Answer: It's a modern-day engineering challenge to remove human-made contaminants from
drinking water. After a quick review of the treatment processes that municipal water
goes through before it comes from the tap you will learn about the still-present
measurable contamination of drinking water due to anthropogenic (human-made)
chemicals. Substances such as prescription medication, pesticides and hormones are
detected in the drinking water supplies of American and European metropolitan cities.
The engineering design process can be used to design solutions for a real-world
problem (contaminated water) that could affect health.
Engineering Connection
The water that comes from our faucets has passed through a complex system designed
by many different types of engineers. Civil, chemical, electrical, environmental,
geotechnical, hydraulic, structural and architectural engineers all play roles in the
design, development and implementation of municipalities' drinking water supplies and
delivery systems. Hydraulic engineers design systems that safely filter the water at a
rate needed to supply a specific region and population. Chemical engineers precisely
determine the amounts and types of chemicals added to source water for coagulation
and decontamination to make the water safe to drink and not taste bad. Even so,
modern pharmaceutical and agricultural practices persist in contaminating our water
supplies.
Explanation: I'm big brain
