Texas Basic Waste Water Operations Ch#01 Treatment Goals

No resource is more valuable in Texas than water. The four types of water resources in Texas are lakes and rivers, bays and estuaries, wetlands, and groundwater. NOTE: stormwater runoff is not considered a water resource.

Human activity and natural processes pollute our water resources. Pollutants include such substances as organic materials, inorganic materials, pharmaceuticals, heat, and radiation.

Since this one is the exact line from the text book i would otherwise copy and paste i shall instead remind you that most of these explanations are copied directly from the passage the question references.

There are two categories of water contamination: point-source discharges and non-point-source discharges. Point-source discharges come from pipes or concrete ditches that are monitored, controlled, and inspected. Some examples include municipal, industrial, agricultural, and wastewater treatment facilities, as well as controlled stormwater discharges from municipalities and industry. Non-point discharges are intermittent, dispersed flows having little or no control. They include discharges such as the following: stormwater drainage from industry and urban areas, seepage from septic tanks and drain fields, runoff from farm and ranch land, leaking landfills, dumps and hazardous waste sites, and leaking wastewater collection systems.

To meet stream standards, the state issues permits for waste discharges. Permits have stricter limits when the effluent discharges into water used for drinking or swimming. Permits are stricter when a river or lake receives multiple discharges or large volumes of waste. The fine for polluting state water can be as much as $25,000 per day.

Point-source discharges come from pipes or concrete ditches that are monitored, controlled, and inspected. Some examples include municipal, industrial, agricultural, and wastewater treatment facilities, as well as controlled stormwater discharges from municipalities and industry.

The proper handling of wastewater requires collection and transportation of wastewater to treatment facilities, treatment of contaminants, and processing of solids removed from wastewater.

Benefits of treating point-source and non-point-source wastes include, prevention of water pollution, protection of human and animal health, prevention of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) depletion in water, and prevention of nutrients which cause algae blooms (or growths).

Protection varies depending on the use of the water. The Texas Water Code establishes protection of the water quantity and quality in the state of Texas through stream standards, discharge limitations, and non-point-source control.

NOTE: i know the same answer choice appears twice i capitalized the correct answer to make it easier to remember but this is otherwise how the review answer key is written. ||| The state sets water quality standards, called stream standards, for rivers and lakes, according to the water’s use. Water used for contact recreation and public water supply have stricter standards than water used for industrial barge traffic.

To meet stream standards, the state issues permits for waste discharges. Permits have stricter limits when the effluent discharges into water used for drinking or swimming. Permits are stricter when a river or lake receives multiple discharges or large volumes of waste. The fine for polluting state water can be as much as $25,000 per day.