Water pollution urban runoff

The WFD, so far, has identified 33 priority hazardous pollutants (PHS), for which Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) have been set. To some extent, these EQS can be met through the establishment of emission control measures. These PHS may originate from several different sources and activities. The main sources of toxic substances to water bodies in Europe may be categorised as agriculture, sewage treatment plants, urban runoff, industry, contaminated lake/ river sediment, soils and landfills. Input via atmospheric transport and deposition has also been identified as an important source both far from and close to source areas. Many of the PS are today banned in Europe, but due to their persistence they are still present in the environment [30]. 

Nightingale, H.I. 1987. Organic pollutants in soils of retention and recharge basins receiving urban runoff water. Soil Sci. 144 373-381. 

Cole RH, Frederick RE, Healy RP, et al. 1984. Preliminary findings of the priority pollutant monitoring project of the nationwide urban runoff program. J Water Pollut Control Fed 56(7)898-908. 

Latimer JS, Hoffman EJ, Hoffman G, et al. 1990. Sources of petroleum hydrocarbons in urban runoff. Water Air and Soil Pollution 52 1-21. 

Marsalek J, Schroeter H. 1988. Annual loadings of toxic contaminants in urban runoff from the Canadian Great Lakes basin. Water Pollution Research Journal of Canada 23(3) 360-378. 

Findings from the Nationwide Urban Runoff Program priority pollutant samples collected in 1982 showed that heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide were detected at a concentration of 0.1 ppb for both compounds (Cole et al. 1984). Heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide were detected in 5% and 1%, respectively, of the 86 urban storm water runoff samples taken from 15 cities. 

Although both types of pollution sources present a serious problem, point sources can be controlled, at least in principle. Nonpoint sources, however, are difficult to control. Sources and types of nonpoint pollution in impacted rivers and lakes in the United States include agriculture, land disposal, construction, hydromodification, urban runoff, and silviculture, resource extraction. The pollutants in these sources include sediment, nutrients, toxins, pesticides, salinity, and acidity (Institute, 1988). Looking at these lists, one can easily deduce that solvents play roles in the pollution of water. 

Chen, C.S. Zoltek, J., Jr (1995) Organic priority pollutants in wetland-treated leachates at a landfill in central Florida. Chemosphere, 31, 3455-3464 Chin, B.H., McKelvey, J.A., Tyler, T.R., Calisti, L.J., Kozbelt, S.J. Sullivan, L.J. (1980) Absorption, distribution, and excretion of ethylbenzene, ethylcyclohexane, and methyl-ethylbenzene isomers in rats. Bull, environ. Contam. Toxicol., 24, 477-483 Cole, R.H., Frederick, R.E., Healy, R.P. Rolan, R.G. (1984) Preliminary findings of the priority pollutant monitoring project of the nationwide urban runoff program. J. Water Pollut Control Fed., 56, 898-908... 

In addition, oil pollution is caused by discharges of improperly handled hydrocarbon-laden waste water from petroleum refineries and in urban runoff. Although each of these spills typically involves relatively small quantities of material, the spills occur rather frequently, so in total, large amounts of oil are spilled in this way. 

Domestic and industrial wastewaters, sewage discharges, and urban runoff also contribute large quantities of metal pollution to the aquatic environment. These discharges often occur at point sources and can lead to excessive local Tietal burdens in water. 

Nonpoint sources of pollution are more difficult to measure because they often cover large areas or are a composite of numerous point sources. Examples of nonpoint sources include pesticide and fertilizer runoff from agricultural fields, and urban runoff contaminated with pollutants from automobile emissions. Nonpoint sources may not be directly located next to a surface water body pollutants may be transported to surface waters by runoff from the land, by groundwater inflow, or by atmospheric transport. 

Major sources of water pollutants include mining, manufacturing, farming, power production, and runoff from urban and suburban sprawl. Water pollution from each of these sources are discussed later. 

Amendments in 1987 authorized measures to address non-point source pollution (storm water runoff from farm lands, forests, construction sites and urban areas), now estimated by the states to represent the largest remaining water pollution problem in the USA (USEPA, 2000). Because of this, although toxics remain a significant component in the mix of non-point runoff, other major pollutants such as nutrients have risen to the fore of public concern for action. Presently the major thrust in implementation of the CWA is to manage on a watershed basis and integrate all parts of the CWA to operate in an integrated fashion, instead of in isolation. 

A) determination of the occurrence and distribution of chemicals in Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana (particularly in the southern portion of the Lake near New Orleans) that resulted from anthropogenic activity and (B) an overall water quality assessment of the Lake to ascertain any phenomena, in particular urban runoff related water pollution, that may be adversely affecting the ecological balance of the Lake. The strategies developed to address these objectives included (1) Collection of biota and sediment samples and their analyses for a broad spectrum of chemical substances which included, but were not limited to, those designated as priority pollutants by the U.S. 

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