Vocabulary

A

acid rain

precipitation that contains acid and damages the environment

alum

astringent salt; added to water during treatment to help particles coagulate or cling together

anthropogenic

caused by people

aquatic

growing, living in, or frequenting water

aquifer

underground formation of rocks and soils where water collects

atmosphere

layer of gases and air surrounding the earth

atom

particle of matter smaller than a molecule

B

basin

area drained by rivers and tributaries

C

chlorine

chemical used to purify water

climate

average weather conditions and patterns of a region over a long period of time

coagulation

process by which particles are drawn together by forces of attraction

condensation

process by which water vapour cools and changes to water droplets as in the formation of clouds

confined

held in

contaminate

make dirty, pollute

corroded

worn away gradually, for example, by acid

crevice

a split or crack

D

degradable

can be eroded, or broken down to simpler structure

deposition

process of something being laid or thrown down

desalinization

the removal of salt from water

desertification

land becomes like a desert

disperse

to distribute in different directions

dissolve

to become a fluid, by melting into a liquid, for example

drought

long period without significant precipitation

E

effluent

treated waste discharged from wastewater treatment plant

erosion

wearing down or washing away of soil by water, wind, or ice

eutrophication

process by which lakes and ponds become enriched with dissolved nutrients

evaporation

process by which a liquid changes into vapour

evapotranspiration

see transpiration

F

filtration

process by which solids are filtered out of liquids, a stage in water treatment

flat rate

a rate charged for water use that is the same for everyone no matter how much water is used

fluoride

chemical added at some water treatment plants to purify the water

G

groundwater

water that is underground

H

herbicides

chemicals used to kill plants, especially weeds

hydroelectricity

electricity produced by flowing water used to turn turbine generators

hydrogen

one of the elements making up water

hydrologic cycle

continual exchange of water between the earth and the atmosphere

I

impermeable

does not permit passage of liquids

infrastructure

all water pipes, storage areas, and treatment plants needed to supply water to a municipality

instream

water used in its natural setting, for example, for fisheries

irrigate

to supply with water by means of ditches, canals, etc.

M

metered rate

a charge per unit of water used, as measured by a meter

molecule

the smallest particle of a substance that retains all the properties of the substance

monitor

to watch closely

N

navigation

ship traffic

nutrients

food

O

oxygen

the most common chemical element of the earth's crust, an element making up water

P

percolate

to filter down, as through soil

permafrost

permanently frozen layer of soil

pesticides

chemicals for killing insects and weeds

potable

safe to drink

precipitation

water falling as rain, hail, sleet, snow, etc.

prehistoric

the period before written history

purify

to clean

R

recycling

using again

renewable

capable of being replaced by natural ecological cycles

reservoir

a place where water is stored

S

saltwater intrusion

the seepage of seawater into groundwater near coastal areas

sanitation

the process of making something clean, healthy

saturated

thoroughly wet, unable to hold any more liquid

sediment

matter that settles to bottom of liquid

sedimentation

process of settling particles out of a liquid in a treatment plant

sewer

pipe that carries away wastewater

solvent

a liquid capable of dissolving one or more other substances

stringent

very strict

suspended solids

small particles of solid matter floating in a liquid

T

toxic

poisonous

transpiration

process by which water from plants is evaporated into the air, usually through the leaves

U

unconfined

free to move around

unsaturated

able to hold more moisture

V

vital

necessary for life

vapour

gas formed by heating a liquid such as water

W

withdrawal

process whereby water is removed from its natural setting

X

xeriscaping

a method of landscaping that uses plants that don't need much water

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