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Bacteria

Bacteria are microscopic organisms found in the bodies of all living creatures, including
humans. Some bacteria are beneficial to humans, helping with digestion and
decomposition. Other bacteria can be harmful if ingested by humans, such as
Escherichia coli (e. coli) which may cause diarrhea and other illnesses. Harmful bacteria
can be introduced to a water source if human or animal waste is present; faulty septic
tanks, livestock, and wildlife may all be sources. Bacteria is treated in a Water
Reclamation Facility using aeration tanks and ultraviolet radiation.

The Santa Rita Water Reclamation Facility collects and treats wastewater from homes
and business in the Durango area. After the water is reclaimed, it is discharged into the
Animas River. On this map, you can explore seven common pollutants. Some of these
pollutants enter the river without treatment; others, that come through the sewers, are
removed from the water by the Water Reclamation Facility.

Fog
Fats, oils, and grease (fog) are substances that are insoluble, meaning they don’t
dissolve in water. They are not naturally occuring in the Animas River Watershed, and
can be deadly to aquatic plants and animals. Oil can leak out of vehicles and wash into
the river; grease and fats may enter the sewers when they are produced in restaurants
or homes and poured down the drain or toilet. Fog is removed at the Water Reclamation
Facility in settling tanks.
Nutrients
Nutrient pollution is caused by two main chemicals: nitrogen and phosphorus. Small
amounts of these nutrients are essential to aquatic life, but large amounts wreak havoc
on the ecosystems. Excess nutrients can cause algal blooms, which lower dissolved
oxygen levels in the water, increase turbidity, and steal habitat from native species.
Because nitrogen and phosphorus are present in common fertilizers, nutrients can enter
a waterway through agricultural and lawn/garden runoff. Nutrients can also be found
around the home in certain foods, soaps, and human waste; they then enter the Water
Reclamation Facility after they’re put down the drain. Nutrients are treated in Water
Reclamation Facilities by anaerobic and aerobic digesters.

Trash
Trash is any type of human-produced solid waste: plastic bags, water bottles, fishing
line, etc. When it is in a waterway, trash is specifically harmful to aquatic life who may
mistake it for food and ingest it. Trash enters waterways from the surrounding
environment, and it enters the sewers when it is flushed down the toilet, sink, or
washing machine. In Water Reclamation Facilities, trash is removed using a bar screen
or physical filtration device.
Metals
Heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, and copper are naturally occurring in rock
formations throughout the Animas River Watershed. However, drainage from old mines
near Silverton, Colorado increases the levels of these metals in the Animas River. High
concentrations of heavy metals can be harmful to human users when ingested; they can
also be toxic to fish. Heavy metals don’t typically end up in sewers because they aren’t
common around the home; they don’t need to be treated at Water Reclamation
Facilities.

Sediment
Grit, sand, and salt are small particles of matter that can be classified as sediment.
When runoff from a storm picks up sediment, it drains into a waterway and deposits the
particles. High levels of sediment can increase the amount of total suspended solids.
Suspended solids reduce the amount of sunlight that can pass through water, inhibiting
photosynthesis for aquatic plants. Sediment is removed in a Water Reclamation Facility
with a grit remover.
Pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceuticals are any kind of prescription or over-the-counter medication. This
category of pollution also includes cosmetics, like lotions and perfume. Pharmaceuticals
can affect the hormones in fish and other aquatic life causing adverse health effects.
The main source of pharmaceutical pollution is our homes. Humans excrete a large
amount of the medication that they take, and some people flush old medication down
the toilet. Pharmaceuticals are a Contaminant of Emerging Concern; their effects are
still being studied and there are currently no state regulations requiring Water
Reclamation Facilities to remove them. The Santa Rita Water Reclamation Facility is
not planning to treat pharmaceuticals, but they are discussing the possibility of
monitoring levels in the treated water.

What is Pollution?
Pollution is any substance that harms an ecosystem. Many substances, such as
nutrients and bacteria, are not harmful at low concentrations; then, they are not
considered pollution. However, high concentrations that are harmful to the environment,
aquatic life, and humans designate something as a pollutant. Pollution negatively affects
the health of people, animals, and ecosystems who come into contact with it through air,
water, or soil.
Point Source Pollution vs. Nonpoint Source Pollution
Sources of pollution fall into two distinguishable categories: Point Source and Nonpoint
Source. Point Source pollution is anything that comes from a discrete source or
discharge mechanism: for example, a pipe coming out of a factory or construction site.
To discharge a pollutant via Point Source, a permit is required. Nonpoint Source
pollution can’t be attributed to a single, definable source; rather, it originates from the
surrounding environment and enters the waterway at a variety of locations and at
differing rates and concentrations. Nonpoint Sources include urban and agricultural
runoff.

Sources
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/dpw/WATERSHED_PR
OTECTION_PROGRAM/watershedpdf/water_pollutants.pdf
https://www.americanrivers.org/threats-solutions/clean-water/pharmaceutic
als-personal-care/
https://www.epa.gov/nps/what-nonpoint-source
https://www.epa.gov/nps/nonpoint-source-urban-areas
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/drugs-in-the-water
https://water.usgs.gov/edu/bacteria.html
https://www.epa.gov/privatewells/human-health-and-contaminated-water
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25007744
https://www.denverpost.com/2016/04/26/cadmium-lead-copper-levels-in-an
imas-headwaters-exceed-colorado-limits/
http://www.mountainstudies.org/animasriver
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/53bc5871e4b095b6a42949b4/t/5762
d014414fb53bf098b34e/1466093594298/MSI_Durango_2016Monitoring_P
SA_20160616.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4144270/
https://www.livescience.com/51641-bacteria.html
https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/index.html
https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution
https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/effects-environment
http://www.oceanhealthindex.org/methodology/components/trash-pollution

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