China 
Africa 
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Water quality sciences
Published in Mohammad Albaji, Introduction to Water Engineering, Hydrology, and Irrigation, 2022
Water quality is the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance can be assessed. The most common standards used to assess water quality relate to drinking water, safety of human contact, and for the health of ecosystems.
Classification and Sources of Pollutants
Published in Mary K. Theodore, Louis Theodore, Introduction to Environmental Management, 2021
Mary K. Theodore, Louis Theodore
The EPA, in partnership with state and local governments, is responsible for improving and maintaining water quality. These efforts are organized around three themes. The first is maintaining the quality of drinking water. This is addressed by monitoring and treating drinking water prior to consumption and by minimizing the contamination of the surface water and protecting against contamination of groundwater needed for human consumption. The second is preventing the degradation and destruction of critical aquatic habitats, including wetlands, nearshore coastal waters, oceans, and lakes. The third is reducing the pollution of free-flowing surface waters and protecting their uses. The following is a discussion of various pollutants categorized by these themes.
Site Investigation for Groundwater Lowering
Published in Pat M. Cashman, Martin Preene, Groundwater Lowering in Construction, 2020
Low flow purging (also known as micro purging) is sometimes used as an alternative to conventional purging. In this approach, a small sampling pump is suspended in the well opposite a specific zone in the well screen and adjusted to a very low flow rate – the objective is to generate only a very small drawdown of groundwater level: 0.1 to 0.2 m is typical. The pumped water is monitored by a portable water quality meter, and well head chemistry parameters are measured (see Section 3.7.2). Commonly measured water quality parameters include water temperature, pH, specific conductivity (EC) and dissolved oxygen (DO). The objective is to purge the well until these parameters have stabilized. Once a minimum volume has been pumped (typically the volume of sampling tubing, pump and water monitoring cell), purging is continued until the water quality indicator parameters have stabilized, and the sample is then taken. This method typically generates significantly smaller volumes of purge water compared with conventional methods.
Spatio-seasonal variations in water quality status of Migori River in Kenya and associated household health risk implications: an application of a multidimensional water quality index approach
Published in International Journal of River Basin Management, 2022
Stephen Balaka Opiyo, Godwin Opinde, Sammy Letema
To safeguard public health, scholars and policy-makers agree that water quality monitoring is essential in providing the objective evidence required to make sound decisions about water quality management in the short term and long term (Al-Mashagbah, 2015). Water quality monitoring is vital since it informs watershed managers and policy-makers of the extent and major causes of pollution, and thus offers an initial step towards remedial approaches (Duan et al., 2016). Water quality is generally defined as the chemical, physical and biological characteristics of water with respect to its suitability for a designated use (Adelagun et al., 2021). These characteristics constitute the parameters for assessing the condition of the water because they usually undergo changes induced by human activities within the catchment area (Sun et al., 2016), and by the combined actions of interacting natural processes such as geomorphological configuration, hydrological conditions (Michalika, 2008), climatic conditions (Reza & Singh, 2010), and weathering processes (Yang & Wang, 2010).
The impact of informal settlements on the surface water quality: a baseline analysis of the Kaalspruit in Tembisa township, South Africa
Published in Urban Water Journal, 2022
MS Morole, KY Yessoufou, SA Bufo, IT Rampedi, LS Modley
Water resources pollution is the leading cause of water quality problems around the world (Zhulidov, Robarts, and Khlobystov 2001; United Nations (UN) 2012; du Plessis 2017). Pollution stems from various sources which contribute to water quality problems, and these generally include industrial effluent, run-off from urban and croplands, and sewage discharge (Abbaspour 2011). Land-use changes also contribute to the endangerment of freshwaters, with the problem being augmented in the last decade (Fierro et al. 2017). Land-use conversion, mostly to agriculture and other land uses, impairs the surrounding ecosystems due to extensive modifications of existing land (United Nations (UN) 2012; du Plessis 2017; Fierro et al. 2017). South Africa also faces water quality problems as most of the freshwater resources are negatively impacted by human activities (Zamxaka, Pironcheva, and Muyima 2004; Department of Water Affairs (DWA) 2011. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has revealed that the quality of South Africa’s freshwater resources is deteriorating due to increased industrial pollution, urbanization, mining, and agriculture (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) 2010). Wastewater and sewage effluent from treatment plants also contribute to the degradation of water resources through pollution (Mema (2010)). As such, CSIR has also reported that a greater proportion of sewage in urban areas is improperly treated before being discharged due to damaged or improperly managed treatment plants (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) 2010).
Governance conditions to overcome the challenges of realizing safe urban bathing water sites
Published in International Journal of Water Resources Development, 2022
Susanne Wuijts, Lieke Friederichs, Judith A. Hin, Franciska M. Schets, Helena F. M. W. Van Rijswick, Peter P. J. Driessen
There is an ongoing concern with regard to water quality and prevention of injuries or drowning, which may hamper the realization of urban bathing water sites. Sewage water discharge, stormwater overflows, pollution from (former) industries, agricultural emissions, traffic and shipping are all factors that influence the water quality, both continuously and occasionally, e.g. after heavy rainfall. These potential sources of pollution limit the use of the water for recreation, and harm the ecological status of the water system itself. The variety of stakeholders that need to be involved to address these sources of pollution, as well as the complexity of relevant legal and policy frameworks, also add to the challenges local authorities face in realizing urban bathing water sites (Rietveld et al., 2016; Smith Korfmacher et al., 2015).