Cassie Perttula CBE 555

The Significance of Water PPCPs in Water Bacteria in Water Treatment Processes US Bottled Water Abroad

Survival Agriculture Energy Transfer Steam Cooling Safety Dilution “The Solution to Pollution is Dilution.”

Droughts Water Hardness Contamination Chemical/Bacterial

Ibuprofen Non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drug (NSAID) Inhibits prostaglandins (inflammatory response) Negative Effects: Dissolve Stomach Lining (with long-term use) Difficult to develop blood clots Shampoo 70-80% Water 10-15% Detergents Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate Foaming Agents, etc

From Oregon Public Broadcasting: “There are no legal limits for most of the household chemicals that are showing up in the water today. Most of them haven’t been studied enough to know how much is too much to put in a waterway.” Current chemical levels are “safe”

In 2012, a young woman cut her leg on a zip line and fell into the Tallapoosa River in GA Bacterial infection and leg amputation Bacteria was group A Streptococcus Common bacteria Easily treatable If unchecked, takes over small tissues Bacteria live in water, but don’t fear it!

Water Treatment Lakes, Rivers, etc Wastewater Treatment

Coagulation Formation of floc Alum, etc. Sedimentation Filtration Disinfection Chlorine & Ammonia pH Monitor Sodium Hydroxide

No Often is repackaged tap water Home Filtering Systems (ie: Brita Filter) also do not stop PPCPs

Do Water Treatment Processes Outside the US Produce Cleaner Water? Canada – Same as the US European Union Russia

European Groundwater Directive < 50mg/L Nitrates <50mg/L Phosphates Testing PPCP Removal in Spain (wastewater) Tertiary Wastewater Treatment Reverse Osmosis/Membranes

Russian Water Plagued by Chemicals Industrial Pesticides Bottled Water or Boil Tap Water 75% Surface Lakes/Rivers Contaminated 50% Russians have drinkable water Water Treatment Developing Industrially

Industrial improvements are underway Company Bashneft using a GE Process as of 2013 Membrane Bioreactor Electrodialysis Reverse Osmosis

Should our wastewater treatment process be improved even though there aren’t current PPCP regulations? HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION: At what point will the concentration of chemicals be unsafe for humans and wildlife?