It is important to prevent pollution of the drinking water sources, whether underground, in rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Eliminating potential sources of contamination is an important step. It will ensure the safety of your drinking water. As a result of runoff pollution, your drinking water could end up contaminated with things like gasoline, herbicides, fertilizer, motor oil, and animal waste.
What is source water?
The water that supplies a public water system comes from:
- The source of the water it draws from could be an underground aquifer, a stream, or a lake.
- The source facility could be a roof/rain catchment, infiltration gallery, spring, well, or intake.
Types of contamination
Environmental contamination of groundwater and surface water falls into two categories: pollution from point sources and non-point sources.
When pollution comes from a single, easily identified location, it’s a point source.
- Underground gas and oil storage tanks that have leaked;
- Wastewater discharged by municipalities;
- Septic tanks installed on the property;
- Ore and gravel from active and former mines;
- The liquid at a landfill; and,
- Discharges from industrial processes, including chemical leaks and spills.
Diffuse sources are the main culprits in non-point source pollution. When water runs off of land and carries pollutants—both natural and man-made—into surface waters or, through percolation, into groundwater, this is what we call non-point source pollution. Here are a few examples:
- The deposition of air pollutants, such as acid rain, onto land and surface waters;
- microorganisms and petroleum byproducts from boats used for recreational activities;
- Pesticides, metals, bacteria, sediment, chemicals, oil, nutrients, pet waste, road salts, and urban runoff from sidewalks, buildings, and roadways;
- Agricultural runoff, which may include petrochemicals, animal waste, pathogens, pesticides, fertilizers, and oils; and,
- Seepage of saltwater.
Here’s how to easily protect your drinking water sources
Properly maintain your septic system
Untreated or inadequately treated domestic waste has the potential to contaminate groundwater. This endangers both humans and the environment. When septic systems aren’t working correctly, they dump chemicals, viruses, and germs into nearby drinking water sources. A septic service expert should check the typical home septic system every three years. Every 3 to 5 years, it is common practice to pump out a household’s septic tank. Monitoring alternative systems with electrical components, pumps, or electrical float switches frequently is important at least once a year.
Don’t pour paint, gasoline, or other potentially harmful household waste down the drain
Keep in mind that you should never dump gasoline, paint, or any other potentially harmful domestic trash down the drain or into a storm drain. Having these substances on hand can seriously compromise the safety of your water supply.
Your home’s soil and groundwater supplies are susceptible to contamination from these substances. This happens when you let them run into storm drains or flush them down the toilet. Over time, lakes and rivers will become contaminated with the chemicals included in these items. Those who use this water in the future may experience negative consequences, such as cancer.
Recycle Rainwater
When it rains, people often collect and store the water to use later for things other than drinking. This method is called rainwater harvesting. The process involves collecting rainwater through rain barrels, downspouts, and gutters from land, rooftops, or other impermeable surfaces. Another option is to build man-made ponds that you can fill with water during rainy seasons in order to collect rainwater. Storage tanks will help collect rainwater for washing, irrigation, and cleaning later.
One of the many advantages of rainwater harvesting is that it helps maintain the health and integrity of municipal supply lines. It lowers the demand on those lines from individual households. These lines would otherwise have to transport water over great distances. It improves the health of local watersheds and decreases erosion by minimizing the amount of storm water runoff that enters rivers and lakes.
Make safe use and proper disposal of dangerous materials
Never dispose of toxic or biohazardous materials in storm drains, the ground, or the toilet. The area’s soil, groundwater, and surface water could all be contaminated.
Many common household items include harmful or poisonous substances that have the potential to pollute surface or groundwater sources, including:
- A number of medicines
- Pesticides
- Mothballs
- Household cleaners
- Leftover paint cans or paint
- Motor oil
Inspecting the septic tank regularly
It is important to schedule frequent inspections for septic tanks if you own a property with one. How often these checks are needed depends on your system and your household’s water consumption. For instance, if you’re using water from a well, your septic tank won’t have to treat as much wastewater. If that’s the case, then it should be enough to do an examination every two years.
The industry standard for septic tank inspections is 3 to 5 years. This is particularly true if you reside in a region prone to heavy rainfall or flooding or have observed any tank functionality issues. These events can eventually damage a system that isn’t well-maintained. Lack of adequate maintenance might cause the waste to seep into the soil. This, in turn, can contaminate your local water source.
Medications must be properly disposed of
When people flush medications down the toilet, whether prescription or OTC, they can contaminate the groundwater supply if their homes have septic tanks. The wastewater treatment system in cities and towns allows over-the-counter and prescription medications to be poured down the drain or toilet to eventually make their way into lakes and rivers. The downstream flow of these drinking water sources could have an impact on the community’s water supply. In most cases, water treatment plants lack the necessary equipment to get rid of medications regularly.
Opt for eco-friendly cleaning supplies
Natural cleaning products are one of the best ways to keep drinking water safe. They are better for the planet, your wallet, and the health of your family. They are less expensive and don’t leach toxins into your water supply.
In addition to being safer for the environment, natural cleaning products are preferable. This is because they do not include chemicals that could harm local water sources. One of the primary reasons people no longer trust their drinking water sources is contamination.
Limiting chemical use
Do not use any cleaning products that contain harsh chemicals. Make your all-natural cleaning supplies using items you already have instead of purchasing commercially available goods.
It is best to use biodegradable items whenever possible to reduce their environmental impact. These products break down more quickly and produce less waste when discarded. Only buy something after first reading the label. Many additives are toxic to both people and animals.
Conclusion
Being careful of your environmental impact at all times would be helpful. Because of this, safeguarding sources of drinking water is important. There are many ways to achieve this, but one of the most effective is balancing your needs with the environment. Remember that our drinking water sources will only be able to supply us with clean water in the future if we do something to prevent their contamination and allow them to become corrupted.
We must take immediate action to safeguard our drinking water sources since our very survival is at stake. What we do now may determine how far we go in the future. It is high time we reevaluate our perspectives on fresh water and figure out how to keep it safe by minimizing pollution.