Geology 210      Class Preparation Questions

  Water Quality

What is water hardness?  How do water softeners work?  What potential health risks result from using softened water?

Describe the relationship between nitrate pollution of groundwater, recharge and aquifer oxygenation.

Describe the OTA classification scheme for sources of groundwater pollution.

What is a point source?  A non-point source?

What differentiates the broad categories of inorganic, organic and biological contaminants in groundwater?