Need Help Writing a Paper?

Have Paper Masters custom write your project today!

  • 24/7 Customer Support
  • Free Plagiarism Check
  • Writing at Your Level
  • Writers All Have Advanced Degrees
  • Will Follow Specific Instructions
Need Help Writing a Paper?
Yes! Write My Paper!

Drinking Water

Drinking Water

A great research paper topic is "the importance of drinking water" and how this is becoming a more precious commodity. Samuel Taylor Coleridge once wrote, "water, water, every where nor any drop to drink"; a quote that is quite appropriately applied when looking at much of the world's vast waterscape. Between the numerous river basins, streams, coastal waters and ocean water, many communities are surrounded by water that is not potable. With this being the case, where does the world get most of its drinking water? And perhaps more importantly, how clean is it? What a great environmental research paper topic!

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that the majority of drinking water in the United States today comes from one of two sources: surface water and ground water. Reporting, "large-scale water supply systems tend to rely on surface water resources, and smaller water systems tend to use ground water," surface water includes, lakes, rivers and reservoirs while ground water is pumped from wells that are drilled into aquifers (geologic formations that naturally contain water). Estimating that approximately 23 million Americans use ground water as a private drinking source, the EPA notes that this figure accounts for slightly more than half of the population.

The nation has more than 54,000 community water supply systems consisting of the following components:

  • Collection mechanisms
  • Water treatment plants
  • Wells and well pumps
  • Water storage structures
  • Water distribution systems (pipes, mains, lines)
  • Dispensing apparatus

These community based water supply systems provide America with over 90% of its drinking water and water for daily use. Additionally, of these 54,000 community water supply systems, just over 3,000 provide in excess of 70% of the American population with its daily water needs. A considerable percentage of this system, if not the vast majority, remains out of sight and out of mind of the average consumer. However, much of this infrastructure is aging since many of the water mains and pipes were originally installed during the 1800s and are still in common use. In larger cities older than 100 years, the primary water mains are still the same cast iron mains installed a century ago. These cast iron mains and the cast iron pipes extending from them have a life expectancy of 100-125 years and this life-expectancy has been met or exceeded in many instances. The resulting condition of these cast iron mains and pipes is a rapidly increasing corrosion that becomes apparent in a waste of water resources due to general leakage and acute bursting loss. The figures agreed upon by most constituencies is that in most older systems the average loss of water resources due to inefficiency is 30-50% on a daily basis. Cities such as Boston, Detroit, and Philadelphia regularly expend valuable resources, detecting, repairing, and preventing water leakage issues that result in high costs to consumers, loss of water pressure, and periodic water rationing measures. New York, with over 6,000 miles of water mains suffers in excess of 500 major breaks annually. It is apparent that with so many water supply systems still relying on antiquated systems and equipment, that security and safety issues are not the only priorities for parties with vested interests in seeking IT solutions to ongoing concerns of both safety and integrity. Some IT solutions that cities, municipalities, and states are employing are: software applications that collect and analyze key data involving water usage rates, spike usage periods, and life cycle analysis of system components, as well as IT solutions that measure water quality and monitor for corrosion

Research on the Integrity of America's Drinking Water System

The integrity of America's national water supply was a topic of national interest long before the risk of invasive terrorist acts became a real threat. Issues such as water safety, water supply and infrastructure, and water use strategies were traditionally the relevant issues vis-à-vis America's water supply. While these issues are still relevant, if not more relevant, they have only become more complex in nature. In order to adequately address these traditional water supply issues and to appropriately secure the integrity of the water supply from terrorist threats, many local, state, and federal bodies have turned to information and technology (IT) applications to solve some of these complex scenarios. These IT applications run the gamut from extensive use of software application technology to simple security procedures and equipment. Additionally, the deployment of IT applications includes a more effective strategy to dispense with and mediate information itself regarding water supply integrity and safety. Raw information-centric activities have led the way in disaster prevention strategies regarding water-supply security: "Background checks on new employees have become common, as have intensive employee training, security audits, assessments, and emergency response and communications plans. A nationwide information-sharing system has been developed". Considering the magnitude of the potential threat facing the integrity of America's water supplies and critical infrastructure, the role of IT in establishing and maintaining security cannot be examined out of context. It is important to examine the role of IT solutions within the context of the water supply network and its organizational fabric to better understand IT's functional application in protecting America's water supplies.

The federal government passed several acts following 9/11 meant to prepare for and prevent such threats to the infrastructure and integrity of America's water supply. These consist of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act (Bioterrorism Act) as well as other smaller provisions that mandate certain actions on the part of any municipality serving more than 3,300 individuals (Security, 2003). The Bioterrorism Act mandated the following actions on the part of water supply systems serving more than 3,300 people:

  1. Conduct a vulnerability assessment
  2. Certify to U.S. EPA that the vulnerability assessment was completed by a date specified in the law
  3. Submit a paper copy of the assessment to U.S. EPA
  4. Prepare or revise their emergency response plan on the basis of results from the vulnerability, assessment
  5. Certify to U.S. EPA that the emergency response plan has been developed or revised by a certain date...Six months after submission of the assessment, utilities are required to certify...that they have developed or revised an emergency response plan

Related Research Paper Topic Suggestions

Abandoning Fossil Fuels - Abandoning Fossil Fuels Research Papers analyze the difference between fossil fuel and hydrogen.

Acidification On Freshwater - Acidification on Freshwater research papers look at the importance of the chemical contributions of aquatic animal and plant life. Science Research Papers are Custom Written Plagairism Free.

Acid Rain - Acid Rain Research Papers discuss the effects it has on the ecosystem.

Air Pollution - Air Pollution Reserch Papers look at the reasons why the ozone is depleting, and why there is poor air quality due to emissions worldwide.

Aldo Leopold - Research papers on Aldo Leopold focus on one of the pioneers in the environmentalist movement that worked to address various environmental issues over time.

Al Gore and The Environment - Al Gore and the Environment Research Papers explicate his environmental policy and Gore's book Earth in the Balance.

Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 - Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 Research Papers explore the act more critically, and the enforcement.

Botany - Research papers on Botany discuss the branch of biology that focuses on plant life.

Buffer Zone - Buffer Zone Research Papers discuss how this offers protection to freshwater streams.

Clouds - Clouds Research Papers look at the different types of clouds, such as cumulus, stratus, cirrus or nimbus, and how they are developed.

Conservation Biology - Conservation Biology research papers examine agriculture and land use policies in the United States. Paper Masters custom writes research papers on conservation biology for college and unversity students studying this aspect of science and the environment.

Cradle to cradle - Cradle to Cradle research papers discuss the concepts that help save the environment.

Destruction of The Everglades - Destruction of the Everglades Research Papers delve into the downfall of the everglades, due to the economic needs of a man.

Ecology Environment - Ecology and Environment research papers examine the relationship of ecology and the environment scientifically.

Ecosystem - Ecosystem research papers look into what defines the community of living organisms that interacts as a system with the nonliving aspects of the environment.

Energy Effient Building - Energy Efficient Building Research Papers focus on environmental laws.

Environment - Research papers on the environment examine the various environmental systems of the world and discuss their effect on all surrounding organisms.

Environmental Ethics - Paper Masters outlines a few choices for research and books about environmental ethics for you to choose from or use your own environmental issue to have one of our science writers write your paper.

Environmental Issues - Custom written research projects on Environment Issues such as global warming and overuse. Get great topic suggestions on environmentalism too.

Environmental Microbiology - Environmental Microbiology research papers examine the scientific study of the relationship between microorganisms and their environment.

Environmental Occupational Health - Research on envrionmental and occupational health issues with the latest academic journal articles on environmental hazards to one's health such as smog, toxic waste, drinking water issues and more.

Environmental Politics - Environmental Politics research papers explore the relationship between practical politics and environmental issues in areas such as ethics, sustainable development, international diplomacy, economics and environmental justice.

Environmental Science - Environmental Science research papers discuss the many aspects of the study of the environment.

Habitat Loss - Research papers on habitat loss by the writers at Paper Masters will build on previous studies that effectively employed lattice models of data calculation to explore how hypothetical species possessing various traits would react to a loss of habitat.

Human Environment Interaction - Human Environment Interaction research papers examine the complex, adaptive, and interconnected systems between humans and the environment and how they interact on an almost constant basis.

National Environmental Policy Act - Research papers on the National Environmental Policy Act discuss the law that requires any financed project to meet NEPA guidelines whenever a federal agency provides a portion of the funding.

Oil Pollution In Our Oceans - Oil Pollution in Our Oceans Research Papers examine how oil pollution is caused, and the negative consequences that occur.

Regime For Global Water - Regime for Global Water Research Papers look at the global shortage of water and possible solutions.

Social Ecological Models - Social Ecological Models research papers look into the models developed to help explain how various aspects of society are influenced by environmental factors.

Water Contamination - Water Contamination research papers examine how the pollution of water affects all plants and organisms that live within bodies of water.

Water Pollution - Water Pollution Research Papers look at the environmental factors that influence this polution. Paper Masters reports on PCBs and water pollution throughout the United States or in other parts of the world.

Water Pollution and Humans - Effects of Water Pollution on the Environment and Human Life Research Papers look at the different toxins. Custom research papers from Paper Masters.

Water Pollution Problem - Water Pollution Problem Research Papers delve into an example of an order placed on giving a description of the problem and how it started and possible plans that would alleviate the problem. Custom College Science Research Papers are Available Today.

Wissahickon Park - Wissahickon Park Research Papers look at this Park as a refuge for wildlife and as a National Park.


Paper Masters

  • Custom Written Papers
  • 100% Plagiarism Free
  • 24/7 Customer Service
  • Guaranteed Confidentiality
  • Text us for a Quote Today!
    1-570-301-7456

This is a topic on
Drinking Water Research Papers

Drinking Water Research Papers discuss the importance of drinking water in today's society. where does the world get most of its drinking water? And perhaps more importantly, how clean is it? Drinking water and the environmental impact research paper topic from Paper Masters.

Choosing a Topic:

Can't decide on a topic? Need ideas or inspiration for research in your field of study? Paper Masters provides topic suggestions to make your decision easier.

Paper Masters Site Search