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<br />,4...., <br /> <br />Quality of water is one of the limiting factors in evaluating the <br />surface water resources of the vast area of the combined Arkansas-white- <br />Red basins. In a large portion of this area, water quality changes very <br />markedq with stream flow. When discharges are high, water quality may <br />be improved, while when discharges are low, stream waters may be unsatis- <br />factory or even unusable. Soil erosion influences the quality of surface <br />waters in some of the streams in the AWR basins. This is cauSed largeq <br />by improper farming practices or by return overflow water from irrigated <br />lands. The result is an increase in turbidity which will increase the ' <br />cost of water treatment also the silt load will have a deleterious effect <br />on fish life. <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />.... <br />W <br />~ <br />tv <br /> <br />Water of good quality, as 'Well as sufficient quantity, is needed to <br />serve as a supply for municipal or domestic, industrial, irrigation, and <br />recreational use. In general, a surface water source suitable for domestic <br />use is suitable for many other uses from the standpoint of quality. ;l'here <br />is not sufficient data available on water quality to serve as criteria for <br />specific projects in all cases and a study of water quality in connection <br />with the planning of projects is indicated, <br /> <br />All surface water sources in the AWR basins require treatment of <br />some sort before it is satisfactory for municipal and some industrial uses. <br />The treatment usually consists of coagulation, sedimentation, rapid sand <br />filtration and chlorination. Additional treatment may include special <br />treatment for taste and odor removal, softening, etc. Practically, there <br />are limits to the quality of water that can be treated by a municipality <br />and result in a consistently safe and palatable water suitable for general <br />municipal use. Excessive sewage or industrial waste pollution may render <br />the water totally unsuited for municipal use even after extensive treat- <br />ment. Impounded waters may meet Drinking Water Standards from a mineral <br />content standpoint, however, industrial usage of these waters may be <br />limited. For instance, a chloride content of 250 ppm would be excessive <br />for water to be used in high pressure boilers. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />A municipal water supply may be bacteriologically safe, but still <br />unpalat/iloble. Under such conditions an important public health problem <br />arises, The public refuses to drink the safe city water supply because <br />of its obnoxious taste and begins to make use of local wells, springs and <br />cisterns of palatable quality, but highly questionable safety. A public <br />_ter . supply must not only be safe at all times; but must be palatable at <br />all times. <br /> <br />It is important to remember that no municipal _ter treatment plant <br />can remove chlorides (such as common salt). This is one of the -reasons <br />why oil field salt water pollution and municipal sewage are so harmful to <br />_ter resources. <br /> <br />Certain constituents of industrial wastes, such as phenol, which <br />is found in oil refinery _stes, render water even after treatment, quite <br />unpalatable, Industrial wastes may also poison fish or taint them so that <br />they are inedible. <br /> <br />5-6 <br />