Sources of Drinking water

1. Mind the pronunciation of the words below.

percent [pq'sent], individual ["IndI'vIGuql], cistern ['sIstqn], periodic ["pIqrI'OdIk], virus ['vaIqrqs], uranium [ju'reInIqm], radium ['reIdIqm], nitrate ['naItreIt], chromium ['krqumIqm].

2. Remember the following words and word combinations.

essential – необходимый, существенный

household – 1. дом, хозяйство;

2. хозяйственно - бытовой, домашний

treat – обрабатывать

aquifer ['xkwIfq] – водоносный пласт

community water system – коммунальная система водоснабжения

rural – сельский

be subject to – подвергаться

threat – угроза

contaminate – загрязнять, заражать

to meet the standards – соответствовать (отвечать) стандартам

ensure – 1) гарантировать 2) обеспечивать

acceptable – допустимый, приемлемый

amendment – поправка

sampling – отбор проб

particular – данный, конкретный

exceed – превышать

3. Watch out!

human – человек, человеческий, а не гуманный

activity – деятельность, а не активность

specific – определенный, а не специфический

limit – ограничение, предельно допустимое значение, не только лимит

4. Read the text. Match the headings (A-G) with the parts (1-7) of the text.

A. The law regulating the public water quality.

B. The importance of water in people’s lives.

C. Monitoring public water supplies.

D. Two main sources of water.

E. Sources of ground water contamination.

F. Private household wells.

G. SDWA amendments

1_______________

Water is a vital element in each of our lives. Not only is it essential to our health, but we also use it for numerous household tasks. Every day we use water for cooking, bathing, and cleaning, and drinking; but how often do we think about its source?

2________________

Where does our water come from? How is it treated? How do we know it is safe for drinking? To answer these questions, it's important to go back to the basics. There are two main sources of water: surface water and groundwater. Surface water is found in lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. Groundwater lies under the surface of the land, where it travels through and fills openings in the rocks. The rocks that store and transmit groundwater are called aquifers. Groundwater must be pumped from an aquifer to the earth's surface for use.

Consumers receive their water from one of two sources: a private well, or a community water system. A household well pumps groundwater for household use. The source of a community water system may be either surface water or groundwater.

3________________

Approximately 15 percent of the U.S. population relies on individually owned and operated sources of drinking water, such as wells, cisterns, and springs. The majority of household wells are found in rural areas.

Those who receive their water from a private well are solely responsible for the safety of the water. Private wells are not subject to federal regulations, and are generally regulated on a very limited basis by states. Local health departments may assist well owners with periodic testing for bacteria or nitrates, but the bulk of the responsibility for caring for the well falls on the well owner.

4__________________

Since the well owner is primarily responsible for the water, it is important to know what poses a threat to the well and the groundwater which is its source. A variety of sources can cause well water to become contaminated.

Several contaminants occur in nature that may present a health risk if they are found in drinking water. They include bacteria, viruses, uranium, radium, nitrate, arsenic, chromium and fluoride. Many of these contaminants are naturally present in rock formations, and consequently end up in the water supply.

Other sources of contamination are a result of human activity such as manufacturing or agriculture, or individual misuse. Well owners generally disinfect or otherwise treat the water from their wells to remove the contaminants that are caused by such activities.

5__________________

Approximately 85 percent of the U.S. population receives its water from community water systems. Community water systems are required to meet the standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

The SDWA was passed by Congress in 1974 to establish nationally consistent drinking water standards. A standard is the maximum level of a substance that the EPA has deemed acceptable in drinking water.

6. _________________

In 1986 the SDWA was amended to require the EPA to publish standards for 83 specific contaminants, and additional standards thereafter. To date, the EPA has issued or proposed limits for 87 substances. Community water systems are currently revising their drinking water programs to meet the more stringent requirements of the amendments. They must ensure that the drinking water they supply does not have contaminant levels higher than the standards of the SDWA, the SDWA amendments, or state regulations.

7. ________________

The SDWA requires utilities to conduct routine monitoring and testing of public water supplies. Two types of sampling are required. Routine sampling takes place on a regular basis and ensures that a treatment plant is running properly for delivering a consistent quality of drinking water. It also determines whether water quality meets the Maximum Contaminant Level standards.

When a routine sample analysis indicates elevated levels of a particular contaminant that may exceed EPA or state standards, states may require systems to take a check sample. Check samples are used to confirm the results of a problem discovered during routine sampling.

In summary, the EPA generally delegates to the states the authority to enforce all federal drinking water standards. However, how well they are enforced is very questionable. In addition, the national standards for contaminants were developed more than fifteen years ago by EPA. Today, there are many new industrial contaminants that were not even known to us back then. Plus, the standards for what is considered healthy and acceptable sure have changed.

Notes:

1. rely on – зд. пользоваться, получать воду

2. end up – зд. попадать

3. under the authority – на основании

4. nationally consistent – отвечающие национальным (государственным) требованиям

5. to delegate … the authority – передавать … полномочия

6. to enforce – следить за соблюдением.

5. Find equivalents for the following in the text.

частный колодец, пустоты в породе, качать воду насосом, индивидуального владения и пользования, сельские районы, нести ответственность за, создавать угрозу, представлять риск для здоровья, неправильное пользование, стандарты на питьевую воду, текущий отбор проб, контрольный отбор проб, регулярно, работать должным образом, или… или, общественная система водоснабжения, в первую очередь, на сегодняшний день.

6. Give Russian equivalents:

elevated level, store water, for household use, a variety of sources, to be naturally present, human activity, Environmental Protection Agency, to conduct routine monitoring, to be very questionable, industrial contaminants, treatment plant, federal regulations, surface water, local health departments, on a limited basis.

7. Answer the following questions.

1. Where is surface water found? 2. What do we call aquifers? 3. How do we get ground water for domestic use? 4. Where are household wells found mostly?

5. Who is responsible for the quality of water in private household wells? 6. How many people in the USA get their water from public water supplies? 7. What must community water systems ensure? 8. What is a standard for a contaminant? 9. What are contaminant levels in safe drinking water? 10. Who must enforce all federal drinking water standards?

8. Translate the text below in the written form.

Surface water is the easiest water to understand because we see it every day. It is any water that travels or is stored on top of the ground. This would be the water that is in rivers, lakes, streams, reservoirs, even the oceans, though we can't drink salt water.

Sometimes surface water sinks into the ground and becomes ground water.

Runoff is the water that runs in gutters, off roofs, and out of mall parking lots when it rains. This is surface water, too. Runoff is a problem because it carries bad things like car oil, road salt, and trash into the water supply.

Surface water is treated before it becomes drinking water. This is done because things like leaves, fish, animal droppings, and boat fuel can easily get into lakes, streams, and rivers.

Ground water is a little harder to understand than surface water because you can't actually see this water. Any water that is underground is groundwater.

Groundwater flows through layers of sand, clay, rock, and gravel. This cleans the water. This means that groundwater is cleaner than water on the surface. But it has its problems, too. When farmers use fertilizers and insecticides, rain will wash them into the soil where they get into aquifers Gas stations have big, underground tanks where they keep the gas. If these leak, the gas sinks into the groundwater, too. Groundwater doesn't need as much treatment as surface water, but it usually gets some because of these problems.

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