPENDED SOLIDS
- Organic and inorganic particles that are
carried by wastewater into a receiving water
- Particles that settle at the bottom as
sediment which includes eroded soil
particles

POINT SOURCES
- Generally collected by a network of pipes or
channels and conveyed to a single point of
discharge into receiving water
SALTS
- All water contains some salt
- These salts are often measured by
evaporation on a filtered water sample
| TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS (TDS) | are salts and other
matter that don’t evaporate
PESTICIDES
- Chemicals used by farmers, households, or
industry to regulate and control various
types of pests and weeds (e.g. herbicides.
Insecticides, fungicides)
PHARMACEUTICALS AND PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS (PPCPs)
- Class of compounds that are applied
externally or ingested by humans, pets, other
domesticated animals
- Released to the environment through the
disposal of expired, unwanted or excess
medications to the sewage system
ENDOCRINE-DISRUPTING CHEMICALS (EDC)
- Class of chemicals that has received
significant interest from the scientific
community, regulatory agencies, and the
general public
- Includes polychlorinated biphenyls and
phthalates
- E.g. Bisphenol A (BPA) from plastic,
dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) from
pesticides, vinclozolin from fungicides,
diethylstilbestrol (DES) from pharmaceutical
agents
OTHER ORGANIC CHEMICALS
- Hydrocarbons from combustion processes
and oil and gasoline spills
- Solvents used in dry cleaning and metal
washing
ARSENIC
- Naturally occurring element in the
environment
- Occurrence in groundwater is largely the
result of minerals dissolving naturally from
weathered rocks and soils, mainly from iron
oxides or sulfide minerals
TOXIC METALS
- Heavy metals which enter through discharge
of industrial waste and wastewater
treatment plants, storm-water runoff, mining
operations, smokestack emissions and other
diffuse sources such as from vehicles
- E.g. cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel,
lead, mercury
HEAT
- Waters released by many processes such as
electric power industries are much warmer
than receiving waters
NANOPARTICLES
- Particles in a nanorange structure with
unique optical, magnetic, electrical, and
thermal properties
- Dimension: less than 100 nm
+ humic material (plant and animal
matter)
+ titania particles (painkilling creams)
+ fullerene composites (manufacture of
tires, tennis rackets, and video
screens)
+ fullerene cages (cosmetics)
+ protein-based nanomaterials (soaps,
shampoos, and detergents)
WATER QU ALITY MANAGEMENT
- Science of knowing how much waste is too
much for a particular water body; to know
how much waste can be
tolerated/assimilated by a water body
-> Water quality managers must know the
type of pollutants discharged and the manner in
which they affect water quality
-> To protect the intended use of a water body
while using water as an economic means of waste
disposal within the constraints of its assimilative
capacity

DRINKING WATER QUALITY

> Water that does not impart a taste or odor
and is pleasant to drink (palatable)
MIXING OR RAPID MIXING
> Free of chemicals, microorganisms, and
- Chemicals are quickly and uniformly
other contaminants and is safe to drink (potable)
dispersed in the water

HOW TO DESCRIBE DRINKING WATER

FLOCCULATION
PHYSICAL: appearance of water, color, turbidity,
- Precipitates must be brought into contact
temperature, taste, odor
with one another so they can form flocs
CHEMICAL: components and concentrations
- synonymous with agglomeration and
MICROBIOLOGICAL: free from pathogens coagulation/coalescence
(disease-producing organisms) such as viruses,
- Mixing technique that promotes
protozoa, bacteria, and helminths (worms)
agglomeration and assists in the settling of
RADIOLOGICAL: naturally occurring radioactive particles
species

HARDNESS
DRINKING WATER TREATMENT PROCESS
- Used to characterize a water that does not
lather well
- causes a scum in the bathtub and leaves
hard, white crusty deposits (scale) on coffee
pots, tea kettles, and hot water heaters
- Result of reactions of calcium and
magnesium with soap

BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD)

COAGULATION - The amount of dissolved oxygen needed by
- Removal of particulate matter aerobic biological organisms to break down
organic material in a given water sample at
- Is a process of coagulant to destabilize a
certain temperature over a specific time
stabilized charge particle
period
- Used to remove turbidity, color, and bacteria
* pagdami ng oxygen na makukuha ng biological
from drinking water
organisms = mas dadami ang mabbreakdown na
- To change the surface charge on the particles organic material = magiging pollutant or magiging
so they can stick together to form larger polluted ang water *
particles that will settle by gravity
- the higher the BOD, the lower the water quality
- Large particles and dissolved ions are
removed by gravity settling or precipitation
ION EXCHANGE SOFTENING
- Reversible exchange of an ion on a solid
COAGULANT
phase with an ion of the like charge in an
- Chemical that is added to the water to cause aqueous phase
the particles to coagulate
- Properties: trivalent cation (sodim and
calcium), non-toxic, insoluble in neutral pH
(lime or sodium carbonate to neutralize acid)
- Commonly used: aluminum, ferric ion
- Factors: pH, dose

SEDIMENTATION
- Required process to subsequent treatment
when surface water contains high turbidity
SEDIMENTATION BASINS
- Also called as clarifiers or settling tanks
- Usually rectangular or circular with either a
radial or upward water flow pattern
- Sludge that is withdrawn from the bottom of
sedimentation basins may in some cases be
discharged back to the river
SLUDGE
- Semi-solid slurry and can be produced as
sewage sludge from wastewater treatment
processes or as a settled suspension
obtained from conventional drinking water
treatment and other industrial processes
- Solids seperated from suspension in a liquid
FILTRATION
- Process by which flows slowly through a bed
of granular media, usually sand, anthracite
coal or garnet
- As the water flows over the weirs and exits
the sedimentation tank, it still contains
particles that were too small to settle or
somehow escaped removal due to fluid
patterns
DISINFECTION
- Kill pathogens present in water that would
cause mild to fatal illness if ingested
- Not the same as sterilization as this implies
to destruction of all living organisms
- E.g. basteria, viruses, protozoa, amebic cysts
REPUBLIC ACT 9275 - THE PHILIPPINE CLEAN WATER
ACT OF 2004
- The law aims to protect the country’s water
bodies from pollution from land-based
sources (industries and commercial
establishments, agriculture and
community/household activities). It provides
for a comprehensive and integrated strategy
to prevent and minimize pollution through a
multi-sectoral and participatory approach
involving all the stakeholders
- An act of providing for comprehensive water
quality management anf for other purposes
WHY THE NEED FOR THE CLEAN WATER ACT?
> As early as 1996, monitoring of the country's
rivers showed that only 51% of the classified rivers
still met the standards for their most beneficial
use. The rest were already polluted from domestic,
industrial and agricultural sources.
> Most studies point to the fact that
domestic wastewater is the principal cause of
organic pollution (at 48%) of our water bodies. Yet,
only 3% of investments in water supply and
sanitation were going to sanitation and sewage
treatment.
 > A recent world bank pointed out that Metro
Manila was second to the lowest in sewer
connections among major cities in Asia and less
than 7% compared to 20% for Kathmandu, Nepal
and 30% for Dhaka, Bangladesh.
> Thirty-one percent (31%) of all illnesses in
the country are attributed to polluted waters.
Clearly, to ensure access to clean water for all
Filipinos, it was imperative that the government
put together a comprehensive strategy to protect
water quality.
HOW WILL WATER QUALITY BE MANAGED?
> Management of water quality will either be
based on watershed, river basin or water resources
region.
> Water quality management areas with
similar hydrological, hydrogeological,
meteorological or geographic conditions which
affect the reaction and diffusion of pollutants in
water bodies are to be designated by the DENR in
coordination with the National Water Resources
Board (NWRB)
HOW WILL DISCHARGES OF WASTEWATER BE
CONTROLLED?
> All owners or operators of facilities that
discharge wastewater are required to get a permit
to discharge from the DENR or Laguna Lake
Development Authority.
> Existing industries without a permit are
given 12 months from the effectivity of the
implementing rules and regulations (IRR)
promulgated by pursuant to this act to secure a
permit to discharge.
HOW WILL DOMESTIC WASTEWATER BE
ADDRESSED?
> The Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH), in coordination with local
government units will prepare a national program
on sewage and septage management not later
than 12 months from effectivity of this Act.
> A priority list will likewise be prepared
which will be the basis for the allotment of funds
on an annual basis by the national government for
the construction and rehabilitation of required
facilities.
> On the other hand, LGUs are to provide the
land including road right of the way for the
construction of sewage and/or septage treatment
facilities and raise funds for the operations and
maintenance of said facilities.
> The Department of Health (DOH) will
formulate guidelines and standards for the
collection, treatment and disposal of sewage as
well as the guidelines for the establishment and
operation of a centralized sewage treatment
system.
> The MWSS and other agencies mandated
to provide water supply and sewerage facilities are
required to connect existing sewage lines, subject
to the payment of sewerage service charges/fees
within five years following effectivity of this Act.
> All sources of sewage and septage are
required to comply with the law.
HOW WILL THE DISCHARGE OF WASTEWATER BE
DISCOURAGED?
> Anyone discharging wastewater into a
water body will have to pay a wastewater charge.
This economic instrument which will be developed
in consultation with all concerned stakeholders is
expected to encourage investments in cleaner
production and pollution control technologies to
reduce the amount of pollutants generated and
discharged.
> Effluent trading per management area will
also be allowed.
> Rewards will also be given to those whose
wastewater discharge is better than the water
quality criteria of the receiving body of water.
> Fiscal and non-fiscal incentives will also be
given to LGUs, water districts, enterprise, private
entities and individuals who develop and
undertake outstanding and innovative projects in
water quality management.
WHAT SAFEGUARDS ARE PROVIDED FOR?
> All possible dischargers are required to
put up an environmental guarantee fund (EGF) as
part of their environmental management plan. The
EGF will finance the conservation of watersheds
and aquifers, and the needs of emergency response,
clean up or rehabilitation.
WHAT ARE THE PROHIBITED ACTS UNDER R.A.
9275?
⠂ Discharging or deposited any water
pollutant to the water body, or such which
will impede natural flow in the water body
⠂ Discharging, injecting or allowing to enter
into the soil, anything that would pollute
groundwater
 ⠂ Operating facilities that discharge regulated
water pollutants without the valid required
permits
⠂ Disposal of potentially infectious medical
waste into sea by vessels
ground, coastal and marne water =
Imprisonment of not less than 6 years and 1
day and not more than 12 years + a fine of
Php 500,000/day for each day the
contamination or omission continues.

⠂ Unauthorized transport or dumping into ⠂ In case of gross violation = fine of not less
waters of sewage sludge or solid waste than Php 500,000 but not more than Php
3,000,000 will be imposed per day of
⠂ Transport, dumping or discharge of
violation + criminal charges may also be
prohibited chemicals, substances or
filed.
pollutants listed under toxic chemicals,
hazardous and nuclear wastes control act
(Republic Act No. 6969)
⠂ Discharging regulated water pollutants
without the valid required discharge permit
pursuant to this act
⠂ Non-compliance of the LGU with the Water
Quality framework and Management Area
Action Plan
⠂ Refusal to allow entry, inspection and
monitoring as well as access to reports and
record by the DENR in accordance with this
act
⠂ Refusal or failure to submit reports and/or
designate pollution control officers
whenever required by the DENR in
accoradance with this act
⠂ Directly using booster pumps in the
distribution system or tampering with the
water supply in such way to aler or impair the
water quality
⠂ Operate facilities that discharge or allow to
seep, willfully or through grave negligence,
prohibited chemicals, substances or
pollutants listed under R.A. No. 6969, into
water bodies
⠂ Undertake activities or development and
expansion of projects or operating
wastewater treatment/sewerage in violation
of P.D. 1586 and its IRR

FINES AND PENALTIES IMPOSED ON POLLUTERS

⠂ Anyone who commits prohibited acts suc as
discharging untreated wastewater into any
water body = Php 10,000 but not more than
Php 200,000 every day of violation
⠂ Failure to undertake clean-up operations
willfully = Imprisonment of not less than two
years and not more than four years + a fine
of not less than Php 500,000 and not more
than 100,000 per day of violation
⠂ Failure or refusal to clean up which results in
serious injury or loss of life or lead to
irreversible water contamination of surface,