GLOSSARY

GLOSSARY

CHLORAMINE:
Chloramines are used to keep your water safe from microorganisms (little, tiny bugs). It is a compound of chlorine used to disinfect water. Example: Chlorine is put in swimming pools.

CONDENSATION:
A chemical reaction in which water or another simple substance is changed from gaseous phase to liquid phase. Example: it is what forms on the outside of your glass (drinking glass) when the temperature of your glass is colder than the air. The moisture from the air condenses on your glass in the form of little water droplets (condensation).

CONSERVATION:
A plan to preserve or protect something. It is when you plan to save something or set it aside so that it won’t get used, polluted, or destroyed. Example: using recycled paper and plastic to protect the environment. Water conservation would be using less water to save some for future use.

CONTAMINANT:
Something that is in water that we don’t want there; an impurity. Contaminants are removed through cleaning or filtering (water treatment process).

CRYPTOSPORIDIUM: A microscopic organism (intestinal parasite in humans) sometimes found in untreated water. It can make you sick and give you diarrhea, which is why water is cleaned and disinfected.

DEIONIZATION:
Removal of electrically charged particles (ions). It is the reduction of water to a non-mineral state. Similar to distillation.

DISSOLVED SOLIDS:
Solids that cannot be removed by normal filtration but can be recovered by heating water to high temperatures and evaporating the water.

DISTILLED WATER:
Water that has been heated and steam forms. The steam is then captured and turned back into water. Any solids that were in the water are left behind. It is the purification of water through an evaporation and condensation cycle.

EVAPORATION:
Water is heated until it turns to steam or vapor – the process of changing from liquid phase to gaseous phase.

FILTRATION:
The process of passing water through filters, some made of layers of sand, gravel, and charcoal, that help remove small particles. Example: a water filter on your faucet in the kitchen.

FLUORIDE:
A compound of Fluorine. Fluoride is added to water and toothpaste in very low doses to strengthen your teeth and bones.

FLUSHING:
The process of running lots of water through pipes to clean them out.

FRESH WATER: Usually steam, river, or ground water. Water with less than 0.5 parts per thousand dissolved salts.

GAS:
Not a liquid (water) or solid (ice) form. Examples: oxygen and helium.

GIARDIA:
A microscopic (very small – visible with a microscope) organism sometimes found in water that can cause diarrhea. In is an intestinal parasite in humans and most domestic animals.

HARD WATER:
Water that is rich in minerals (mostly calcium and magnesium) that often will make it difficult to lather soap and make suds/soap bubbles.

HYDROLOGIC CYCLE:
This is the movement of water from the Earth’s surface (lakes/streams/oceans) to the air (clouds, moisture in the air) and back to the Earth when it rains. When it rains, the water is stored on the Earth’s surface in lakes, rivers, oceans, ground water, etc. and the cycle starts all over again. The process includes transpiration, evaporation, and precipitation.

IMMUNE-COMPROMISED:
A weak immune system that makes an individual more likely to getting sick. Example: someone undergoing chemotherapy.

ION:
A very small particle with either a positive or negative charge.

IRRIGATION:
The application of water to plants to supplement what is supplied by nature through rain. A system of watering. Example: Using a sprinkler to water your lawn.

LIQUID:
The phase that is between the solid phase and the gas phase. Examples: water, coke, and juice.

MICROBES:
Very small “bugs.” Examples: bacteria or protozoa.

MILLIGRAMS PER LETER (mg/l):
A unit of measuring liquids, also equal to “parts per million”.

MINERAL WATER:
Water that is rich in useful minerals, like spring water.

MUNICIPAL WATER:
Water supplied by the city from their water treatment plant. Example: water from your faucet at home.

MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEM:
This includes the water treatment plant, the water distribution pipe network, sewage collection pipe network and wastewater treatment plant. Example: where water comes from and goes to after it is used.

OZONATION:
Disinfecting water with Ozone.

PERMENENT HARDNESS:
Hardness that cannot be removed by heating.

pH:
The measure of how much acid or base is in a liquid.

POLLUTION:
The addition of unwanted substances to air, soil or water. Example: Smog caused by cars or factories.

POTABLE WATER:
Water suitable for drinking.

PPM:
Parts per million, also equivalent to milligrams per liter.

PRECIPITATION:
The process when water changes from gaseous phase to liquid phase in the Earth’s atmosphere and comes down as rain, snow or sleet.

RESERVOIR:
A lake or pond that holds water for a water treatment plant, before it is treated.

RUNOFF:
Precipitation that flows on the surface of land. Runoff is stored in lakes (surface water) and in the ground (groundwater).

SOFT WATER:
Soft waste is low or free of calcium and magnesium. It is easier to for a good lather with soap in soft water.

SPRING WATER:
Water which reaches the earth’s surface without the use of any external force or energy.

SURFACE WATER:
Water found in lakes, rivers, and oceans, etc. on the surface of the earth. This does not include water found under the earth’s surface (groundwater) or in the earth’s atmosphere (clouds or moisture in the air).

TURBIDITY:
Cloudiness in water due to the presence of small particles.

VAPOR:
Gaseous state of water.

WASTEWATER:
Water that has been used (showers, toilets, dishwater, etc).

WASTEWATER TREATMENT:
The process used to reduce the contaminants in wastewater.

WATER:
Pure water (not contaminated) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless liquid made by the combination of two molecules of hydrogen with one molecule of oxygen.

WATER CYCLE:
See hydrologic cycle.

WATER QUALITY:
The physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water.

WATER QUALITY STANDARD:
A code set by a regulating body, which indicates the allowable safe limits of different elements in water, depending on their usage and purpose.

WATER TREATMENT:
The process used to improve the quality of water.

WATER TREATMENT PLANTS:
A facility to improve the quality of water and make it safe for human consumption.

GLOSSARY
CHLORAMINE:	Chloramines are used to keep your water safe from microorganisms (little, tiny bugs). It is a compound of chlorine used to disinfect water. Example: Chlorine is put in swimming pools.
CONDENSATION:	A chemical reaction in which water or another simple substance is changed from gaseous phase to liquid phase. Example: it is what forms on the outside of your glass (drinking glass) when the temperature of your glass is colder than the air. The moisture from the air condenses on your glass in the form of little water droplets (condensation).
CONSERVATION:	A plan to preserve or protect something. It is when you plan to save something or set it aside so that it won’t get used, polluted, or destroyed. Example: using recycled paper and plastic to protect the environment. Water conservation would be using less water to save some for future use.
CONTAMINANT:	Something that is in water that we don’t want there; an impurity. Contaminants are removed through cleaning or filtering (water treatment process).
CRYPTOSPORIDIUM:	A microscopic organism (intestinal parasite in humans) sometimes found in untreated water. It can make you sick and give you diarrhea, which is why water is cleaned and disinfected.
DEIONIZATION:	Removal of electrically charged particles (ions). It is the reduction of water to a non-mineral state. Similar to distillation.
DISSOLVED SOLIDS:	Solids that cannot be removed by normal filtration but can be recovered by heating water to high temperatures and evaporating the water.
DISTILLED WATER:	Water that has been heated and steam forms. The steam is then captured and turned back into water. Any solids that were in the water are left behind. It is the purification of water through an evaporation and condensation cycle.
EVAPORATION:	Water is heated until it turns to steam or vapor – the process of changing from liquid phase to gaseous phase.
FILTRATION:	The process of passing water through filters, some made of layers of sand, gravel, and charcoal, that help remove small particles. Example: a water filter on your faucet in the kitchen.
FLUORIDE:	A compound of Fluorine. Fluoride is added to water and toothpaste in very low doses to strengthen your teeth and bones.
FLUSHING:	The process of running lots of water through pipes to clean them out.
FRESH WATER:	Usually steam, river, or ground water. Water with less than 0.5 parts per thousand dissolved salts.
GAS:	Not a liquid (water) or solid (ice) form. Examples: oxygen and helium.
GIARDIA:	A microscopic (very small – visible with a microscope) organism sometimes found in water that can cause diarrhea. In is an intestinal parasite in humans and most domestic animals.
HARD WATER:	Water that is rich in minerals (mostly calcium and magnesium) that often will make it difficult to lather soap and make suds/soap bubbles.
HYDROLOGIC CYCLE:	This is the movement of water from the Earth’s surface (lakes/streams/oceans) to the air (clouds, moisture in the air) and back to the Earth when it rains. When it rains, the water is stored on the Earth’s surface in lakes, rivers, oceans, ground water, etc. and the cycle starts all over again. The process includes transpiration, evaporation, and precipitation.
IMMUNE-COMPROMISED:	A weak immune system that makes an individual more likely to getting sick. Example: someone undergoing chemotherapy.
ION:	A very small particle with either a positive or negative charge.
IRRIGATION:	The application of water to plants to supplement what is supplied by nature through rain. A system of watering. Example: Using a sprinkler to water your lawn.
LIQUID:	The phase that is between the solid phase and the gas phase. Examples: water, coke, and juice.
MICROBES:	Very small “bugs.” Examples: bacteria or protozoa.
MILLIGRAMS PER LETER (mg/l):	A unit of measuring liquids, also equal to “parts per million”.
MINERAL WATER:	Water that is rich in useful minerals, like spring water.
MUNICIPAL WATER:	Water supplied by the city from their water treatment plant. Example: water from your faucet at home.
MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEM:	This includes the water treatment plant, the water distribution pipe network, sewage collection pipe network and wastewater treatment plant. Example: where water comes from and goes to after it is used.
OZONATION:	Disinfecting water with Ozone.
PERMENENT HARDNESS:	Hardness that cannot be removed by heating.
pH:	The measure of how much acid or base is in a liquid.
POLLUTION:	The addition of unwanted substances to air, soil or water. Example: Smog caused by cars or factories.
POTABLE WATER:	Water suitable for drinking.
PPM:	Parts per million, also equivalent to milligrams per liter.
PRECIPITATION:	The process when water changes from gaseous phase to liquid phase in the Earth’s atmosphere and comes down as rain, snow or sleet.
RESERVOIR:	A lake or pond that holds water for a water treatment plant, before it is treated.
RUNOFF:	Precipitation that flows on the surface of land. Runoff is stored in lakes (surface water) and in the ground (groundwater).
SOFT WATER:	Soft waste is low or free of calcium and magnesium. It is easier to for a good lather with soap in soft water.
SPRING WATER:	Water which reaches the earth’s surface without the use of any external force or energy.
SURFACE WATER:	Water found in lakes, rivers, and oceans, etc. on the surface of the earth. This does not include water found under the earth’s surface (groundwater) or in the earth’s atmosphere (clouds or moisture in the air).
TURBIDITY:	Cloudiness in water due to the presence of small particles.
VAPOR:	Gaseous state of water.
WASTEWATER:	Water that has been used (showers, toilets, dishwater, etc).
WASTEWATER TREATMENT:	The process used to reduce the contaminants in wastewater.
WATER:	Pure water (not contaminated) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless liquid made by the combination of two molecules of hydrogen with one molecule of oxygen.
WATER CYCLE:	See hydrologic cycle.
WATER QUALITY:	The physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water.
WATER QUALITY STANDARD:	A code set by a regulating body, which indicates the allowable safe limits of different elements in water, depending on their usage and purpose.
WATER TREATMENT:	The process used to improve the quality of water.
WATER TREATMENT PLANTS:	A facility to improve the quality of water and make it safe for human consumption.