19-310 EVERYTHING A CONCERNED ARIZONAN NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT WATER QUALITY (UPDATED REPEAT)

19-310 EVERYTHING A CONCERNED ARIZONAN NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT WATER QUALITY  (UPDATED REPEAT)

Bruce Hale, Thursdays 10 am - 12 noon

Cactus Room:  October 31 November  7, 14, 21 December 5, 12

Underlying concerns of whether there is enough water quantity to sustain the American Southwest, are fundamental questions about the quality of those water resources. This course tackles those questions and more.

What are the common water constituents whose presence or absence yields variations in water quality? What are the primary water uses and what quality specifications are pertinent to each? How is water tested, so that we know the facts about water quality and whether it meets use specifications? What regulations protect water quality, whether in the environment or our domestic/potable water supplies? How is water treated, on a small scale or a large scale, to improve its quality and make it suitable for any particular use?

The last two sessions will dive deeper into specific cases illustrating the above topics. One session will examine environmental water quality issues such as the Gulf of Mexico "dead" zone and hydraulic fracturing (fracking), and the other session will explore domestic water quality topics such as the Wisconsin Cryptosporidium outbreak of 1993 and the more recent Flint, Michigan lead contamination event.

This course is good background for the follow-up course highlighting water supply resources, policy, infrastructure, and management, topics of importance to all Arizona residents.

An optional field trip to relevant Tucson water facilities will be offered in early December. The day and time will be determined once class has started. Participants will be required to sign a waiver.