Do floods affect water quality? Learn about it here.
Water quality matters. We often take our drinking water and running water for granted, but when it is taken away, life changes significantly. This fact is just a foretaste of how floods affect water quality. The United States suffers from devastating floods in different parts of the country; some floods are very local, while others are much more widespread. There are numerous ways that floods affect water quality, which we will discuss here.
Floods Carry Contaminants
When floodwaters rise, they carry whatever debris is on the road or ground with them. From the ground, they carry dirt, fertilizers, animal dung, and much, much more. From roads, they can carry chemicals, oil, car fluids, and other debris. Bacteria, viruses, and diseases are also a part of the mix and can proliferate wherever they settle.
Floods can carry much more than just what is on the surface; as you will know from flood news coverage, they can be powerful enough to carry the land and road away, too.
Contaminants Can Pollute the Environment
These contaminants and debris can cause blockages and floating islands of debris in natural waterways. The visible, solid trash is problematic enough and can take a long time to completely remove.
There are also the dangers that chemicals, bacteria, viruses, and other hazardous materials pose. Directly, these contaminants affect the plant and animal life and can wipe out local wildlife. Meanwhile, the pathogens that enter the waterways can turn into harmful algae blooms.
Contaminants Can Pollute Drinking Water
As for people, floods can affect drinking water if the wells and water treatment plants are not floodproof. If they are not floodproof, the local authorities should alert the affected community of contaminated drinking water. Consuming polluted drinking water risks internal diseases and even death. People with open cuts or wounds should also avoid exposure to contaminated water.
Floods Can Flood Sewer Systems
Floods can be powerful enough to damage sewer systems and cause them to spill into the public sphere. If it is a combined sewer system, surplus stormwater can cause the sewage to rise onto the streets and into the waterways.
How Can Jet Blast Inc. Help?
Jet Blast Inc. helps to clean stormwater systems, sewer systems, reservoirs, and water treatment plants so they can perform their best.
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