Kiera Jefferson
Coal is a major source of water pollution, contaminating groundwater, streams, rivers, and drinking water supplies. The issue is multifaceted, with coal mines, coal ash, and coal-fired power plants all contributing to the problem. Coal mines can contaminate nearby water sources with highly acidic water containing heavy metals like arsenic, copper, and lead, a process known as acid mine drainage. Coal ash, a byproduct of burning coal, contains concentrated amounts of toxic elements, including arsenic, lead, and mercury, which can leak into groundwater and surface water sources. Coal-fired power plants discharge large volumes of wastewater containing pollutants such as selenium, mercury, arsenic, and lead into waterways, further degrading water quality. These issues have led to significant environmental disasters and pose risks to both human health and ecosystems.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Impact on drinking water | Coal pollutes drinking water by contaminating groundwater, rivers, lakes, and streams. |
| Sources of contamination | Coal ash, coal sludge, coal waste, coal dust, chemical runoff, and wastewater from coal-fired power plants. |
| Contaminants | Arsenic, lead, mercury, cadmium, cobalt, uranium, thorium, boron, nickel, selenium, and other heavy metals and toxins. |
| Health and environmental effects | Increased risk of cancer and heart problems, reproductive and neurological issues, and other serious health conditions. It also harms aquatic life and ecosystems. |
| Clean-up efforts | Some power plants have been reluctant to clean up contaminated water, despite proposed regulations and guidelines to reduce water pollution from coal-fired power plants. |
| Alternatives | Clean energy sources like solar and wind require less water and are increasingly more cost-effective than coal. |
What You'll Learn
Coal ash and its dangers
Coal ash is a toxic mix of carcinogens, neurotoxins, and other hazardous pollutants, including arsenic, lead, and mercury. It is the material produced primarily from the burning of coal in coal-fired power plants. In 2014, the American Coal Ash Association reported that nearly 130 million tons of coal ash was generated in the US alone.
Coal ash is incredibly dangerous to human health. Short-term exposure can bring irritation of the nose and throat, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and shortness of breath. Long-term exposure is linked to heightened risks for a variety of cancers, as well as heart, liver, and kidney damage, and reproductive and neurological problems.
When coal is burned, it is typically washed with water and chemicals to remove impurities. The resulting coal slurry must then be stored, often with coal ash, in coal ash ponds, which have a tendency to leak, spill, or fail. In 2000, a coal slurry impoundment in Kentucky gave way, contaminating more than a hundred miles of rivers and streams with 300,000,000 gallons of thick black sludge. In 2008, more than a billion gallons of coal ash slurry poured out of a Kingston, Tennessee power plant, spilling into local waterways and swamping 15 homes.
Coal ash ponds are often dangerously close to or submerged in underground drinking water sources, contaminating the groundwater with heavy metals and other toxins. A 2007 EPA report suggested that people living near some power plant landfills faced a cancer risk 2,000 times higher than federal health standards. A New York Times analysis of EPA records also found that 21 power plants in 10 states had dumped arsenic into rivers or other waters at concentrations as much as 18 times the federal drinking water standard.
In 2015, the EPA adopted its first safeguards to protect people from toxic coal ash, but progress to clean up contaminated groundwater and safely close coal ash ponds has been slow.
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Coal mining and its impact on water sources
Coal mining and its associated processes, including coal washing, processing, and burning, can have a significant impact on water sources, with long-lasting effects on the environment and human health.
Coal mining operations can contaminate nearby water sources, such as rivers, lakes, and aquifers, through a process called acid mine drainage. This occurs when substances like iron sulfide are exposed to air and water, creating highly acidic water that contains heavy metals such as arsenic, copper, and lead. This acidic water can change the pH of nearby streams, making them inhospitable to aquatic life. Acid mine drainage has degraded thousands of miles of streams and rivers, affecting fish communities and the overall health of aquatic ecosystems.
Additionally, coal mining and processing require significant amounts of water, which can lead to water scarcity and impact water resources. Coal-fired power plants use large volumes of water for cooling, and during droughts or water stress, they may compete with agriculture, drinking water supplies, and other essential needs. In some cases, water has been diverted from agricultural and drinking water purposes to coal-fired power plants, exacerbating water scarcity issues.
The storage of coal ash, a byproduct of burning coal, poses another significant risk to water sources. Coal ash often contains toxic elements, including arsenic, lead, and mercury, which can contaminate groundwater and nearby waterways. Power plants have dumped coal ash into unlined pits and storage ponds located near rivers, lakes, and streams, allowing hazardous chemicals to leak and spill, contaminating drinking water sources. These coal ash dumps have been linked to increased health risks, including heightened cancer risks and other serious health conditions.
Furthermore, the burning of coal contributes to climate change, which, in turn, exacerbates water-related issues. Climate change intensifies droughts, reduces water availability, and impacts water management. As a result, regions dependent on coal may face increased water scarcity and competition for limited water resources.
Overall, coal mining and its associated processes have far-reaching impacts on water sources, affecting both the environment and human communities. The contamination of water sources, water scarcity, and the health risks associated with coal pollution underscore the importance of transitioning to cleaner energy alternatives, such as wind and solar power, which have a significantly lower impact on water resources.
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Power plants and their role in water pollution
Power plants are the largest source of toxic water pollution in the US. The toxins in coal plant waste raise the risk of cancer, make fish unsafe to eat, and can inflict lasting brain damage on children. Power plants discharge arsenic, mercury, cadmium, lead, and other pollutants into public waters without any specific limits. In fact, a New York Times analysis of EPA records revealed that only one in 43 US power plants must limit how much barium is dumped into nearby waterways, despite being commonly found in power plant waste and linked to heart problems.
The Clean Water Act, passed by Congress 50 years ago, envisioned that US waters be fishable and swimmable. However, power plants often violate this act without facing fines or penalties. 90% of 313 coal-fired power plants that violated the law since 2004 were not fined or sanctioned by federal or state regulators.
Coal-fired power plants rely on water to function. They heat water to create steam, which then turns turbines, generating electricity. However, the water is typically pumped directly from a nearby river or lake, and the waste water discharged back is hotter, creating "thermal pollution" that can decrease fertility and increase heart rates in fish and other aquatic life.
The waste from burning coal contains heavy metals and other toxins such as arsenic, lead, and mercury, which contaminate groundwater and other water sources. Utilities often dump their toxic coal ash directly into unlined pits adjacent to rivers, lakes, and streams, allowing hazardous chemicals to flow directly into waterways. This has contaminated drinking water sources for many communities, with serious health consequences.
The EPA has proposed strengthening wastewater discharge standards for coal-fired power plants, which is expected to reduce pollutants discharged by approximately 584 million pounds per year. This will be particularly beneficial for disadvantaged communities that are disproportionately hurt by pollution from power plants.
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The effect of coal on aquatic life
Coal mining and power plants have a significant impact on aquatic life. The process of mining and burning coal releases toxic chemicals, including heavy metals such as arsenic, copper, lead, and mercury, which contaminate nearby water sources. This contamination can have devastating effects on aquatic ecosystems, including both physical and toxic effects on organisms.
One of the primary ways coal affects aquatic life is through acid mine drainage (AMD). AMD occurs when certain substances, such as iron sulfide, are exposed to air and water, forming sulphuric acid. This acid can wash into nearby rivers and streams, increasing their acidity and depleting their buffering ability. As a result, these water bodies may become too acidic to support fish and other aquatic life. In the Allegheny and Monongahela River Basins, for example, AMD has degraded approximately 2,390 miles of streams to the point where they can no longer sustain fish communities.
Additionally, coal mining can lead to the destruction of aquatic habitats. Mountaintop removal mining, a common practice in the Appalachian Mountains, involves removing mountain tops with explosives to access coal seams. This process often results in the burial of headwater streams, which provide critical refuge for unique aquatic species and support the foundations of stable river food webs. The sediment from mining can also clog streams, disrupt their natural flow, and decrease available aquatic habitats, further harming aquatic life.
The burning of coal also contributes to water pollution, as power plants often dispose of coal ash and scrubber wastewater directly into waterways. This ash contains high levels of toxic elements, including arsenic, lead, and mercury, which can poison drinking water wells and accumulate in the bodies of aquatic organisms, leading to physical deformities and population declines.
Furthermore, coal dust itself is a source of pollution for the marine environment. When coal is stored or handled near water bodies, the coal microparticles can enter the water and have toxic effects on marine organisms. The impact of these coal particles on marine life depends on the dose and the type of coal.
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The impact of coal on human health
Coal has a significant impact on human health, largely due to the pollution it causes during its lifecycle, from mining to processing to burning. Coal pollutes water sources, including drinking water, and contaminates the air we breathe. Here are some of the ways coal affects human health:
Water Contamination
Coal mining, processing, and burning can release toxic chemicals and heavy metals into nearby water sources, including rivers, lakes, and groundwater. This contamination can make water unsuitable for drinking, swimming, and fishing, posing risks to human health. Heavy metals, such as arsenic, lead, and mercury, are particularly harmful and have been linked to various health issues, including cancer, heart damage, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders.
Air Pollution
Burning coal releases pollutants into the air, contributing to respiratory issues and other health problems for people living in proximity to coal-fired power plants. Fine coal particles and coal dust can impair air quality, leading to respiratory illnesses and other health complications.
Climate Change
Coal is the single biggest driver of climate change, responsible for a significant portion of global fossil CO2 emissions. Climate change, in turn, exacerbates extreme weather events, such as droughts and bushfires, which can directly impact human health and well-being.
Depletion of Water Resources
The coal industry consumes vast amounts of water, often diverting water resources away from agriculture, drinking water supplies, and ecosystems that rely on adequate water levels. This depletion of water can lead to water scarcity and negatively impact human communities, especially during droughts when water is desperately needed for crop irrigation and drinking.
Soil and Crop Contamination
Hazardous coal ash can coat crops in toxic chemicals, rendering them unsafe for human consumption. This contamination can enter the food chain, posing risks to human health over time.
Overall, coal has far-reaching impacts on human health, and its pollution of water sources is a significant contributor to these negative effects. Transitioning to clean energy sources, such as wind and solar power, can help mitigate these health risks and provide safer alternatives to coal-based energy generation.
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Frequently asked questions
Coal pollutes drinking water in several ways. Coal plants discharge large volumes of wastewater into waterways such as ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams. The wastewater contains pollutants such as selenium, mercury, arsenic, nickel, and bromide, which contaminate drinking water sources. Coal mining also contaminates nearby rivers, lakes, and aquifers with highly acidic water containing heavy metals like arsenic, copper, and lead. This process is known as acid mine drainage. Coal ash, a byproduct of burning coal, is often disposed of in unlined pits near waterways, allowing hazardous chemicals to flow directly into them.
Exposure to contaminated drinking water from coal plants poses significant health risks. Contaminants such as arsenic, lead, and mercury have been linked to heightened risks of cancer, heart damage, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. According to an EPA report, people living near power plant landfills faced a cancer risk 2,000 times higher than federal health standards.
There have been efforts to implement stricter regulations and propose stronger limits on water pollution from coal-fired power plants. The Biden-Harris administration, for example, proposed establishing more stringent discharge standards for certain types of wastewater generated by coal plants. Additionally, transitioning to clean energy sources like solar and wind power can help reduce water pollution, as these alternatives require significantly less water and are increasingly more cost-effective than coal.
