Nitrates, Phosphates, Hardness

Phosphates

i. Phosphates are chemical compounds that contain phosphorous. Phosphorous is an element that is necessary for all life, and is found in rock as inorganic phosphates. Inorganic phosphates are incorporated with organic phosphates in compounds by being taken in by plants, as it is a nutrient. Phosphorous controls the amount of growth in plants.ii. Phosphates can hurt us by accelerating plant growth too much. When this happens, it can set off a whole chain of events like accelerated plant growth, algae blooms, low dissolved oxygen, and the death of certain fish, invertebrates, and other aquatic animals. Drinking dead fish and algae abundant water, with little oxygen, can harm us just like it hurts the animals that live in it. Phosphorus from sources that are not natural can harm us too, as it can come from wastewater treatment plants, fertilizer runoff from farmland, faulty septic systems, drained wetlands, and even animal manure storage areas. (Ew)iii. Phosphates get into our water by means of runoff. Using excess chemicals such as fertilizer and not disposing of waste properly enabled manmade, unhealthy phosphorus to get into our water. Healthy, natural, and normal amounts of phosphorus get into our water after eroding as an element from soil and rocks.iv. We can regulate the amount of phosphates in our water by following laws that legislation has put in place to regulate the amount of phosphates in household cleaning products like laundry detergent. They can also be filtered as to not taint our water supply while dealing with wastewater in lawful and effective ways, other than releasing them into our water supply. The overuse of man made products and careless mistreatment of waste is largely the source of the problem, so limiting the use of harmful fertilizers and chemicals with phosphates in them, and also cracking down on how to handle waste containing large amounts of phosphates can help to eliminate the problem.

This is an image of a fish killed by high levels of phosphorus in its habitat.

Nitrates. i. Naturally occurring form of nitrogen found in soil. It is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless compound essential to all life.Nitrates form when microorganisms break down fertilizers, decaying plants, manures or other organic residuesii. High nitrate levels in water can cause methemoglobinemia, or what's more commonly referred to as baby blue syndrome found especially in infants under 6 months. Because the stomach acids in children at such young ages are much weaker it causes an increase in bacteria that can readily convert nitrate to nitrite (NO₂). Nitrates that are absorbed into the blood help convert hemoglobin into methemoglobin which does not carry oxygen efficiently. When a large amount of nitrates are absorbed into the blood, a larger amount of methemoglobin is created reducing oxygen supply in the body to vital organs. Not only are infants effected by this syndrome, but also pregnant women, adults with weak stomach acid, and people deficient in the enzyme that changes methemoglobin back to normal hemoglobin are all susceptible to this condition.iii. Usually plants absorb the nitrates, but some are brought into groundwater by rain and irrigation. High nitrate levels often are associated with poorly constructed or improperly located wells and a poor management of non point water pollution sources. iv. Careful fertilizer management can reduce nitrate leaching to groundwater. Protecting your drinking water supply from contamination is important for health and to protect property values and minimize potential liability. Poor construction and inappropriate placement of wells can lead to high levels of nitrate. In order to avoid large amounts of nitrates getting into drinking water, it is best if new wells are placed over 100 feet from fertilized crops, septic systems, barnyards and chemical storage facilities, and if a well is no longer in good use, then the proper way to take care of it is to plug it off or seal it with a cap. Prevention is the easiest way to keep nitrate levels low in drinking water, although it is possible to remove nitrates from water. Common water  treatments include distillation, reverse osmosis, ion exchange or blending.


Water Hardness

i.          Water hardness is caused by the buildup of metals. These metals are primarily calcium and magnesium ions. Hard water may also contain compounds such as bicarbonates and sulfates.ii.         Hardness in water interferes with many hygiene purposes of water. Clothes laundered in hard water may look unclean or scratchy. Dishes and glasses may be spotted when dry. It also makes soap much less effective because the soap combines with the minerals and becomes a grimy soap with less cleaning ability            Hardness in water can also interfere with appliances such as a water heater. It can stunt water flow in pipes and make appliances much less efficient. These minerals can even eat through pipes and cause flooding.iii.        As it is very useful, water being a universal solvent can also have negative affects. Hardness accumulates in water as it flows over rocks like limestone and other metals located in the areas water is drawn from. This is because much of the world's water comes from ground water. Also rain water naturally flows over these metalsiv.        To remove water hardness, water softeners can be purchased which replace the hard minerals with "softer" minerals.  These can be systems that are installed and automatically soften the water.links:

 http://www.fcwa.org/water/hardness.htmhttp://www.h2okitswaterblog.com/the-negative-effects-of-hard-water-and-how-to-test-for-water-hardness/http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2011/09/13/angies-list-getting-rid-of-hard-water/http://www.wqa.org/sitelogic.cfm?ID=477http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/how-does-water-form

http://extoxnet.orst.edu/faqs/safedrink/phos.htm

http://www.thephosphaterisk.com/issues/drinking-water