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What's in your/our Florida water? |
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Florida is blessed with an abundance of water. Much of the water originates in
the Okeefenokee Swamp in Georgia and is supplemented at numerous "recharge"
sites where rainwater seeps into our aquifers across our state.
The water flows through three types of Aquifers: the Surficial (shallow), the
Intermediate and the Floridian. Note that even the deep Floridian Aquifer in
North Florida is only 100 to 200 feet and actually comes to the surface at
several locations where it is really at risk of becoming polluted.
Over the last 40 to 50 years our precious water supply has been exposed to an
onslaught of contaminants - natural and made - and the unfortunate results are
showing up even in our aquifers!
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Sources of impurities in Florida's drinking water:
. Chemicals: Pesticides, Herbicides, Arsenic and other man made compounds run
into streams, rivers and sinkholes and ultimately end up in our Florida
aquifers.
. Nationally, billions of pounds of sewage sludge and toxins are dumped into
our prairies, lakes, rivers, and oceans each year. North Florida is a microcosm
of this same phenomena.
. Industrial pollutants such as sulfur and nitrogen oxides belching from
industrial smoke stacks in the South East fall as acid rain in Florida.
. Cadmium from batteries and paint.
. Population growth, urban and suburban sprawl stress fresh water supply.
. Biological Pathogens such as bacteria, virus, cysts such as Giardia and
Cryptosporidium or viral water contamination.
. Chlorine and other disinfectants used by municipalities to control bacteria
and viruses result in THM's and disinfection by products harmful to our health
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HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE
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Nature (in Florida):
As rain falls from the sky it passes through clouds of industrial pollutants
creating carbonic acid. This increases the "universal solvent" ability to
dissolve a little bit of everything it touches. When it hits the earth
especially in metropolitan areas it flows across the surfaces washing parking
lots, highways, etc. of oils, grease, animal waste, etc. ultimately finding a
location where it begins to penetrate the earth's surface. As water flows
through the soil it picks up additional contaminants.
As water flows through.
. Porous rocks like shale and limestone - water picks up inorganic
minerals that make water hard and neutralize the waters acidity. Hard water and
its residue present problems in your home and on your body.
. Iron bearing rocks - water collects iron, which causes rust and
reddish stains in clothing and sinks.
. Manganese - water collects the tendency to stain things black and to
impart a bitter taste.
. Sand - water maintains its acid condition and can dissolve plumbing
and sink fixtures.
. Marshy or swampy areas - water becomes more acidic as it mixes with
gasses such as methane, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. It may also
acquire color from tannins and lignins.
. Sink holes/cracks in our Karst topography - Pollutants washed off the
earths surface can run directly into our drinking water aquifers.
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